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Amongst so many others, one of my favorite aspects of the Advent and Christmas season is the music. I break the music into two categories: hymns (spiritual in nature and content), and carols (secular in nature). My favorite hymn is Oh Holy Night, with its beautiful ascent and its simple, clear telling of the gospel story. My favorite carol is Silver Bells. Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, it debuted in the movie The Lemondrop Kid, where it was sung by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell.
No disrespect to those two, but my favorite version of this song was done by Tanya Tucker. Her rich, redolant southern alto, and the slower pace of her recording gave an entirely different characterization to this classic.
I find myself inevitably humming or singing this song at this time of year, and letting my mind wander in and surrender to the wonderful images the lyrics evoke.
Silver bells, silver bells, it's Christmas time in the city.
Ring-aling, hear them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day.
Strings of street lights, even stop lights - blink of bright red and green,
as the shoppers rush home with their treasures.
Hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch this is Santa's big scene,
And above all the bustle you'll hear.
Silver bells........
Always it is Tucker's voice I hear; and always it brings my heart back to the simple foundations and realities we should strive to stand on and capture at this time of year.
In the immortal words of Charles Dickens' character Tiny Tim, "Merry Christmas - God Bless us every one"!!
