Sunday, December 3, 2017

What Are Your Favorite Holiday Songs?


         To celebrate the holiday season, members of the Motlow family selected their favorite holiday songs. We're providing their stories and links to each song.



         * Mary Jo Johnson, English Professor: "My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night, but my favorite Christmas song performance is Hark, the Herald Angels Sing in Charlie Brown's Christmas movie. The story behind 'Silent Night' is that my mother died peacefully with this song playing in the background. Although it was a sad experience, it brought a sense of peace to my family. Whenever I watch the Charlie Brown Christmas movie, I always smile. At the end when the children realize the true meaning of Christmas and sing 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing', I love to see their little round mouths as they look up to the sky." https://youtu.be/wTu00FCLgPs

         * Cameron Droddy, Sophomore Senator and Library Assistant: "Silent Night as it calls back my memories as a child in church with my parents. The choir singing it, and the entire congregation in quiet contemplation. It is one of the single most peaceful memories I have." https://youtu.be/iRZOv31n1sY

         * Allison Alsup, Completion Coach: "I Wanna Hippopotamus for Christmas! Only Hippopotamus will do! Don’t wanna a doll... No dinky tinker toy... I wanna Hippopotamus to play with and enjoy!" https://youtu.be/7oOzszFIBcE

         * Heather Koller, History Professor: “Fairytale of New York by The Pogues... Because it’s so beautiful, weird and funny all at the same time." https://youtu.be/j9jbdgZidu8

         * Candace Grissom, English Professor: "It's so hard to pick just one! However, if I had to pick my favorite Christmas song that I've seen performed live, I'd have to go with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Several years ago, I had tickets for a Springsteen concert in Nashville that had to be postponed from its original date, and then ended up being rescheduled the week of Christmas. In typical fashion, the concert lasted for hours, with Bruce and the gang taking requests from the audience at the end. The last song they played, by request, was Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and they knocked it out of the park, doing multiple solos and pulling people out of the crowd to dance onstage. It was just an amazing experience to see a living legend clearly having so much fun with playing a simple Christmas song and really making it his own, especially on a 'makeup' concert that he didn't have to do anyway. Definitely made me even more of a Springsteen fan than I've always been, which is saying a lot. :-)" https://youtu.be/iSgEDKjmT5o

         * Susan Price, Business/Technology Adjunct: "I love Christmas music -- my favorite is Away in a Manger. The image of baby Jesus asleep in the manger somehow gives me inner peace!" https://youtu.be/FnVorT14i4I

         * Margaret Maxey, Math Adjunct: ”Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Lauren Daigle. I like the jazz take on it. https://youtu.be/pvte8wIxVdc

         * Ramona Shelton, History Professor: “Christmas in Dixie by Alabama. I hate Country Music, but this one has always been my signal that the Holidays have begun. My dad always walked around the house singing it when we were little. One year I never heard it so I was in a Christmas funk the whole time. So now I have it on my phone so I can make sure that never happens again." https://youtu.be/qT1LQ8NTakY

         * Debra Stockdale, Mass Communications/Speech Professor: "My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night because it reflects the true meaning of Christmas. It was definitely a holy night! https://youtu.be/q5n6X9sUznI

         * Allan Aguilar, Student: “All I Want for Christmas in Minor Key by Chase Holfelder. I like the song in minor key because it is not overly cheerful like most other Christmas music. I like the Carol of the Bells for the same reason. https://youtu.be/SDACj0tkD-s

         * Laura Rojas, Student: When it comes to the holidays, one of my favorite things to do is listen to Christmas songs. My overall favorite song is Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano. I love listening to this song because it always gets me in the Christmas spirit. This song will have you dancing with joy anywhere it's played. As a child, my mother would always dance around the house adding her own spice to the lyrics, I would say it's one of her favorite Christmas songs too. https://youtu.be/xMtuVP8Mj4o

         * Glenn Randolph, 40-year-old-freshman: “Whatever U Celebrate and Carol of the Beers by Reel Big Fish, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, and Mr. Heatmiser by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. No great story, I just like something a little different for Christmas music. These make me smile and laugh and dance." https://youtu.be/27I3AN0XwP8

         * Megan Johnson, Speech Instructor: “The Man with The Bag! I love jazz and am a singer, and at our family's annual X-mas talent show five years ago, I did a great song and dance number singing this song, so I'm famous for it and everyone loves when I sing it every year now. At least I love singing it, and they haven't booted me off the 'stage' yet. lol." https://youtu.be/gAmmqXVmIAk

         * Charles Whiting, Mass Communications instructor: "When I was a kid in Mobile, Alabama, I always dreamed of a White Christmas. It never actually snowed on Christmas on the Gulf Coast, but we did have a surprise snowstorm one winter when I was 8 years old. I built a snowman with my brothers and sisters... an unforgettable memory." https://youtu.be/P8Ozdqzjigg
 

(Ingredients for this festive story were compiled by Motlow Buzz Managing Editor Ramona Shelton.)

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