It's that time of year! 'Tis the season to be jolly! Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'? Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Welcome to a winter wonderland here at Tuesday's Musical Notes. Have you got your list ready? We have and on our list are blessings for every one of you! Besides we aren't sure what a calling bird or a french hen even looks like...
Way before Hallmark decided to start their "Countdown to Christmas", there was this song that enumerates all the gifts that are given by one's true love. The first publication of "The 12 Days of Christmas" dates back to a 1780 reading recorded in the British children's book Mirth Without Mischief. Many traditions state that the lyric originated even earlier than that as it was used as a "forfeits" memory game for children.
Musically, the tune for "12 Days of Christmas" was popularized by Frederic Austin (1872-1952), a music teacher, composer, and baritone who was popular in opera productions in England at the time. His inspiration was a common tune that dated to the 1790s and found its way to publication in the early 1800s. Its composition and evolution to our modern-day song (covered by everyone who has ever put out a Christmas album) are given a great narrative at "12 Days of Christmas" - wikipedia.org. Pay particular attention to the costs associated if you were to give the gifts...Yikes!!! Check it out if you are naughty or nice...
In keeping with the countdown spirit of today's featured song, we thought we'd give you something special...no it doesn't involve livestock, servants, or bands of gold, and only loosely involves musical instruments.
Welcome to December and an extraordinary edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes! Back in May (no it doesn't seem that far back to us either) we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Tuesday's Musical Notes by recapping the top ten most-read blogs in the history of The Notes. If you have a few minutes, check it out! Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Ten Years Gone" (Led Zeppelin)
In keeping with our celebratory mood and as we launch into the most wonderful time of the year, we have for you today Tuesday's Musical Notes - Top Ten Christmas (Decade Edition) Blogs list. Over the last ten years, there have been 46 total Christmasy themed Tuesday's Musical Notes (you read that right, we were surprised to find that 6 of the last 10 Decembers have 5 Tuesdays...). Today we present to you the ten that has been the most viewed, as once again compiled by our friends at Google's blogspot.com. So welcome, and let's get on with the countdown.
"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him." - The Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew, a tax collector, chapter 5, verse 1 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel
We feature only 1 tie in this countdown and it is at #10. Coming in at #10 is the perennial favorite sung by true loves since it first came to the record-buying public in 1934. We chose one of Tuesday's Musical Notes favorites, Pentatonix, as well as a standard recording of the song by Perry Como to be featured in December 2015. As a Tuesday's Musical Notes extra, according to an ASCAP ranking from 2017, the 1987 version recorded by The Eurythmics has come to be the one most commonly played.
#10 - Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Winter Wonderland" (Pentatonix with Tori Kelly/Perry Como with Ann Blyth)
"Then He began to teach them, saying," - Matthew 5:2 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Also at #10 is another classic seasonal favorite that was originally penned in 1947 by American songwriter, Frank Loesser. The blog featuring the song has a blend of the old with the new in that it features rocker Rod Stewart with songstress Ella Fitzgerald in a posting from December 2014 as they pose the question: Tuesday's Musical Notes - "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (Rod Stewart and Ella Fitzgerald)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:3 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
As you become an avid reader of The Musical Notes you will soon see the impact that The Beatles have had on the world of popular music. This imprint spills over into Tuesday's Musical Notes. Many songs in Notesland feature the Lads from Liverpool. They came in as the #2 act of the decade that is featured at Tuesday's Musical Notes. (Chicago was #1!) So it stands to reason that they will also have an impact on our Christmas Countdown from the last decade. 3 of the Fab Four made it to the top ten Christmas list. We are a little surprised at the one that didn't make it. Better luck next decade John.
Ringo Starr and George Harrison are the next featured artists in our 10 years of Christmas at Tuesday Musical Notes countdown. Up first is Ringo with his ode to wishing he was Santa Claus from December 2020, our 9th most-read Christmas blog from Tuesday's Musical Notes...
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." - Matthew 5:4 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
And now George's entry into the seasonal celebrations from the 2020 Christmas season that featured each of The Beatle's offerings for the holidays, coming in at #8 is George Harrison and "Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong".
"Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth." - Matthew 5:5 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Tuesday's Musical Notes archives house the entirety of Notesland's wisdom, wonder, and whimsy. You can find each of the 46 Christmas Notes there under their year and of course the month of December should you wish to find out what other Christmas classics have been featured on your favorite blog. It's a season for discovery, so why not check out the archives for your favorite song or artists? You can find the year-by-year and month-to-month drop-down of each of Tuesday's Musical Notes as well as a search bar at the top left of your screen. And now on with the countdown!!!
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied." - Matthew 5:6 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
One of the most iconic modern Christmas images is the team-up that comes in at #7. David Bowie and Bing Crosby, two of our generation's greatest voices, joined forces for a Christmas treat that was featured in the blog in December 2015. It is a duet that no one dreamed of, yet works extremely well and continues to be a timely wish for our age. Here's Bowie and Bing with "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"! Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (David Bowie and Bing Crosby)
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." - Matthew 5:7 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Tuesday's Musical Notes finally succumbed to a Christmas monsoon in December 2018. While we aren't the biggest fans of "The Queen of Christmas", Mariah Carey (not busting on her talent, she obviously has skills, just one of those acts that we've never embraced), we must agree that "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is a good song, not our favorite, but who are we to argue with the $60 million (as reported in 2017) cumulative royalties received by the song. Nevertheless, this good song comes in at #6 in our Decade of Christmas Notes countdown...baby...
We're halfway to the top and we're not gonna stop til we get to #1!
#5!!!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Tuesday's Musical Notes didn't have Christmas-themed blogs in our very first year, 2012. We were still attempting to figure out the whole blogosphere and find avenues by which we could reach readers who might be interested in what we had to say. Most of our followers at that time were email recipients and did not need to click on the link. But in 2013, we launched our first December where every Tuesday featured a Christmas song, with a couple of exceptions. One of those is the song that comes in at #5.
It is a song about giving. Not just during the holidays, but being consistent with sharing some of yourself with those you encounter. It's by the band Supertramp and it's called "Give A Little Bit"
Our top 4 Christmas-themed blogs all come from the same year, 2017. We're not exactly sure what happened but all of a sudden Notes readership grew three sizes that day...maybe not 3 sizes, but the statistics on occasion showed readership growing significantly over a few periods in the last ten years. Regardless of whether it is a glitch or the actual numbers, we appreciate every click that goes on around here. With that disclaimer and in that spirit we offer you Tuesday's Musical Notes Christmas top 4.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Matthew 5:9 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Country music artists have always been at the forefront of celebrating the Christmas season. Tuesday's Musical Notes spotlighted Country artists' Christmas covers when we felt like they had the best representation of the song. Such is the case of our #4 entry into the countdown. A classic that my mom woke us up to beginning every December. Mom joins Bill Monroe and Sammy Kershaw as they all covered the song and each did it in their special way. (You had to hear mom's cover to appreciate it, right Wade?) Can ya hear them bells a ringin'?
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:10 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
One of the most treasured Christmas television specials is A Charlie Brown Christmas. Unfortunately, it will not be broadcast on a major television network for the first time in its 57-year history. Apple owns the rights to the Peanuts trademarks and has decided to only show it, for free, with a subscription to their service Apple TV +. It seems they don't know what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown. What a great argument for bringing back rental DVD!!! Humbug on you Apple!!! Sorry, that deteriorated quickly...on with the countdown...
The opening song to A Charlie Brown Christmas is the Vince Guaraldi Trio's jazzy "Christmas Time Is Here". It sets the stage for the rest of the story of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and of course Snoopy and Woodstock as they attempt to discover what Christmas is all about. It also comes in at #3 on our Christmasy Musical Notes Countdown.
"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me" - Matthew 5:11 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Hold on! We only count 2 Beatles so far. Well, while he isn't number one, Paul McCartney places pretty high on our Christmas Countdown list. Sir Paul has the distinction of having the only Christmas song to make both our Christmas Countdown and the Top Ten Blogs of the Decade list. It's a song you either like or don't but either way it comes in at #2 here is Mr. McCartney with "Wonderful Christmastime"
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:12 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Before regaling you with the splendor of the #1 Christmas Blog, we want to tell you about a couple of things.
First, Tuesday's Musical Notes is a blog brought to you by Cross & Kin Productions. (We're working on the Inc. part!) We recently branched into the world of YouTube by producing a channel that is all about books, music, movies, and whatever my daughter Kristen, (the Kin part) writes for us to discuss. It is a channel unlike any you may see whereby we want your feedback as we stretch our imaginations, develop dream scenarios, and for the most part have fun discussing things that make no difference in the scope of world events. We hope you'll join us. Episodes 1 & 2 are currently available and we hope to have episode 3 ready to go this week. You can find us at Cross & Kin - The YouTube Channel. Please like and subscribe for future episodes. And let us know what you think. (Please refer to episode two for a few guidelines regarding feedback...)
Secondly, there is a point to anything that Cross & Kin productions puts before you whether through the YouTube channel or Tuesday's Musical Notes Blog. Sometimes that point is more overt than others, but it is still there. That point is the sermon we have interspersed all through the Christmas Countdown. It is the beginning passage from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV. As you can see from the above Scripture, there are some very specific ways to be blessed in Jesus' upside-down kingdom. For a more in-depth breakdown of each of The Beatitudes check out this article: What are the Beatitudes in the Bible? Jesus' Scripture Quotes and Meaning - Brannon Deibert, June 7, 2021 - christianity.com
The Notes has also referenced the opening passages, referred to as The Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount in a previous blog. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Smoke On The Water" (Deep Purple))
The actions given to us in The Beatitudes describe an opposite view of what the world at His time AND the world at our time expect for folks to behave to be blessed. As we enter into a season of blessing, both giving and receiving, let's take the time and follow a few of the guidelines that Jesus placed before us. His Word should resound in our hearts, even in some of the difficult teachings, as we remember He is the focus of why we celebrate during this season.
And now on with the countdown...
The most-read December blog over the past 10 years isn't even a Christmas song! Seems like we've been here before... As we wind down each year, we reflect on the blogs that receive the most views of that year and create an end-of-the-year recap of your favorite blogs. This countdown has vacillated between the first Tuesday in January and the last Tuesday in December. Most recently, we've settled into the December slot for our end-of-the-year review. Be watching towards the end of the month to discover what blogs made it to 2022's top ten! You can also go and check out the previous year's countdowns in the archives!
One of those countdowns is the #1 December Tuesday's Musical Notes blog of the last decade. Coming to us as the annual review of 2017, here is Leon Thomas III and the Cast of VicTORIous with the aptly titled, "Countdown".
And there you have it. The Top Ten Christmasy Blogs of Tuesday's Musical Notes' last Decade. We hope you have enjoyed the review, or encountered some of these blogs for the first time. And we look forward to discovering together what this and every year's top tens will be.
Most importantly, we hope you encounter Jesus as you read Tuesday's Musical Notes. The music trivia is fun and we hope you are engaged with the way that we combine it with the Message for the ages, but most importantly we want you to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord. His sacrifice provides the way for us to have a restored relationship with God and is the ultimate reason we celebrate the season. If we can ever answer any question you may have about getting to know Jesus, or partner with you in praying over a specific need, please email us at rawacr@gmail.com.
Welcome to December and Christmas at Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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