Getting into the spirit in a positive way
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Getting into the spirit in a positive way
I'm done! Done done done with all of it. I could close myself in the house starting now and not exit until well into the new year. All Christmas shopping has been completed- gifts, food, wrapping paper, etc. I am currently wrapping gifts and listening to some Christmas music to cheer me up. We are fortunate/unfortunate that here in Italy they only play Christmas music on the 24th and the 25th. I know in the US it is getting out of control, they start around Halloween I think! But a happy medium would be nice, I'd personally like to hear a little bit more seasonal music in December. fortunately I have my iPod.
What are your favorite Christmas songs? My all time favorite, and I repeat that I am not religious nor am I an atheist, I just sort of am on the religious continuum, is O Holy Night. But only sung note for note in the most purest of forms. I do not care for the pop music renditions in which they take liberties with the notes in order to show off their vocals. O Holy Night and the National Anthem of the United States are two songs I insist on hearing note for note as they were written and intended to sound.
My next favorite is, unfortunately, a tune that heavily references drinking. But something about the harmony gets me and makes me weepy. I love this song and will still love it even as I celebrate a sober Christmas.
I also love this song. I know it is cheesy, I know people take the **** out of her but I cannot help it, I could listen to this song on repeat for hours.
What are your favorites?
What are your favorite Christmas songs? My all time favorite, and I repeat that I am not religious nor am I an atheist, I just sort of am on the religious continuum, is O Holy Night. But only sung note for note in the most purest of forms. I do not care for the pop music renditions in which they take liberties with the notes in order to show off their vocals. O Holy Night and the National Anthem of the United States are two songs I insist on hearing note for note as they were written and intended to sound.
My next favorite is, unfortunately, a tune that heavily references drinking. But something about the harmony gets me and makes me weepy. I love this song and will still love it even as I celebrate a sober Christmas.
I also love this song. I know it is cheesy, I know people take the **** out of her but I cannot help it, I could listen to this song on repeat for hours.
What are your favorites?
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It is true BB. I have a hard time describing my religiousness as I do not attend church, am not sure what, if anything I believe in, yet I am not at all anti-religion and regularly pray, and when I do I address my prayers "dear God"
I used to love going to church for the evening service on Christmas eve. Even as a teenager I would arrive early to sit in the balcony and listen to the choir practice. It was so moving. Here in Italy all of the services are Catholic, which i am certainly not against and attend for baptisms or special events, but the Christmas Eve service that I grew up with and grew to love is much different here.
It is wonderful how music can move us. I have two distinct memories of that, one being a Christmas eve at about 13 or 14 years of age when I arrived early and sat in the balcony alone listening to the mildy talented but deeply passionate rendition of O Holy Night being practiced by my church's choir. The other was when I was about 8 or 9, my best friends parents were practicing a song that they were to sing in a wedding. "After All" by Peter Cetera and Cher. It is incredibly cheesy to think about or hear now, but when I heard them singing it I felt something inside of me that I didn't' understand. I remember running up to my friend's bedroom and collapsing on the stairs and starting to cry. I realize now they were tears of joy.
I experienced this joy again one night here in Italy. My son was about 4 years old and we went out to dinner with their great-grandmother. Such a splendid, amazing woman. Her husband was fully deaf, we always communicated in sign language with him. For whatever reason, I assume out of respect for the fact that he couldn't share, she never listened to music. He had recently passed away and we had taken her out to dinner. On the way home from the restaurant we listened to the CD of the Puccini opera Turondot. Of course the highlight of which is "Nessun Dorma" (no one sleeps- thank you Italian language knowledge!) It was a steamy August night here on the coast of Tuscany. Just sweltering. We pulled up to the villa and she didn't want to get out. We continued to listen and at the crescendo my son curled up to me in the back seat and said "mommy I'm cold, I'm cold, hold me" and I saw he was covered in goose bumps. I said "no my love, you are not cold, you just like the music very, very much."
I used to love going to church for the evening service on Christmas eve. Even as a teenager I would arrive early to sit in the balcony and listen to the choir practice. It was so moving. Here in Italy all of the services are Catholic, which i am certainly not against and attend for baptisms or special events, but the Christmas Eve service that I grew up with and grew to love is much different here.
It is wonderful how music can move us. I have two distinct memories of that, one being a Christmas eve at about 13 or 14 years of age when I arrived early and sat in the balcony alone listening to the mildy talented but deeply passionate rendition of O Holy Night being practiced by my church's choir. The other was when I was about 8 or 9, my best friends parents were practicing a song that they were to sing in a wedding. "After All" by Peter Cetera and Cher. It is incredibly cheesy to think about or hear now, but when I heard them singing it I felt something inside of me that I didn't' understand. I remember running up to my friend's bedroom and collapsing on the stairs and starting to cry. I realize now they were tears of joy.
I experienced this joy again one night here in Italy. My son was about 4 years old and we went out to dinner with their great-grandmother. Such a splendid, amazing woman. Her husband was fully deaf, we always communicated in sign language with him. For whatever reason, I assume out of respect for the fact that he couldn't share, she never listened to music. He had recently passed away and we had taken her out to dinner. On the way home from the restaurant we listened to the CD of the Puccini opera Turondot. Of course the highlight of which is "Nessun Dorma" (no one sleeps- thank you Italian language knowledge!) It was a steamy August night here on the coast of Tuscany. Just sweltering. We pulled up to the villa and she didn't want to get out. We continued to listen and at the crescendo my son curled up to me in the back seat and said "mommy I'm cold, I'm cold, hold me" and I saw he was covered in goose bumps. I said "no my love, you are not cold, you just like the music very, very much."
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Not Christmas, but here is a wonderful rendition of Nessun Dorma. I live just a few kilometers from where Puccini was born and lived. In fact, just above my little village there is a tower that apparently was the inspiration for the opening bells in the opera "Tosca" It is said that he heard them from the lake (and this is legitimately likely so) and this inspired him. Every time I hear the bells ringing I think of that opera- so like 24 times a day….. mamma mia!
Each summer there is a Puccini Opera Festival held at the lake where he lived. I have seen many but my favorite does remain Turondot.
Enjoy!
Each summer there is a Puccini Opera Festival held at the lake where he lived. I have seen many but my favorite does remain Turondot.
Enjoy!
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Maaaannnnn that is good! I was all into the Christmas music but now I'm in a mood for Zeppelin.
I would normally hesitate so share this, but as it is NOT at all sexual, I'll go ahead and share. I was once riding down the road, just a normal day in my normal car, nothing special. I can still picture the exact place and time. Whole Lotta Love came on, and I'm not sure what happened but I had a completely hands free, no contact orgasm just by listening to the song. I was sitting in traffic, blasting it away and it just happened, pure, unadulterated joy and pleasure in the most purest of ways. It had never happened before and has never happened since but it did happen and was incredible and astounding.
I would normally hesitate so share this, but as it is NOT at all sexual, I'll go ahead and share. I was once riding down the road, just a normal day in my normal car, nothing special. I can still picture the exact place and time. Whole Lotta Love came on, and I'm not sure what happened but I had a completely hands free, no contact orgasm just by listening to the song. I was sitting in traffic, blasting it away and it just happened, pure, unadulterated joy and pleasure in the most purest of ways. It had never happened before and has never happened since but it did happen and was incredible and astounding.
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Oh dear! That made me laugh out loud again! You are on a roll. I'm not sure, but in any case it was interesting, amazing and exciting and oh so real. I so wish I had seen them live. At my age I was only able to see Jimmy Page in concert. He toured with the Black Crowes. They played 90% zeppelin. Ok, they only real member was Jimmy Page, but it was still incredible. He sure knows how to work a guitar.
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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Ok, you got me going on Zeppelin - First time I saw them was Easter Sunday , Chicago Stadium........
If you like Zeppelin and have never watched the Kennedy Center show honoring them, watch on YT.
Here's a snippet - Foo Fighters - Kid Rock - L.Kravitz - A.& N.Wilson Feat.Jason Bonham)
This will light you up!
peace on earth........among fave Xmas songs!
If you like Zeppelin and have never watched the Kennedy Center show honoring them, watch on YT.
Here's a snippet - Foo Fighters - Kid Rock - L.Kravitz - A.& N.Wilson Feat.Jason Bonham)
This will light you up!
peace on earth........among fave Xmas songs!
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I like the Vince Guaraldi s (Charlie Brown) stuff, and Bing and Perry Como, but the stuff that really does it for me is the Norman Luboff choir:
It's schmaltzy but it really connects for me.
It's schmaltzy but it really connects for me.
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