Christmastime's a' Comin' . . .
The Christmas season is getting an early start in my house. It feels almost immoral to be getting out the Christmas music and wrapping Christmas presents before Thanksgiving, for heaven's sake, but I guess there are plenty of worse things that could be prolonged . . . also, Sinterklaas (three weeks before Christmas) is the real Dutch gift-giving winter holiday, so all the frenzied holiday shopping sprees have already started over here, catalyzing the transition into the Christmas spirit.
In a related note, I am very much enjoying a CD compilation entitled "A Prairie Home Companion Christmas" . . . I'm sure at least some of you are familiar with Prairie Home Companion, but for those who aren't, it's a radio show on National Public Radio hosted by Garrison Keillor, a great comedy writer. He always reads a humorous anecdote about a small Minnesotan town called Lake Woebegone, and he gets great folk musicians to come and perform on the show. Probably one of my favorite tracks on the CD I've got is an up-tempo, folksy guitar/bass-driven rendition of "Silent Night" (don't know the artist off the top of my head). Good stuff . . . too bad I can't get the show here in Holland. :(
OK, new TASP poll (thanks for all the contributors to the last one about songs in French!):
Top 5 songs about rivers.
This is based on an English class last year (our introduction to Huck Finn, I think) where our teacher (the Napoleon Dynamite guy) asked us to brainstorm songs and works of literature about rivers. We didn't come up with any really great ideas, as far as I can remember, but I expect better of you intellectual titans.
Sam
posted by Sam at 4:48 PM
10 Comments:
When my parents lived in Liberia, my dad's six brothers and sisters took turns taping Prarie Home Companion and sending it to them. My mum always says they got passed around to nearly every missionary in the country. I heard the Lincoln theater where it has been recorded for the past twenty odd years is closing this winter...I wonder what that means for the fate of the show. Hmmm, songs about rivers...I'll get back to you on that.
5:21 PM, November 20, 2005
Rivers? Hmm...
Shenandoah is about a river, right? Anyway, I like the version sung by Emmylou Harris.
Proud Mary counts too, because the one line everyone remembers from it is "rolling, rolling, rolling on the river". I was really into that song shortly after TASP.
But I don't know many good songs about rivers... let me think...
5:42 PM, November 20, 2005
"As I went down in the river to pray" (remember the O Brother sound track?)
"It is well with my soul" Also known as "Peace like a River" but I didn't want to confuse it with Ridley's first one. Ummm, there are lots of hymns about rivers in the CRC hymnal, as my choices demonstrate.
6:04 PM, November 20, 2005
*smacks self on head*
Of course! Down to the River
OK, now I have to go find and listen to that song again. :D
6:35 PM, November 20, 2005
We sang Moon River in 2nd grade music class. I remember liking it...
9:10 PM, November 20, 2005
In classical music, pieces about rivers abound. There's Strauss's Blue Danube Waltz, Biedrich Smetana's Moldau, Grofe's Mississippi Suite, lots of traditional Chinese music about the Yellow River, and lots more probably. That's the benefit of nationalist music, I suppose.
9:45 PM, November 20, 2005
Black Water (yes it's about a river) - Doobie Brothers
Ode to Billy Joe - Traditional (about a guys who jumps off of Tallahatchee Bridge, into a river. i don't know if the word 'river' is in there)
Up on Cripple Creek - The Band
Don't Rock the Boat - Bob Marley
2:31 AM, November 21, 2005
oo, moon river. Breakfast at Tiffany's anyone?
2:20 PM, November 21, 2005
Songs about rivers? Well, it begins and ends with "The Moldau" by Bedrich Smetana. (Sometimes called "Vltava")
Go to windowsmedia.com and listen to it.
It's arguably the most melodic and emotional piece of music ever.
Charles can back me up on that assertion.
9:57 PM, November 21, 2005
aaagh! Moon river. sorry to all of you, but I have to confess that I hate that song. we play it every year for jazz, and it is the worlds crappiest arrangement.
Wade in the water is pretty decent, though I would have to say that nidelva is my favorite. (its a song about a river in norway)
9:47 PM, November 22, 2005
Post a Comment
<< Home