Sounds of the Season
By: Jarrod E. Stephens
The Ashland Beacon
By now you have surely noticed that the sounds of the season are all around us. I am not referring to the sound of crunchy, frozen earth beneath our feet or the sound of cash registers at your favorite shop. For several weeks now the Christmas carols have taken control of the radio waves to remind us what time of the year it is. (As if we could forget) To me, there are some carols that are truly the “gold standard” of what a Christmas song should be.
Whether you prefer a solemn tale of Christ’s birth or a more childish song that sings about some reindeer or man is a red suit, the Christmas songs are fun to sing and recognizable by most. Let’s take a look at where some of our or should I say “my” favorite songs originated.
Silent night is perhaps one of the most recognizable songs of Christmas. The song has been translated into nearly 300 languages and tells of the tender scene of Jesus’ birth. The year was 1816 when an Austrian priest, Joseph Mohr, penned a poem entitled, “Stille Nacht.” The poem was not originally written to become a song. It was instead simply a poem to honor and recognize the innocence of the scene surrounding the birth of our Savior, Jesus. However, nearly two years later, a church organist named Franz Gruber read the poem and was moved to put it to music. On December 25, 1818, Mohr and Gruber performed the new song. The church organ was damaged, so Gruber played it on the guitar while Mohr sang. The song spread across the European continent and eventually to America where it has become one of the most famous carols of all time.
If you were a child in the 1940’s it was likely that you were a fan of singing cowboys such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Both men, along with many other western actors were some of the most famous radio and television stars of their era. In 1946, Autry and his horse were in a Christmas parade down Hollywood Boulevard. As could be expected, thousands of children lined the streets to see their heroes.
Well, even Gene Autry was no match for the stardom of a red suited man in a sleigh. Autry told of how he could hear the kids yelling, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus.” Autry knew an opportunity when he saw it or heard it, and this became a golden opportunity. He wrote the song and in 1947 the song Here Come Santa Claus became a massive hit that is still a favorite today. Autry was sure to not allow Santa to steal the spotlight entirely, however. The final verse of the song says, “Peace on earth will come to all if we just follow the Light. So, let’s give thanks to the Lord above, ‘cause Santa Claus comes tonight.”
It truly is amazing how that of all the holidays on the calendar that Christmas is the one that has a plethora of songs to go along with it. Why is that? It is hard to say. Maybe it’s the commercialism of the day or maybe if you think anything like me, I’d have to say that it’s a little more Holy than that. The birth of Jesus is the most important event in the history of mankind. God has inspired people to create songs of joy since the beginning and what better time to sing that during the season that we reflect on the birth of His Son! So, the next time you hear to songs of praise that welcome the birth of Jesus or tell herald the arrival of Santa Claus, open your mouth and sing. Spread a little joy and you’ll be amazed what the sounds of the season can do for you.
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