I decided for my final entry in Christmas Songs I Love to post about my most favoritest Christmas song, ever. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” has been my favorite since, well, since I can remember. Why? Probably because of the minor key. Actually, I dunno why, but it is.
The trouble with having a favorite “traditional” song is finding the DEFINITIVE version. Or at least, it has been for me. Even Julie Andrews‘ version wasn’t what I was looking for in “God Rest Ye.”
The closest, for several years, was the version by Barenaked Ladies that is in tandem with “We Three Kings.” (Oddly enough, I hated that version the first couple of times that I heard it, but it did grow on me.) But it wasn’t the DEFINITIVE version for me.
Then, last year, I discovered that Annie Lennox was going to release a Christmas album. I was excited and ordered as soon as it was available. And there it was, my DEFINITIVE version! I’m not sure what exactly makes it THE ONE, but it has “IT” and I’m glad it’s in my collection. (Let me know if this autoplays an ad – I’ll swap it for another version if it does. I HATE autoplay!)
Anyhoo, today is Christmas Eve Eve, and tomorrow starts the whole shebang with a family gathering at Aunt Becky’s. If I don’t get around to posting before the actual day, Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate! And God rest ye, merry gentlemen & gentlewomen!
One thing I love about Christmas is that it’s the time of year when you hear the most “early” (aka pre-1900) music, with more ancient scales and harmonics. “God rest ye” is a prime example… so is Greensleeves/What Child is this?/The old year now away is fled (that last one is, I think, the oldest lyrics to that tune. I remember, once I was listening to the local classical music radio station (in the summer), when some young guy stopped by by surprise. “Oh!” he said, “You’re listening to Christmas songs?” … (It was just Victorian parlor music) …. But that shows how deeply ingrained “Christmas” is with “old.”
What I loved about that video of Annie’s is the pagan imagery. I like to remember the reason for the season – halfway out of the dark. 🙂