In the silence of the Holy Night, we hear the church bells ringing and recall some of the best loved songs of Christmas. Last year I wrote of “Silent Night” and its creator, so will not include it in this year’s top 10. However, consider it an extra at number 11. To wit, here are my top 10 songs of Christmas.
• When Irving Berlin finished ”I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas,” he thought of tearing up the piece and starting over. He took the time to sing it to Bing Crosby who loved it. Crosby first sang the song on his December 25, 1941 radio show. That following Summer Decca released Crosby’s “White Christmas” as a single. The song topped the charts for 12 weeks. It won the Academy Award for best song of 1942.
• As an ancient English folk song, “What Child is this?” has a haunting melody that was known as “Greensleeves” and as a popular drinking song. In the 19th Century, the song was as beloved as “God Save the Queen.” The song’s powerful words presented a view of the birth of Christ. It remains one of the most remembered of all Christmas carols. Written by William Dix about 1840.
• “Silver Bells” was sung by Bob Hope in his movie “The Lemon Drop Kid” in 1942. Bing Crosby recorded the hit version of the Livingston-Evans song. When John F. Kennedy, as president, declared it his favorite Christmas song, “Silver Bells” could be heard that December in the White House.
• In April 1865, after giving the funeral message for Abraham Lincoln, Phillips Brooks, journeyed to Jerusalem. On Christmas Eve, he felt inspired and returned home writing notes in his journal of words that were to become “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The words were printed in cheap leaflet form and almost every Philadelphia church used it during church services in 1868.
• In 1847 Placide de Rouemaure was the commissionaire of wines in a small French town. His parish priest asked him to write a poem for Christmas mass. Thus was born “O Holy Night.” Called “Cantique de Noel,” the French people immediately loved it. In Boston in 1813 the French song was revised in English by John Dwight.
• Probably a monk or priest wrote “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” about 800 A.D. As such it is the oldest Christmas carol sung today. The song presents the universal nature of faith and was originally sung in Latin.
• “Mary, Did You Know?” offers a song for those who believe in the promise and potential God placed in His child. Buddy Green wrote the melody and Mark Lowry wrote the lyrics of this hauntingly gorgeous song.
• The year was 1942 when lyrist Kim Gannon sat down with pen in hand to write his poem “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” This carol has an introduction, a single verse and a chorus, just 12 lines which portray a person’s longing for home. His lyrics moved a Nation during the uncertain times of war.
• A joyful shout that expresses the exhilaration of His birth is to be heard in ”The First Noel.” About 1533 this Christmas ballad was first sung. A key element of this old hymn indicates that it was written by someone without formal language training. Nevertheless, in England the song was sung yearly by many peasants as they lighted the Yule log. For children, especially, the carol meant the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year.
• “Angels We Have Heard on High” was first published in 1855 in the French songbook Nouveau recueil de cantiques. Monks probably sang the song for a thousand years prior to that. It is the sensitive retelling of the angel-shepherd story that carries the song and has made it one of the world’s most popular Christmas carols. This carol of unknown origin brings joy to the season. Hundreds of millions of souls around the world know that “the prayer has been answered, the angels are still heard, the Savior is still welcomed and their very essence of being human is stirred.”