Global warming!!! What's the chance that I'll ever get to see one of these now...a White Christmas???
This is another of those must see Christmas movies, one that's more steeped in family tradition than any other film in my personal history. I think I have mentioned elsewhere in this blog, about my Dad recording the soundtrack songs on our new and groovy "cassette recorder", the microphone resting against the tv stand to get the best sound, the family condemned to silence for the duration of the taping. I had the tape for years, and on it you could hear along with Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Vear Ellen - the sound of the occasional sniff, cough and plate being scraped and we finished our dinner. It must have been an important occasion for us to be watching TV while we at our tea (Tea is what us Welsh call dinner!!) for we always ate at the table in the kitchen in our house. How many can say that happens these days???
In my opinion this one knocks "Holiday Inn" into a cocked hat when it comes to Christmas musicals, though they are both similar in many respects, but the shear size and colour of the production makes this one the one for me, and itys also good for a few weepy moments after a few glasses of the Bristol Cream.
By the way, if your looking for a top tipple for santa this Christmas, you cant go wrong with my old favourite, Stone's Ginger Wine...top tot to wash down a mince pie for a cold and hungry St Nick. My sister and I always put a glass of this out for Santa before we slipped off to bed, far too excited to sleep, and it always seemed to do the trick for in the morning we got our rewards. Later on I found its an excellent mixer for Jack Daniels, never had a problem with sleep after a few of those!!!!
"...every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings"
I am not really sure when or where I saw this film first, but it has become part and parcel of my nostalgia for Christmas, as no doubt, it is for many many people. Regularly voted in the polls in the top 10 movies of all time, it is quite simply the quintessential Christmas feel good movie. I'm sure that a major part of its appeal is the fact that it harks back to a time when life did actually seem to have some meaning, family, work, communities of people working together, knowing each other, rather than today' world of ASBO's and binge drinking...welcome to the 21st century eh???
Anyway, if you get the chance and its on this year, sit down with a nice cup of tea, some mince pies and a hankie, and enjoy the feel good factor, it might be all you get this year!
"He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever - in case I need him. And I expect I will - as I always have. He is just my dog."
There has been a fair amount of interest in this album on this site, and the post I made about it. It's a wonder it hasn't been re-released. However I have made up a digital copy, mp3 to wav thingy. If you contact me by my e mail address, (see side bar) and leave a nice comment, I'll let you know how you can get your own CD copy. Be quick tho' as I won't be around forever...and please don't forget to leave a comment.
Christmas songs....its the rock and pop ones i'm referring to here. I have a theory that the last great era for Christmas songs was the early eighties. I was in the sixth form in 81, '82, '83, and seem to remember a vast influx of yuletide tunes, Wham, Jona Lewie, Shaking Stevens, Band Aid, Chris de Burgh...added to the usual John and Yoko, Slade and Wizzard. Some of them still stand the test of time. Sure, they are a little "twee" but they are part of my history, and when they come on the radio, or I slip on the Christmas Hits cds, the memories come flooding back, of late teenage Christmas's: broken hearts, drunken family parties and even some good old snow. They are good memories. Memories of the last vestiges of innocence before the true nature of the world revealed itself in all its murkiness.
Not for me are all Christmas songs actual festive compositions, Eagles' "Heartache Tonight"and Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", Ian Dury's "Hit me with your Rhythm Stick" and ELO's "Cant Get it out of my Head" are all songs that hit my tender spot in the festive season and they still hold true today as "Christmas" songs too.
A really good Christmas song, however, can carry memories and last forever.
My first really great Christmas song was "Ring Out Solstice Bells", which I bought as a 7" EP, (which apparently goes for a few bob now...I saw one copy for £30!!) That one has stayed as a favourite, and is definitely in my top 2, nipping and tucking with Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas" which strangely I never bought, until a few years ago.
It's nice to look at this old Top of the Pops video, another part of my youth now dead and gone, somehow it goes so well, so typically seventies....
"...Solstice Bells" exudes a quintessential English folk feel that Tull will ever be known for, undoubtedly seasonal without the traditional clichés except for a few bells at the finale. Check out this animated movie set to the song, which puts into mind the whole atmosphere of the song.
"Now is the solstice of the year. winter is the glad song that you hear. Seven maids move in seven time. Have the lads up ready in a line.
Ring out these bells. Ring out, ring solstice bells. Ring solstice bells.
Join together 'neath the mistletoe, by the holy oak whereon it grows. Seven druids dance in seven time. Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.
Ring out these bells. Ring out, ring solstice bells. Ring solstice bells.
Praise be to the distant sister sun, joyful as the silver planets run. Seven maids move in seven time. Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.
Ring out these bells. Ring out, ring solstice bells. Ring solstice bells. Ring on, ring out. Ring on, ring out."
The other top Christmas song is Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas" which for me recalls many personal memories of childhood Christmases: finding out there's no Santa after all, seeing a world around that continues to blindly maim and murder despite all the promises of the seasonal goodwill, and of course, the fact that it just keeps on raining and it never bloody snows! All this wrapped in a beautifully arranged version of Prokofiev's Troika from Lieutenant Kije, again seasonal without the clichés, and wonderfully atmospheric. Strangely for some people the video was a composite of desert scene and real life war film footage, but nothing better than to present the viewer with the hypocrisy of the modern Christmas.
The audio is quiet on the above version so check this one out with the different visuals:
They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on earth But instead it just kept on raining A veil of tears for the virgins birth I remember one Christmas morning A winters light and a distant choir And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas They sold me a silent night And they told me a fairy story till I believed in the Israelite And I believed in father Christmas And I looked at the sky with excited eyes till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn And I saw him and through his disguise
I wish you a hopeful Christmas I wish you a brave new year All anguish pain and sadness Leave your heart and let your road be clear They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on earth Hallelujah, Noel, be it heaven or hell The Christmas you get you deserve
Ok, so here's one that's always had a bit of a strange feeling about it for me. In primary school, we had a headmaster...Mr Myers, he was the one who gave me the cane on my first day, in standard one...ie I was 7 years old, because I threw some spilled salt over my shoulder, the way my mum always did because she said it was unlucky to spill salt, and buy throwing it over your shoulder you banished the bad luck. Anyway, I was seven, I knew no different, and he slapped my arse...what a bastard.
Anyway, I digress. At Christmas, the self same headmaster taught all us Welsh school kids how to sing Silent Night in German. This would have been about 1972-73. He I guess would have been about 50 when he was teaching us this stuff...see where I am going? I still remember us all in the hall, the whole school, around 250, 300 kids I expect, all learning this carol in German....I still think its a little weird.
Anyway, I have just found a download of an album of German Christmas songs, (go here to find said download) : Will Glahe & His Orchestra - Christmas Greetings From Germany in my search this year for as many weird and wonderful and possibly cheesy Christmas albums as possible, and some are sung by children so listening to it brought back this strangely creepy memory...that's all.
1. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar. Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar, Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
2. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund, Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'. Jesus in deiner Geburt!
3. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Die der Welt Heil gebracht, Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn, Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn, Jesum in Menschengestalt!
4. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Wo sich heut alle Macht Väterlicher Liebe ergoß, Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß Jesus die Völker der Welt!
5. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Lange schon uns bedacht, Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit In der Väter urgrauer Zeit Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!
6. Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht! Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Alleluja, Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah: "Jesus der Retter ist da!"
I dedicate one post every year to the memory of a very special part of my life, which is lost but never forgotten. Three years ago on Dec 15th the most wonderful little chap in the world, my dog Cal left us. I hope one day to be with him again. He was a very good dog, I miss you fella, sleep well, see you in the morning.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who have been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body begins to quiver. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together ...
We have a secret, you and I, That no one else shall know, For who, but I can see you lie, Each night, in fireglow? And who but I can reach my hand Before we go to bed, And feel the living warmth of you And touch your silken head? And only I walk woodland paths, And see, ahead of me, Your small form racing wit the wind, So young again, and free. And only I can see you swim In every brook I pass. And, when I call, no one but I Can see the bending grass.
Global warming!!! What's the chance that I'll ever get to see one of these now...a White Christmas???
By the way, if your looking for a top tipple for santa this Christmas, you cant go wrong with my old favourite, Stone's Ginger Wine...top tot to wash down a mince pie for a cold and hungry St Nick. My sister and I always put a glass of this out for Santa before we slipped off to bed, far too excited to sleep, and it always seemed to do the trick for in the morning we got our rewards. Later on I found its an excellent mixer for Jack Daniels, never had a problem with sleep after a few of those!!!!
