Christmas songs template CHRISTMAS CAROLS QUESTION 1. Which melody was written to comemorate the invention of printing press and later adapted as a Christmas carol? Hark! The Herald Angels Sing • It is a movement from ”Festgesang” by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, composed for the Gutenberg Festival in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the printing press • Lyrics by Charles Wesley, whose older brother was the founder of Methodist Chruch • Adapted 15 years later by W.H.Cummings 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 the angelic host proclaim: "Christ is born in Bethlehem" Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!" QUESTION 2. According to a story, which carol was composed in an emergency – when the church organ had broken down on Christmas Eve? Silent Night THE STORY • On Christmas Eve, 1818, the organ of Saint Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria, was broken. • the assistant pastor of the church JOSEPH MOHR and the organist FRANZ GRUBER composed the hymn in just hours. • It was sung in three-part arrangement with the accompaniment of a guitar. Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright 'Round yon virgin mother and Child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Saviour is born Christ the Saviour is born Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth QUESTION 3. Which famous song is composed by the author of the ballet “Giselle”? Oh, Holy Night • The composer is Adolphe Adam (18031856) • At the beginning the song was condemned by Catholic Church • Now a beloved carol QUESTION 4. Which Christmas carol is about the patron saint of the Czech state? Good King Wenceslas • This carol tells the story of the sainted Catholic king, Wenceslas, who ruled Bohemia in the 10th century. • He was dedicated to establishing the Christian faith in his pagan country. Vaclav's efforts were condemned by both his brother Boleslav and his mother, Drahomira, and eventually, Vaclav was murdered by Boleslav • The song is about the king and his page who go out to give alm to a poor peasant on the Feast on Stephen (Dec 26) Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen When the snow lay round about Deep and crisp and even Brightly shone the moon that night Though the frost was cruel When a poor man came in sight Gath'ring winter fuel "Hither, page, and stand by me If thou know'st it, telling Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?" "Sire, he lives a good league hence Underneath the mountain Right against the forest fence By Saint Agnes' fountain." "Bring me flesh and bring me wine Bring me pine logs hither Thou and I will see him dine When we bear him thither." Page and monarch forth they went Forth they went together Through the rude wind's wild lament And the bitter weather "Sire, the night is darker now And the wind blows stronger Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer." "Mark my footsteps, my good page Tread thou in them boldly Thou shalt find the winter's rage Freeze thy blood less coldly." In his master's steps he trod Where the snow lay dinted Heat was in the very sod Which the Saint had printed Therefore, Christian men, be sure Wealth or rank possessing Ye who now will bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing QUESTION 5. Which Christmas carol was used to teach the children Catholic truths of faith? Twelve Days of Christmas True Love refers to God • Partridge -- The One True God • Two turtle doves -- Old and New Testaments Three French hens - Faith, Hope and Charity Four colley birds -- the Four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or four Gospels Five gold rings – the first five books of the Bible Six geese -- six jars of water, turned to wine by Jesus at the wedding at Cana Seven swans -- seven Sacraments Eight maids a-milking -- eight Beatitudes Nine ladies dancing -- nine Choirs (or ranks) of Angels Ten lords a-leaping – Ten Commandments Eleven pipers -- eleven faithful disciples Twelve drummers – twelve Apostles, or the twelve tribes of Israel There is a modern adaption by Beyonce and Destiny’s Child “8 Days of Christmas”: On the 8th day of Christmas my baby gave to me a pair of chloe shades & a diamond belly ring On the 7th day of x-mas my baby gave to me a nice back rub and he massaged my feet On the 6th day of x-mas my baby gave to me a cropped Jacket with dirty denim jeans On the 5th day of x-mas my baby gave to me a poem that he wrote for me The the feelin' that I feel is so good He makes me feel so in lo-lo-lo-lolove If he only knew what he does to me My man, my man, my baby Oh he makes me feel so lovely, so sexy I'm so in lo-lo-lo-lo-love How I love him for his generousity My man, my man, my baby Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels lovely) Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels so lovely) Doesn't it feel like x-mas (wooooooooaaaaaaahhh h) Yes it feels like x-mas Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels lovely) Doesn't it feel like x-mas (it feels so lovely) Doesn't it feel like x-mas (the spirit of x-mas) Yes it feels like x-mas On the 4th day of x-mas my baby gave to me a candlelit dinner just me & my honey On the 3rd day of x-mas my baby gave to me a gift certificate to get my favorite CD's On the 2nd day of x-mas my baby gave to me the keys to a CLK Mercedes On the 1st day of x-mas my baby gave to me quality T-I-M-E TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS SONGS QUESTION 6 A well-known Christmas song has originally one more verse, which is never sung. It starts as following: THE SUN IS SHINING, THE GRASS IS GREEN, THE ORANGE AND PALM TREES SWAY Which song is it? White Christmas • The song was written by Irving Berlin in December 1937 while staying in Beverly Hills, homesick for his family back in New York • The most familiar version is Bing Crosby's which has sold over 31 million copies to date. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten, and children listen To hear sleigh bells in the snow. • I'm dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white. • I'm dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white. QUESTION 7. Which Christmas song was originally created as a part of the advertising campaign of a department store? Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer • The author of lyrics, ROBERT MAY was requested to produce a poem that could be given away to children by the Santa Claus employed by Department Stores at Christmas • In 1948, May's brother-in-law Johnny Marks, a composer, set the story to music • In 1949 the singer Gene Autry recorded the song and it became a hit! Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, you would even say it glows. All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games. Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say: "Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" Then all the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, you'll go down in history! QUESTION 8. Which song was originally written for Thanksgiving? Jingle Bells The author and composer of Jingle Bells was a minister called James Pierpoint who composed the song in 1857 for children celebrating his Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving. Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh O'er the fields we go Laughing all the way Bells on bob tails ring Making spirits bright What fun it is to laugh and sing A sleighing song tonight Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride And soon Miss Fanny Bright Was seated by my side The horse was lean and lank Misfortune seemed his lot We got into a drifted bank And then we got upsot Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh yeah POP/ROCK CHRISTMAS SONGS QUESTION 9. Which Christmas song is a protest song against the Vietnam War? Happy Xmas (War is Over) • The lyric is based on a campaign in late 1969 by John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, who rented billboards and posters in eleven cities around the world that read: "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko". • The single was released in 1971 in the US, it was rereleased in the UK on Dec, 20 1980, directly following John Lennon's death on Dec,8 1980. So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Christmas I hope you have fun The near and the dear one The old and the young A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear And so this is Christmas For weak and for strong For rich and the poor ones The world is so wrong And so happy Christmas For black and for white For yellow and red ones Let's stop all the fight A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear And so this is Christmas And what have we done Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Christmas I hope you have fun The near and the dear one The old and the young A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear War is over over If you want it War is over QUESTION 10. Which is the biggest-selling single which has never been the 1st in UK charts? Last Christmas • A song by “Wham”, released in 1984 • Although the song is the biggest-selling single, it was beaten by Band Aid “Do They Know It’s Christmas” • Band Aid were a British and Irish charity supergroup, founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in order to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the record "DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?" for the Christmas market. • It went straight to the first position in the UK chart, stayed there for five weeks and sold over three million copies. It's Christmastime There's no need to be afraid At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime But say a prayer Pray for the other ones At Christmastime it's hard, but when you're having fun There's a world outside your window And it's a world of dread and fear Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime The greatest gift they'll get this year is life (Oooh) Where nothing ever grows No rain nor rivers flow Do they know it's Christmastime at all? (Here's to you) raise a glass for everyone (Here's to them) underneath that burning sun Do they know it's Christmastime at all? Feed the world Feed the world QUESTION 11. Which song was planned to be a part of the musical (which never emerged)? Happy New Year • By ABBA in 1980, from album “Super Trouper” • Written in Barbados in January 1980, ‘Happy New Year’ was originally intended for a musical about a New Year’s Eve, one of Björn and Benny’s many attempts to get started with a more ambitious piece of musical drama. No more champagne And the fireworks are through Here we are, me and you Feeling lost and feeling blue Its the end of the party And the morning seems so grey So unlike yesterday Nows the time for us to say... Happy new year Happy new year May we all have a vision now and then Of a world where every neighbour is a friend Happy new year Happy new year May we all have our hopes, our will to try If we dont we might as well lay down and die You and i Sometimes I see How the brave new world arrives And I see how it thrives In the ashes of our lives Oh yes, man is a fool And he thinks hell be okay Dragging on, feet of clay Never knowing hes astray Keeps on going anyway... Happy new year Happy new year May we all have a vision now and then Of a world where every neighbour is a friend Happy new year Happy new year May we all have our hopes, our will to try If we dont we might as well lay down and die You and i Seems to me now That the dreams we had before Are all dead, nothing more Than confetti on the floor Its the end of a decade In another ten years time Who can say what well find What lies waiting down the line In the end of eighty-nine... Happy new year Happy new year May we all have a vision now and then Of a world where every neighbour is a friend Happy new year Happy new year May we all have our hopes, our will to try If we dont we might as well lay down and die You and i Sources: • • • • • • • • • http://www.carols.org.uk/index.htm http://www.wf-f.org/Hymns-carols.html http://www.christmasmagazine.com/en/spirit/classic02.asp http://www3.pair.com/montrsmu/quiz.html http://www.actionext.com/names_c/collin_raye_lyrics/white_christma s.html http://www.businessinberkshire.co.uk/christmasinberkshire/news11.h tml http://www.funtrivia.com/submitquiz.cfm?quiz=153898 http://www.abbasite.com/infocus/index.php?ret=/infocus/index.php&i d=1425&flash=no Wikipedia Thank you for your attention! Merry Christmas and enjoy the singing throughout the holiday season!