• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

I found this always a strange phenomenon. Christmas is already remarkable like in WW1, Germans and The Allied forces, had a "cease fire", and they were both singing Christmas songs, to fight again the day after.
Songs: have an important role, music is as far as I think the most strong "language", worldwide.
What is in your opinion, so important about Christmas versus Songs, or Christmas songs.
FAKE and GOOD FOR BUSINESS, or REAL AND COMING FROM THE HEART

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

I have a hard time not being a bit of a scrooge around this time of year, just because I get sick of the typical American over commercialism, 'Oh my God go out and soend and hundreds of dollars right now or you don't love your family.'
  On the other hand, I really do enjoy the actual holiday time, my uncle from houston drives up to the home place where my grandma and cousins live, me and my dad and brother pile up there too, usually our friend tags along, and we stay out by the fire all night just havin' a good time.
  The majority of christmas music is, I think for children, so while it really does wear on my nerves, it makes the litte uns happy so I can live with it. There's really upscale church choir music that goes on around Christmas thats nice though. In fact, its only in the middle of one of those bluesed up christmas specials we do at my church (that gospel boogie woogie's in my papa and its gotta come out lol), somehtin' like 'Amen' which has some verses about baby Jesus, that I actually say 'hey, if we could just make it about the music and goin' to Seedtick I could handle this whole Chirstmas idea'.
  I think music does kind of unite people, there's something about playing music with somebody that puts a special kind of common ground between you, sort of a bonding type thing which doesn't require talking or hugging or crying, its like while everybody's in the middle of the song we all understand each other. Its too bad the effect has to wear off after the music stops (in most cases)

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

Last Rebel, I don't why Christmas is so important. It is a fact that some people get "aggressive" by reading this. When someone dies, they send a letter to the family and friends of the deceased and if there name is not in that "already sad" letter, or not in a correct ranking, they are angry.
I am a Christian, maybe not practising, but too much events are making profit using these days as an excuse. I agree, people selling Christmas products, have to make a living too. But, as far as I remember, wasn't it Jesus, who "removed" traders out of a temple? I don't speak like "in our time", those days are gone, and we have to adapt, our kids are spoiled too much, can you blame them, it is all a kind of combination: publicity, marketing....And those Gospel Songs, it is strange, for us, in Europe, because we don't have this phenomenon. A swinging and rocking priest, who sings (?) a line and followed by hallelujahs and praise the Lord. Isn't that a typical USA tradition?
On 6th December, we have also a big day for kids: St. Nicholas, and your Santa is in fact the same as ours on 06/12. The Santa is busy to become a real worldwide business, in our country too and for the parents, it start to be an extremely expensive month, here: St Nicholas + Santa+New year.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

A swinging and rocking priest, who sings (?)

Haha thats funny big_smile, with your permission I might use this in a song one day...
  Anyway, while America is home to quite a few letergical churches (methodist,presbytyrian,lutherans,epicopalians, etc. etc.), there are (particularly in the southern states and the 'Bible Belt') many denominations which maintain the tradition of very lively worship services (or thats what thier shooting at anyway). Honestly I'm not sure why this is so common in our country, but Biblically speaking it comes from the belief in a David's Tabernacle kind of worship service (found in the Psalms pretty commonly) "Shout unto the Lord" "Play skillfully on an instrument' "Rejoice" and "Sing unto the Lord with a loud voice"....  as far as musical style goes I think it stems from local music traditions. Depending on the area, Gospel music was traditionally bluegrassy, ballady, even bluesy. When whoever it was who wrote the hymns published the hymnals, local churches played them in thier own style, with the instruments the local people played, or even how they sang (some churches still don't allow instruments).

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

I am sure to have read somewhere, that in the USA, they have most religions, and as much lawyers than in the rest of the world

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

Yeah thats prob;y true, and don't get me wrong I love America, but I think its mainly due to being so over priveleged, we have an uncanny comfort with doing whatever we want, getting whatever we want, and not ever feeling uncomfortable, disatisfied, or feeling like we had to 'settle'. Somebody we know gives us too hard a time, we sue 'em for emotional distress and compensation. A television show says something we don't like, we sue the company for discrimination. Something in the church rubs you the wrong way? Start your own!
Don't like Mac Donald's french fries??? Go to burger king, dairy queen, novroskys, wendys, sonic, etc. etc. Don;t like the way you look?? Get tucked, injected, sliced, sucked, and rebuilt untill you do.... then sue macdonald's for making you fat.
   But what can you do? As an American i try not to fall too far into the stereotype, try not to complain too much, but I guess that what we're really for lol, we get in front of all the starving disease ridden countries, the less than free nations, the war torn and hungry, and we say 'HEY! I DON"T WANT ONIONS ON THIS HAMBURGER RETARD!" or "THIS COUNTRY"S GONE TO HELL, YOU CAN"T EVEN GET GAS FOR YOUR SUPER SHINY BRAND NEW SUV FOR LESS THAN 2.50 A GALLON!!"

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: tennessee
  • Registered: 2007-08-02
  • Posts: 176

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

Doc,
I feel that America has somewhere gotten its morals mixed up. It wants so bad not to offend that it is the oppitomy of offensive. The holidays just, for some, make it worse.

I heard the other day that a Santa Clause wasn't alloud to say "Ho,HO,HO" because it was offensive to women so now that Santa has to say "Ha, Ha, Ha" instead. Buggs Bunny is to violent, but South Park, The Simpsons, and Beavis and Butt Head aren't.

American is so greedy that it has what's called "Black Friday". This is a day that most every store will drop the prices on everything, in order to increase its sales. People go completely crazy. Theft/armed robbery increases to unbelievable proportions. Why can't they just lower the cost and keep it that way year round.

I love my family dearly, but I am one that dreads the holidays. I would love to get my wife and kids everything their hearts desire, but I just can't. The holidays just help to remind me of my accomplishments and failures in life. All the holidays come at once. Then to compound it birthdays all fall in too.

There is so much that I wish for my family, friends, and lets face it I have wishes for the whole world. The Holidays are a reminder of my mortallity.

I remember an old commercial that went something like, "I'd love to buy the world a coke and to teach it to sing in perfect harmony, I'd love to buy the world a coke and teach it how to smile." Or something like that.

A large part of this world is run by greed and the holidays just make it all that more visible.

If you're not happy with what you have...
Then you'll never be happy with what you get...
  • Registered: 2007-12-15
  • Posts: 2

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

I SO hope everyone LOVES Christmas songs as much as I do!:) smile:):):) I am already trying out ''Oh,Christmas Tree'';););) It is SO easy!

  • From: Ohio
  • Registered: 2006-10-02
  • Posts: 230

Re: CHRISTMAS TIME, SONG TIME

I totally agree eagle. i dont understand why i cant tell someone "merry christmas" anymore. i mean, im a catholic, and if someone came up to me and said "happy kwanza!" or "happy Hannukah!" i wouldn't find that offensive at all =/

Now of course there are food drives and toy drives and money collections for the less fortunate, but when it all boils down what people give to the homeless is hardly a sacrifice... it's usually "oh i dont want these clothes anymore so ill give them away" or "i won $10 off that lottery ticket i should give it to someone who needs it" i mean thats great to think of that, but honestly, people spend about $2 billion a year on PEANUT BUTTER. If people stopped buying  ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR PETS for one year and gave that money to buy food we could feed every malnourished/foodless person for 2 YEARS.

Now im not saying go out and sell all your belongings and give the money to charity, but all im saying is that most people (americans anyway) take for granted all of their gifts and givens, i know i do. its sad that christmas has become a time of spending and greed. why cant we be like charlie brown, realizing that christmas is a time to spend with loved ones, to give thanks for everything weve been given, and to give to those that dont have much so that they may realize the happiness that comes with LOVE. people loving one another, enough that they would give a part of their lives to help someone else.

well thats my piece haha. merry christmas everyone, or if that offends you, im sorry... happy holidays.

::kori::

If you spend your life judging people, how will you ever have time to love them ♥