Today, a mix of Irish, French and French Canadian:
Chieftains - A Breton Carol (1987)
The Christ Child's Lullaby - Celtic Christmas
The "Huron Carol" (or "'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime") is a Christmas hymn, written in 1643 by Jean de Brébeuf, a Christian missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Canada. Brébeuf wrote the lyrics in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people; the song's original Huron title is "Jesous Ahatonhia" ("Jesus, he is born"). The song's melody is a traditional French folk song, "Une Jeune Pucelle" ("A Young Maid"). The well known English lyrics were written in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton.
This version is performed by Heather Dale, and sung in Wendat (Huron), French and English.
As noted yesterday there are too many Elvis impersonaters out there and some of them make fake videos pretending to be the 'King'
There is one however who made no secret of his copycat Elvis style and that was the late Les Gray of the pop/rock band called 'Mud' and you have heard the song every Christmas for as long as you can remember.
Mud -
Lonely This Christmas
Love Unlimited -
It may be winter outside (but in my heart it's spring)
Darlene Love -
All Alone On Christmas (Official Video)
25th Anniversary of Darlene Love's annual appearance performing "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" on The Late Show with David Letterman. December 23, 2011. (I think 2014 was her last performance on Letterman with this song)
It wouldn't be Christmas without Elvis! Two problems finding suitable videos, one being the lack of good picture and sound quality. The other is trying to avoid the 'fake' Elvises out there and there are quite a lot so I hope I have the real one every time with these four.
Elvis Presley - On A Snowy Christmas Night, (HD)
Elvis& Priscilla Presley- Christmas in Graceland
Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas ('68 Comeback Special)
Elvis Presley - If Every day Could Be Like Christmas
More from Loreena McKennitt because she wrote and recorded a lot of 'winter' songs.
Loreena McKennitt - In The Bleak Midwinter
The draft horses of Cedar Knoll Farm take you through the snow-covered New England country side to Loreena McKennitt's beautiful song, "Snow". Lyrics by Archibald Lampman.
Honorary Colonel Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt, CM OM CD LL.D. D.Litt is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who writes, records, and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. McKennitt is known for her refined and clear soprano vocals.
Loreena McKennitt’s ‘eclectic Celtic’ music has won critical acclaim worldwide and gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in 15 countries across four continents.
Loreena McKennitt in a haunting piece from the album "To Drive The Cold Winter Away", accompanied by chosen nature pictures.
The album was recorded in The Church Of Our Lady in Guelph, Ontario, and, in Ireland, a Benedictine monastery and The Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annaghmakerrig.
Loreena McKennitt - Huron Carol (Jesous Ahatonhia)
I have no idea who she is and her videos have very few 'views' but according to this note on the YouTube page the songs are recorded in her 'home studio' using a laptop, a microphone, a guitar and her voice and very good they are too!
"Die Lieder nehme ich in meinem "Heimstudio" auf. D.h. ein Laptop, ein Mikro, eine Gitarre und eine Stimme"
Zona vom Herberstein - We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Zona vom Herberstein - The Gloucestershire Wassail A Cappella
For Friday here is Rod Stewart croaking his way through a few Christmas songs. I know he can't sing but even so I enjoyed his Christmas concert from Stirling Castle about 10 or 12 years ago.
Rod Stewart And Cee Lo Green - Merry Christmas, Baby
Rod Stewart - Blue Christmas (Live)
Rod Stewart And Ella Fitzgerald - What Are You Doing New Year's
Colorado-based Celtic duo Beth Gadbaw and Margot Krimmel have performed together throughout the U.S., the U.K, and Ireland. Recently featured on Colorado Public Radio, their newest release Icy December was described by The Folk Harp Journal as “a wonderful compilation…that will make you feel nostalgic and warm” and by British folk magazine What’s Afoot as “an absolute joy to listen to.” All-Ireland harp champion Sylvia Woods said, “This is my favorite harp and vocal CD.”
Beth Gadbaw & Margot Krimmel perform their own unique arrangements of Celtic & American folk music, as well as their own compositions. Angelic vocals, sparkling harp, rhythmic bodhrán, and surprisingly intricate vocal harmonies define their unforgettable sound, delivered with masterful musicianship and genuine joy.
"Keith and Kristyn Getty have been called the "preeminent" modern hymn writers in the world today by Christianity Today, with a venerable catalog of songs sung around the world including the renowned hymn, "In Christ Alone."
Born in Northern Ireland and based in Nashville, they are multi award-winning artists (including a Grammy nomination for Confessio: Irish American Roots) with Keith being the first musician of the modern era to be awarded the OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for service to music and hymn writing.
With a desire to help teach the Christian faith, their music intertwines deep theology with a unique musical genre, drawing from both inside and outside the classical church form, to reinvent the hymn. According to CCLI, they have written or published 38 of the top 500 songs sung in USA & UK churches, and Integrity Music estimates that more than 100 million people in the world sing their music each year. Learn more at www.gettymusic.com."
Keith & Kristyn Getty - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Sing We Now of Christmas (LIVE) — Keith & Kristyn Getty
Sleigh Ride Medley (Live) - Keith and Kristyn Getty
Three more Christmas delights starting with a bit of wassailing!
Wassail, Wassail, All over the Town
Yorkshire Wassail, performed by Elektra Women's Choir
THAT CHOIR: The Holly and the Ivy arranged by Ola Gjeilo
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night (Lyngham) (StF 221)
The Christmas Tree:
This is sung in many of the pubs around Sheffield - with everyone joining in the chorus with gusto; "Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho!" I think everyone gets high from the hyper ventilation needed to sing it. Here it's being sung in the wonderful Royal Hotel in Dungworth, a small village out on the moors near Sheffield.
Featuring some very old traditional Christmas music:
Anúna - Mariam Matrem Virginem
"Long before Christianity took hold in Scotland and Ireland, the ancient Celts celebrated the Winter Solstice and the coming of light and hope. The echoes of Paganism still resounded in the 13th and 14th centuries, when faithful Scots sang the Vespers of St. Kentigern, Patron Saint of Glasgow. This celebration of Celtic artistic traditions, created by Jeannette Sorrell and Sylvain Bergeron, interweaves selections from the medieval Vespers of St. Kentigern with ancient pagan carols and popular tunes from 17th-century Welsh and Scottish manuscripts for lute and harp."
Apollo's Fire - Noël nouvelet from Sacrum Mysterium: A Celtic Christmas Vespers, Pt. 5/9
Noël nouvelet / 15th century French/Breton carol, Oxford English text
Coventry Carol - Clamavi De Profundis
Huron Carol:
A Canadian Christmas hymn based on a French folk song with original lyrics written by St John de Brebeuf, SJ, sung by the Canadian Tenors. Also called Twas in the Moon of Wintertime.
Here is part the third featuring Cajun/Zydeco at Christmas.
I usually read the notes beneath the YouTube videos and they are often very interesting - an albino alligator called Nicolette pulling Papa Noel's boat? Well why not, it's no more fanciful than than a reindeer with a bright red nose!!
"The Christmas season is doubly blessed in Acadiana. The Cajun population of south Louisiana is predominantly Catholic and the birth of Christ is a sacred reason for them to celebrate. Also, Cajuns as a rule simply love to socialize, so their Christmas holidays often abound with visits, parties, parades, food, spirited drinks, gifts, decorated homes, and community festival of light celebrations.
Around the world Santa Claus has many names; but in the deep, swampy bayous of Louisiana, he's known as Papa Noël. In such a hot and humid place, there can be no sleds or reindeer, so Papa Noël rides the water ways in a boat that's pulled by eight alligators, with a snowy white one named Nicollette in the lead."
