Surprisingly for a tradition that's been around since the 4th century AD, most of the common Christmas songs today were written about 1800 years after what they're celebrating. Weird how being religious and sometimes in minor key can make something sound way older than it really is (at least to me!). But how well do you know carols? See how many you can identify in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiX00SXB4mg

You get one point for the name of the carol, another point for the lyrics of the part you heard. (And, because the more obscure the more fun, if you put the lyrics from the first verse you get the base 1 point, from the second verse 1.5 points, third 2 points... so on.)

Please put your answers in a spoiler! And no Google cheating or you're on the naughty list. I'll add up points on the last day of the Advent Calendar.

Reply

My attempt

1. Carol of the Bells
Lyrics - ???

2. Angels We Have Heard on High (? - can't remember if that's the actual name >.>)
Lyrics - 
Glo-----------------ria
In excelsis deo

3. O Come All Ye Faithful
Lyrics - 
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, o come ye,
to Bethlehem.

6. We Three Kings
Lyrics - 
We three Kings of Orient are ... (forgot the rest!  :dodgy

9. Once in Royal David's City
Lyrics - 
Once in Royal David's City ... (those King's College boys every year don't enunciate enough for me to be able to remember the rest of the words! )

10. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Lyrics - 
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With th'angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem

~ Aumeltopia ~

Raccoons are bandits! First they steal your food . . . and then your heart/identity!

(This post was last modified: 12-09-2017, 01:56 PM by Somyrion.)

Reply

I haven't time to do this right now, but it's worth pointing out that some carols are known with different melodies in the US and the UK.

Sent from my KOB-L09 using Tapatalk

Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond!

Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi.

Salma 145:8

translate

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 145: 8

Reply

Spoiler

1 ack, can't place the name

2 ack Gloria something something

3 Come all Ye faithful

4 O Little town of Bethlehem

5 GOK? (Gwd Only Knows)

6 We 3 kings  (or is it called star of wonder?)

7 GOK?

8 Go tell it on the mountain?

9 GOK

10 Glory to the Newborn King?

got some right away...  most not though.  pfft points smoints  :-)  Pretty sure Somyrion got more actual titles than me

---

Legislator | Local Councilor | Aspiring TSP Curmudgeon
Messages archived by the Ministry Of the Regal Executive - Bureaucratic Services

---

(This post was last modified: 12-09-2017, 02:30 PM by Volaworand.)

Reply

Spoiler

1) Carol of the Bells (or, better yet, the Carol of the Great Old Ones).

I don't really know the lyrics...

2) Angels from the Realms of Glory.

The lyrics in the bit played vary by tradition, but it's either "Gloria in excelsis deo. Gloria in excelsis deo." or "Come and worship, worship Christ the king. Come and worship Christ the newborn king."  This is the same for all verses, beccause it's the refrain.

3)O Come all Ye Faithful

V.1 - "O come all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
Oh come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem"

V2. - "God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo, he abhors not
The Virgin's womb"

V.3 - "Sing choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above."

V.4 "Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born that (or this, if you sing it in Christmas Day) happy morning
Jesus, to thee be glory given"

4)I have no idea - I've never heard that melody before in my life...

5) O Little Town of Bethelehem

V.1 "Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
And in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light,
the-"

V.2 "While mortals sleep the Angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
Oh morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
while-"

V.3 "Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
Their great glad tidings tell
And-"

6) We Three Kings

V.1 "Bearing gifts, we've traversed afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star."

V.2  It's about Gold... the exact lyrics escape me.

V.3 And this one's about Frankincense...

V.4 "Sealed inside a stone cold tomb
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Something something something..."

V.5 Nope, can't recall this one properly, either.

7) O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

V.1 "O come, o come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel"

Despite only singing this a week ago, I can't remember any more.

8) Dunno.

9) Once in Royal David's City

V.1 "Once in Royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed
Where a mo-"

V.2 "For he is our childhood's pattern..."

V.3 "Then our eyes, at last, shall see him
Lifted up in heaven above...?"

Ugh.  I should know this better.

10) Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

V.1 "Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim,
'Christ is born in Bethlehem'." 

V.2 "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus our Immanuel."

V.3 "Mild He lays His glory by
Born that  man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth."

EDIT: We sang two of these this morning, so is able to fill in a couple of blank lines.

Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond!

Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi.

Salma 145:8

translate

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 145: 8

(This post was last modified: 12-10-2017, 07:51 AM by Seraph.)

Reply

Spoiler

1. Carol of the Bells. 
2. Angels We Have Heard on High.
3. Adeste Fideles/O Come all Ye Faithful.
4. O Little Town of Bethlehem St. Louis tune.
5. O Little Town of Bethlehem.
6. We Three Kings.
7. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
8. Go Tell it on the Mountain.
9. Once in Royal David's City.
10. Hark the Herald.

Spoiler

Former Prime Minister of Brightport 2015 - 2016.
Former Allied Liberator 2016 - 2017.
Former Prime Minister of the Federation of Independent Nations 2016 - 2017.
Former Intelligence Minister of Brightport 2015 - 2017.
Former King of Brightport 2017.
Former TSP Ambassador to Europeia 2018.
Former Southern Progress Party Commissary of Gameside Affairs 2017 - 2019.
Former TSP Ambassador to the Rejected Realms and the North Pacific 2019 - 2020.
Former TSP Ambassador to the East Pacific and Lazarus 2019 - 2020.
Former TSP Secretary of State to the Rejected Realms and the North Pacific 2020.
Former TSP Advisor to the TSP Minister of Foreign Affairs 2020.
Former TSP Secretary of State to the East Pacific and Lazarus 2020 - 2021.
Former TSP Secretary of State to the West Pacific and Osiris 2020 - 2021.
Former TSP Secretary of State to the Pacific and Conch Kingdom 2021.
A former TSP Deputy Chair of the Assembly 2020 - 2021.
Former TSP Secretary of State 2021 and 2021.
Former TSP Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs 2021.
Former TSP Ambassador to Europe 2021.
Former TSP Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 2021-2022.
Former TSP Ambassador to the North Pacific 2021-2022.
Former OWL Administrator of Discussion and Voting Affairs 2022.
Former TSP Legislator 2017-2022.
Former TSP MoC Advisor 2022.
Former TSP MoC Ministry Fellow. 2022.

Reply

Answers tiiiime! I'm not including the lyrics in the answers, if you want those you can google them

1. Carol of the Bells (this version is adorable.)
2. Angels We Have Heard on High/Angels from the Realms of Glory
3. O Come All Ye Faithful
4. O Little Town of Bethlehem (American) 
5. O Little Town of Bethlehem (English)
6. We Three Kings
7. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
8. Go Tell it on the Mountain
9. Once in Royal David's City
10. Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Volaworand - 4 points
Somyrion - 9 points
Qaweritoyu - 10 points (nice job on being the only one to identify every song right!)

Seraph - 8 points for songs, and an impressive 10.5 on lyrics - 18.5 points overall!

Congratulations to everyone who participated - and especially to Seraph! It was fun for me hearing all the different beautiful versions of these songs, especially the ones I've linked above (except the American O Little Town of Bethlehem. I am an English tune purist). So I hope you all enjoyed listening too, and that you will hear many more pretty carols this holiday season! Merry Christmas

Reply