James’ Thought Spot

It was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and was first sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934. It became an instant hit with orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music the next day and more than 400,000 copies sold by Christmas.

Wow, just Wow. A simple song suddenly became a instant classic.
*Knock Knock*

“Oxymoron police!”

Oh come ON! How many more of these ridiculous police forces are there?

*Knock Knock*

“PoItSPF Police!”

WHAT?

“Prevention of Insults to Silly Police Forces”

Is there a being accused of ridiculous crimes that shouldn’t even be in the lawbook police?

“Nope, get out here and pay these fines!”

You’re run by lawyers aren’t you?

*Knock…

Oh great! what now? the Insulted Lawyer Law association?

“No it’s just the pizza guy.”

Oh… thanks. Okay guys could you wait a sec so I can put up the song lyrics?

“No way! I got to be somewhere in 2 minutes or I’ll lose my boat to a bet. That thing cost me a arm and a leg!”

“Cliché police!”

“Institute of Not Arresting Police police!”

Hmm paradox starts here so I’ll just post the lyrics and run for the border… again.

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I’m telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town!

He’s making a list,
He’s checking it twice,
He’s gonna find out
who’s naughty or nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

He sees you when you’re sleeping,
He knows when you’re awake.
He knows when you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

So…You better watch out,
You better not cry
You better not pout,
I’m telling you why.

Santa Claus is coming to town.

Little tin horns,
Little toy drums.
Rudy-toot-toot
and rummy tum tums.

Santa Claus is coming to town.

Little toy dolls
that cuddle and coo,
Elephants, boats
and Kiddie cars too.

Santa Claus is coming to town.

The kids in Girl and Boy Land
will have a jubilee.
They’re gonna build a toyland town
all around the Christmas tree.

Oh….You better watch out,
You better not cry.
You better not pout,
I’m telling you why.

Santa Claus is comin’
Santa Claus is comin’
Santa Claus is comin’
To town.

O come, O come, Emmanuel is a translation of the Latin text (“Veni, veni, Emmanuel”) by John Mason Neale in the mid-19th century. It is a metrical version of a collation of various Advent Antiphons (the acrostic O Antiphons), which now serves as a popular Advent and Christmas hymn. Its origins are unclear, but “Veni, veni Emmanuel” may well be 8th or 15th Century in origin.
(Wikipedia)

Pretty old carol here. I don’t hear this carol very often but I like it. This is my last carol and I’ll have to go into more contemporary songs now. so hold tight.

O COME, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that morns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

[Chorus]:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel,
to thee shall come Emmanuel!

O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

[Chorus]

O come, o come, Thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

[Chorus]

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,
from ev’ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict’ry o’er the grave.

[Chorus]

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heav’nly home,
make safe the way that leads on high,
that we no more have cause to sigh.

[Chorus]

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadow put to flight.

[Chorus]

O come, Desire of the nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven’s peace.

[Chorus]

I like this song. It was based on a legend of “saint” Wenceslas. How he and his page went to give food and wood to a poor man in a blizzard at night. Legend tells how when his page was about to freeze when he told him to walk in his footsteps and when the page did he was warmed. This is called a christmas carol because it “took place” at St. Stephen’s feast which is 26 of December (today as i write) . Strangely Wenceslas was only a duke through his life.

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath’ring winter fuel

“Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

“Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind’s wild lament
And the bitter weather

“Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.”

In his master’s steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

MERRY CHRISTMAS

“Silent Night” (German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song Stille Nacht were written in Austria by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber. In 1859, John Freeman Young (second Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Florida) published the English translation that is most frequently sung today. The version of the melody that is generally sung today differs slightly (particularly in the final strain) from Gruber’s original, which was a sprightly, dance-like tune in 6/8, as opposed to the slow, meditative lullaby version generally sung today. Today, the lyrics and melody are in the public domain.
(wikipedia)

As it is Christmas day I hope for a silent night tonight. Last night fireworks were liberally exploding. No one got any sleep. This carol was designed to be played on guitar. It is said that in 1816 Gruber was called on to make a guitar carol for Christmas because the organ was broken. He took some lyrics he penned two years ago and made this popular song. That is the most accepted story but it may not be the right one. This song has been recorded by over 300 artists.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth “

James Lord Pierpont originally composed his song in 1850. A plaque commemorating the “birthplace” of “Jingle Bells” adorns the side of a building in Medford, Massachusetts. Pierpont wrote the song there, at the former Simpson Tavern, now 19 High Street in the center of Medford Square. According to the Medford Historical Society, the song was inspired by the town’s popular sleigh races during the 1800s.

Tonight, depending on what part of the world you are in and what part of the world the other is, it will be Christmas eve night. So a sleighing song to commemorate the red, plump looter that comes into houses all around the world with levitating deer would be appropriate. However this was originally a thanksgiving carol. Go figure. There are 4 verses but the last 3 have pretty much gone into obscurity and would be considered in the realm of the original “One Horse Open Sleigh” title, and “Jingle Bells” being the first verse and chorus. I’ll only post those here. Go search if you really want to know the rest but you will probably be put aside as if you made it up.

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.