OK, I promised more Christmas song lyrics for today and I can’t afford to back out now — not with Santa watching out for who’s naughty or nice (look for a poll question on this subject by the way).
Here’s one that grows on me as time goes by. I like the Andy Williams version best. The title really does say it all.
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
(Eddie Pola, George Wyle 1963)
—
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you
“Be of good cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
—
There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting,
and caroling out in the snow.
There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories
of Christmases long, long ago.
—
It’s the hap – happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay, happy meetings
When friends come to call,
it’s the hap – happiest season of all.
—
There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting,
and caroling out in the snow.
There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories
of Christmases long, long ago.
—
There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting,
and caroling out in the snow.
There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories
of Christmases long, long ago.
—
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be mistle-toeing, and hearts will be glowing
when loved ones are near.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
This one is my wife’s personal favorite. And it has a poignant quality about it that sucks me in too. The makers of the great TV show “The West Wing” used this particular song during the funeral of a homeless veteran during one of its holiday episodes. I’ll always remember it.
The Little Drummer Boy
—
Come they told me
pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see,
pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him
pa rum pum pum pum,
when we come.
—
Little Baby
pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too,
pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give our King
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you!
pa rum pum pum
on my drum.
—
Mary nodded
pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
pa rum pum pum
I played my best for Him
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me
pa rum pum pum pum
me and my drum.
In an earlier post I wrote about how my family used to sing Christmas songs on our way back home to Danbury from Winston-Salem from shopping trips. My dad used to sing this one — but my brother and I never once thought it was a real song. By the way, my dad’s also a big fan of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” but I can’t handle all that repetition on a Friday.
Up On the Housetop
—
Up on the housetop
reindeer pause,
Out jumps good old Santa Claus.
Down thru’ the chimney
with lots of toys,
All for the little ones,
Christmas joys.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Up on the housetop,
click, click, click,
Down thru’ the chimney
with good Saint Nick.
—
First comes the stocking
of little Nell,
Oh, dear Santa
fill it well;
Give her a dolly
that laughs and cries
One that will open
and shut her eyes.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Up on the housetop,
click, click, click,
Down thru’ the chimney
with good Saint Nick.
—
Next comes the stocking
of little Will,
Oh just see
what a glorious fill
Here is a hammer
and lots of tacks,
Also a ball
and a whip that cracks.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn’t go!
Up on the housetop,
click, click, click,
Down thru’ the chimney
with good Saint Nick.
I love the old-time Christmas carols that tell the real seasonal story. Anybody who ever spent time in a church Christmas play about the birth of Jesus almost has to know many of the words to “O Little Town of Bethlehem” or “O Holy Night” or “Away in a Manger.” I always particularly liked this one.
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Attributed to John Francis Wade(ca. 1711-1786)
—
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye,
O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord.
—
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens
of heaven above;
Glory to God,
Glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord.
—
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be
all glory given;
Son of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord.
And the more I hear this particular one the more I like it.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
—
While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
—
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour’s birth:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
—
Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
—
When I am a seeker,
I seek both night and day;
I seek the Lord to help me,
And He shows me the way:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
—
He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
—
And finally, the soundtrack for my Christmases since I married Roselee Papandrea in 1997 is this gem, which I think gets better each year. And that’s saying something folks.
—
—
Can you say “Christmastime is here?”
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