Song of the Day: 12-9-2023

Vince Guaraldi: "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing"

Watching It’s a Wonderful Life with Rachel,

Christmas 2015

George Bailey is standing over Harry’s grave

Again, forced to consider the world beyond

His life. I’m at the window watching it all unfold

In the silent distance. I’m waiting for George to ask God to save

Him. I want to watch him believe

In the world again before I go to bed.

I want to hear him shout, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!”

                                                  and bless all of Bedford

Falls. I want to hear his prayer for intercession:

                                                Clarence . . . I  want to live

again. I want to live again. Rachel is sitting in the Adirondack

Chair—she’s marveling at the satellite moon’s lunar halo—                             

And I’m thinking of Jesus standing beyond his grave

Considering the world beyond the miracle

Of his birth. We go inside and watch the ending together:

                                                The bell is ringing for Clarence

And everyone is there with George Bailey,

                                                and they are all singing, everyone is singing:

Hark, the herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn King.

“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th'angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

About the Song of the Day:

Another form of my favorite form of cycles are song-cycles—song-cycles of great albums, and of course song-cycles of mixes. I have made cycles of mixes for friends for years—Mix-tapes in high-school and college—Mix-cds in grad-school and beyond. Now that cds have lost a bit of their shine in the wake of streaming services, I’ve struggled to find my footing with sharing mixes with friends. My goal here is to share songs that culminate in mixes—one song a day until a mix is completed. I will then post the complete mix and then begin a new cycle.