Songs of Christmas - Silent Night

14 Songs of Christmas – (4) Silent Night.

I honestly do believe that the world would be a much better place if we all experienced a lot more silent nights. Nights that are distraction free, and absent of our insane modern day schedules. Nights full of reverence, reflection, pondering, fun, but not entertainment, and allowing the creative mind to work like it did when we were kids. Or at least when our parents were kids.

Before I get to the song, let me explain this 14 day run of Christmas Songs posted here. There is a reason for the season, and there is a reason for this 14 Days of Christmas Songs project as well.

Mary's boy child — My brother over my shoulder. I hope he’s still there.

Last May (2021) my younger brother suffered and lost his battle against cancer. I still haven’t completely grasped the idea that I have outlived a younger sibling. I still struggle with our loss. I still remain as a big brother to a pair of siblings and one brother now in heaven. I think of him constantly. He and I were both big fans of each other and of Christmas. We loved being with our family, especially during this time of the year.

My brothers and I shared a room until I was old enough to move out of the house. Even though it has been many years since those days, the bonds we made and shared back then have always remained. That is something that no one could ever take away from us, even with one of us no longer here.

For some months now, I have been thinking of writing more about music, about lyrics, and about the connections that music makes for us all in so many ways. This December I decided to do my 14 Songs of Christmas. My late brother’s favorite number was 14. A lot of folks knew my brother as #14. Since there are 12 days of Christmas, I figured I would come up with a different number for the songs of Christmas. 14 of them, or so.

Silent Night is the most popular Christmas song in the world. It has been translated into more than 100 languages.

“All is calm, all is bright”. December nights when all is calm and all is bright, still one of my favorite settings. Recently, I was up late on a calm, bright December night. I stood looking out the window and just watched the sky while thinking on many things. I honestly love the silent winter nights. Before too long, I saw a couple of gorgeous shooting stars from the Geminid meteor shower.

The Geminids are generally awesome because their “shooting stars” are usually like fire balls streaking across the sky. It’s like the difference between writing in fine point pen across the sky versus writing with a Sharpie. Anyway, it was beautiful and perfectly capped off another wonderful silent December night in my life.

“Christ the Saviour is born…Son of God, love’s pure light…Jesus, Lord at thy birth”. I love these words. Powerful.

Silent Night. (Carpenters)

Silent nightHoly nightAll is calmAll is bright

‘Round yon virginMother and childHoly infant so tender and mildSleep in heavenly peaceSleep in heavenly peace

Silent nightHoly nightAll is calm and brightGlorious stream from heaven afarHeavenly hosts sing HallelujahChrist the Savior is bornChrist the Savior is born

Silent nightHoly nightSon of GodLove’s pure lightRadiant beams from thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming graceJesus, Lord at thy birthJesus, Lord at thy birth

Lyrics by Joseph Mohr.

Melody by Franz Gruber (no relation to Hans Gruber).

Silent Night – (Spotify) – (YouTube) – Joe Perry. I absolutely love this piece of work.

Silent Night – (Spotify) – (YouTube) – Carpenters.

Silent Night – (Spotify) – (YouTube) – Sinead O’Connor.

Silent Night – (Spotify) – (YouTube) – Stevie Nicks.

Silent Night – (Spotify) – (YouTube) – Walk Off The Earth.

Growing up in our house there was a record player in the living room and that was my favorite room, by far, once the Christmas decorations were up. There were Christmas records playing often in the living room and I would listen to the songs as I played with toys on the floor (or with little green Army men in the tree branches). There is no question, that home was, and still is, my favorite place to be at Christmas.

Many times I just sat on the heater/radiator and gazed at the lights and reflections of the decorations on the Christmas tree, while I dreamed boy’s dreams. Or perhaps I stared through the front window into the night, looking past the electric candle, and searching the skies for any hints of snow. So many nights that were silent except for the Christmas music playing.

Sometimes, I still long to be that little kid sitting next to a frosty window, the only light in the room being the glow of our simple Christmas scene. Hearing my Mom in the kitchen and my Dad coming in from the cold night after another day working in the ministry of his calling. Siblings coming in and out, but mostly me solely focused on the songs, the words, and the reason for Christmas. Dreaming my dreams, without knowing that I was learning the tools to cope, to self-sooth, and to be calm.

Knowing that on Christmas morning, I would wake up and go downstairs with my brothers to meet Mom and Dad and my little sister at the base of the Christmas tree. We would always hear the story of that first Christmas, read from the Bible by my Dad. Oh, to go back in time to relearn what I have already learned and be more present.

Thank you for reading through this. I hope you checked out the different versions of songs. Maybe you even found one you didn’t know about, or that you hadn’t heard in a long time. Music is awesome! There is something for everyone. Merry Christmas!

The 14 Songs of Christmas Series so far:

15) Songs of Christmas – Bonus Day Mix

14) Songs of Christmas – The Angels Cried

13) Songs of Christmas – Whoville Medley

12) Songs of Christmas – Walking In The Air

11) Songs of Christmas – Please Come Home For Christmas

10) Songs of Christmas – Blue Christmas

09) Songs of Christmas – Joy To The World

08) Songs of Christmas – Oh Come All Ye Faithful

07) Songs of Christmas – Spirit Of Christmas

06) Songs of Christmas – Mary’s Boy Child

05) Songs of Christmas – Away In A Manger