I love the words, and the music equally. My favorite part of this song is when it gets to the part about "Fall on your knees..." The music at that point almost compels you to do just that. The wall of harmony at that point stretched out in that long note nearly causes me to bow down. And if the music didn't cause me to bow then the words certainly would. This song has some power within it as it describes the birth of Jesus. And I don't think it should be sung lightly. No offense to Mariah Carey or others, but this song can't be sung by just anyone with a star-studded name. It has to mean something to the singer, and truly my favorite versions involve choruses not soloists.
However, it's hard to find a really well-sung version of this song (on Youtube anyway.) I finally settled on this one by an all male chorus, though I prefer a mixed chorus.
Enjoy
2 comments:
I totally hear you on everything you said regarding O Holy Night. I also feel as strongly about Joy to the World and O Come All Ye Faithful and Hark the Herald Angels Sing- mainly O Come All Ye Faithful - very powerful but has to be song correctly to achieve the power.
My favorite chorus version is when children sing it. I've never found a version I liked as much as the one I heard in the movie Home Alone.
By the way, my brother just turned me onto an acapella group called Straight No Chaser - good Christmas tunes there...
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