Repeat the hymn again!

Welcome, friends, to the Talkin' Gibberish Blues Christmas extravaganza...

Have you ever heard that song, We Both Go Down Together? Well, that's how it goes sometimes. Sometimes you think you just can't go wrong, you are on top of the world. I sold lots of paint today & got a ton of stuff done. Everybody at work did what they were supposed to. I left work in good spirits about what I had accomplished & was excited about the weekend to come. I got home & my mood quickly changed. Why, you ask?

Well, the tree had fallen over. I'd heard of it happening to other people, but I never thought it would happen to me. You just can't let a fallen tree get you down, back up she goes, a little spot chomp to clean the carpet & some potato soup & I'm back in business.

As most of you know, I'm a sucker for a Christmas movie or a song. My favorites are usually the Christian songs, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, On Jordan's Bank the Baptist Cries, & of course my all time favorite, Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming. I haven't heard it in church in a few years, but here's hoping. Here's Sufjan Steven's version, I posted it last year, but here it is again.

new Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas - mp3s at noise for toaster

There's just something about that song that reminds me of Oma singing in her sweet, high pitched voice on Christmas morning. The Schroeder family is known for being loud singers, each voice is quite distinct. Opa is particularly good at belting out Joy to the World & Oh Come All Ye Faithful. Of course, I can still remember when my dad would be at late service after we'd already gone to early service & being able to hear him outside of the church. Sing it loud & sing it strong & let the echo decide who was right or wrong.

When it comes to secular songs, I like to stick to the classics, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Mel Torme, & of course Judy Garland. Judy Garland's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is so filled with melancholy & sadness & a little bit of bittersweet joy you can't help but love it. I say this with my masculinity firmly intact that I can't help but think of Brother Dan in Iraq hearing a song like this. Here's to you, old friend. Next year we'll be celebrating Christmas with Carl in grand fashion.



I'm also a sucker for Christmas movies. The ones that feature Santa Claus I can do without. Again, you can't go wrong with the classics. I love the scene from White Christmas when they are singing about snow. I can't ever imagine being on a train & singing about anything, but if I did, it'd probably be about snow. I'm going to see if I can talk Christie into sitting through It's a Wonderful Life this weekend. "Merry Christmas to YOU, in JAIL!".

This scene is no match for Heidi's clip of Quinn's Christmas program performance, but it's not too bad.



Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Oh Holy Night-Nat King Cole

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas-Judy Garland

My Right Versus Yours-The New Pornographers, Challengers

Train in Vain-the Clash

Christmas in Prison-John Prine



Let your hearts be light, friends...

andrew