[dcab-l] Woody & Dad sing "Hit Came Upon a Midnight Clear"

Friends of Christmas Present:

 

This is the 13th year my son Woody and I have recorded a Christmas song.  Others

we've done in years past:

 

2009  "Star of Bethlehem"

2010  "Silent Night"

2011  "Silver Bells"

2012  "Blue Christmas"

2013  "White Christmas"

2014  "Winter Wonderland"

2015  "The Friendly Beasts"

2016  "Away in a Manger"

2017  “The First Noel”

2018  “Santa Clause is Coming to Town”

2019  “Holly Jolly Christmas”

2020  “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

 

For 2021 we've recorded "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”.   Woody did the

mixing, played slide guitar (dobro), and sang tenor and baritone harmonies.  Dad sang

lead and played the guitar and bass.  I used an 09 Martin Marquis for guitar, and my

Gold Tone MicroBass for the low end.

 

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was written on a cold December 25th in 1849 by

Edmund Hamilton Sears, a retiring clergyman.  Scarred by the issue of slavery, and with

the drumbeat of revolution in Europe, and the Mexican-American war still fresh in his

mind, the Reverend Sears composed his poem while serving as a minister for the

Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts.  A year later he asked his good friend

Richard Storrs Willis, a distinguished composer of mainly hymn music, to write a flowing

melody for his poem. What resulted was “that glorious song of old”.

This hymn was quite unusual for its day, as most traditional carols stressed the nativity

of Jesus Christ. But the social message of "peace on the earth – good will to men", was

in keeping with the Reverend's Unitarian faith and its allowance for anti-war sentiments.

Please enjoy!   Woody and I wish everyone a happy and prosperous Holiday Season! 

 

To listen:

http://rattlesnakehill.org/Christmas/Christmas.html

 

Woody & Dad