We celebrate Christmas once a year, but Christ’s birth is worth celebrating every day of the year!

The last song in our jump back in time to around 1993 as we peruse the music from a project that Randy (my brother) and I did in our neighbor’s garage with just a recorder, microphones and Randy’s guitar is an Randy’s original rendition of, “Silent Night.” Here’s a little history behind the hymn:

“Stille Nacht” was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a village in the Austrian Empire on the Salzach river in present-day Austria. A young Catholic priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before. In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, he had written the poem “Stille Nacht” in 1816 at Mariapfarr.
The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in the nearby village. On Christmas Eve 1818, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for that night’s mass, after river flooding had possibly damaged the church organ.

For a classical version, click here, “Silent Night” – Boyce Avenue.

For a nice A Cappella version, click here, “Silent Night” – Pentatonics.

Silent Night

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!
Darkness flies, all is light;
Shepherds hear the angels sing
“Alleluia, hail the King!”
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior 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!

Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior 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!

I hope you have enjoyed our walk down memory lane. It just goes to show that the message of the Gospel and changed lives never grows old and never goes out of style. May Christ’s light shine on you and through you.

Abba, I love singing about You. You are endless, therefore all music is endless when it comes to proclaiming Your goodness through music. Enrich our lives, Lord; inspire us. Amen.