It’s December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I’ve even pinpointed my favorite versions of my favorite carols. Part 1 of 3. Part 2 of 3.
Lady Antebellum “Let it Snow, Let it Snow”
Harry Connick Jr. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
Michael Buble “Ill Be Home for Christmas”
Point of Grace “Jingle Bell Rock”
Sarah McLachlan “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
Lady Antebellum “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
I signed up for The Reading Fever’s Ornament Exchange this year. I love all these gift exchanges this time of the year. I received Diana @ Book Adventures for my partner. And she sent me a most awesome ornament.
Does anyone recognize this awesome image? It’s from one of my favorite books: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams! This ornament has earned a respected place on my Christmas tree. Thanks Diana!
Thanks again Diana!
P.S. She wrote me a nice thank you post on her blog. Check it out here.
It’s December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I’ve even pinpointed my favorite versions of my favorite carols. Part 1 of 3.
She and Him “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Point of Grace “Carol of the Bells / What Child is This?
Jason Mraz “Winter Wonderland”
Michael W. Smith “Christmas Waltz”
Josh Groban “Ave Maria”
It’s December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I’ve even pinpointed my favorite versions of my favorite carols. Part 1 of 3.
“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby — The classic song sung by the classic singer. While I prefer Holiday Inn over White Christmas, I prefer this song.
“Blue Christmas” by Elvis — Another classic song by a classic singer. There are many other versions of Blue Christmas, but I always go back to Elvis.
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan — A fun uptempo mash-up for you. This is so upbeat I can’t help but feel better after listening.
“The Chanukah Song” by Adam Sandler — A funny song to enjoy.
“Little Drummer Boy” by Jars of Clay — Another classic song done in a more modern version.
One of my old favorite songs. I can’t not sing along when this song pops up on my shuffle. It’s a beautiful song. Plus you get a beautiful video and a live version to enjoy.
Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):
A long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can’t remember the last thing that you said as you were leavin’
Now the days go by so fast
And it’s one more day up in the canyons
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven…I wish you would
The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it’s all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl
And it’s one more day up in the canyons
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California…I think you should
Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower,
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her
And it’s been a long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass
And it’s one more day up in the canyon
And it’s one more night in Hollywood
It’s been so long since I’ve seen the ocean…I guess I should
Here’s an uplifting song for you today. I hope that every day you feel down there’s some one there to stay with you until the rain passes. I added an audio track from the album and a live version.
Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):
When the rain comes it seems that everyone has gone away
When the night falls you wonder if you shouldn’t find someplace
To run and hide
Escape the pain
But hiding’s such a lonely thing to do
I can’t stop the rain
From falling down on you again
I can’t stop the rain
But I will hold you ’til it goes away
When the rain comes
you blame it on the things that
you have done
When the storm fades
you know that rain must fall
on everyone
Rest awhile
it’ll be alright
No one loves you like I do
When the rain comes
I will hold you
Any time I’m feeling a bit down, I just pop on Relient K and suddenly I feel tons better. Their lyrics are complicated and deep, but the music is infectious. Check them out today. I give you the audio from the album and a live version from Hard Rock.
Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):
The way that girl can break a heart
It’s like a work of art
And this is the worst part
She knows it
And she’s so confident
That she’s what everybody wants
But nobody wants
Her to know that
So fall back on all of your premonitions
And just learn to listen
To those that have more wisdom than you
And just stop
Putting so much stock
In all of this stuff
Live your life for those you love
And I’m still waiting for
You to be the one I’m waiting for
The way that girl can turn a head
Well she is such a threat
But don’t ever forget
She knows it
And she’s got it all
All figured out
And she won’t let you doubt
She knows it
I’m still waiting for
You to be the one I’m waiting for
Something tells me that this is going to make sense
Something tells me it’s going to take patience
Something tells me that this will all work out in the end
I can’t believe that I’ve never highlighted this song on the blog. I absolutely adore her voice and her whole sound. It’s so quirky but easily to connect to. She writes very personal songs of life. Plus, check out the gorgeous visuals in the video.
Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):
I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds
I hear in my mind
All these voices
I hear in my mind all these words
I hear in my mind all this music
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
It breaks my heart
And suppose I never ever met you
Suppose we never fell in love
Suppose I never ever let you kiss me so sweet and so soft
Suppose I never ever saw you
Suppose we never ever called
Suppose I kept on singing love songs just to break my own fall
Just to break my fall
Just to break my fall
Break my fall
Break my fall
All my friends say that of course its gonna get better
Gonna get better
Better better better better
Better better better
I never love nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting by heart truly
I got lost
In the sounds
I hear in my mind
All these voices
I hear in my mind all these words
I hear in my mind
All this music
And it breaks my heart
It breaks my heart
I hear in my mind all of these voices
I hear in my mind all of these words
I hear in my mind all of this music
Breaks my
Heart
Breaks my heart
Not a real happy song, but I love the moody atmosphere of this entire album. (Whisper House) The album is a bit of a concept album with interlocking stories throughout. Give it a listen if you get a chance.
Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):
I present to you a story
Set upon a northern shore
The denizens of lighthouse
During times of war
The foolish things they did
The foolish things they said
I’m sure you will agree
They would be better off dead
Lily keeps the lighthouse
She’s afraid of the unknown
She’s no ray of sunshine
So mostly she’s alone
And no one cares about her longing
Or the dreams on which she’s fed
And though I’m sad to say it
She would be better off dead
Next we have a sheriff
Charles is his name
He’s something of a sideshow
Every sheriff is the same
Will he stand for justice
Or something else instead?
Either way it hardly matters
‘Cause he’s better off dead
When everything is done
And everything is said
Life is naught but pain
It’s better to be dead
Release your heavy heart
Rest your weary head
When all the world’s at war
It’s better, it’s better
Witness Yasujiro
He hails from old Japan
He searches for redemption
In this strange and foreign land
And now he works for Lily
To earn his daily bread
But the most that one can say
Is that he’s better off dead
Please, welcome young Christopher
He’s come here on a train
His father flew to heaven
In a fiery aeroplane
He’s come to live with Lily
He’s got visions in his head
He may be our main attraction
But he’s better off dead
When everything is done
And everything is said
Life is naught but pain
It’s better to be dead
Release your heavy heart
Rest your weary head
When all the world’s at war
It’s better to be dead
Everything is done
All things have been said
It’s good to be a ghost
It’s better, it’s better to be dead
It’s good to be a ghost
It’s better to be dead
Audio track from the album
A live version with pretty crappy audio, but visuals
Per aspera ad astra!
"Through difficulties to the stars"
Wading Through the Ocean of Life 