Jeanette WHO?

I absolutely adore listening and singing along to Christmas carols, especially the classic versions (not so much the versions put out by, say, Justin Bieber or Snoop Dog)Last year I paid homage to one of my favorite Christmas carols of all time. "Upon the Mountain." I still love the song, and I have the greatest husband who made a CD with it repeated 26 times (strangely, when I played this CD during a family gathering last year, some family members seemed to tire of it by track 7. Odd).

This year I wanted to tell a bit about another favorite carol. For most of my life I was under the impression that everyone knew this song, because it was on all of the Larsen Christmas tapes/CDs (Manheim Steamroller, Carols in Brass, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, etc.). In fact, when trying to help people remember my name, I would sometimes say: "Jeanette, you know, like the Christmas song." Most responded with a quizzical look or simply smiled and nodded, and I finally realized that most of the world (especially my university students) had no idea to which song I was referring, which was "Bring a torch, Jeanette Isabella."

The tune of the carol is fine, and I like how it is varied according to performers to be fast and lively or slow and nostalgic (Manheim Steamroller's version is my favorite...I remember listening to the song whilst gazing at my favorite tree ornament, which was a little ceramic fawn...and no, Brian, I was NOT peeking at the presents during that time of magical reflection, that "My Little Pony, Baby Surprise" toy you got me that year genuinely had had the wrapping paper pop across the plastic, so I was able to see what it was when I was moving other presents. This is, not to say, however, that I never cheated. I did, and frequently, just not in this occasion).


Click HERE to hear the song as a background to a great little video about the birth of the Savior. Below you will find the words, which are simple yet profound. Have an amazing Christmas, and I hope you will feel the love Jesus has for each of us and be able to share that love with others.

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Bring a torch, come swiftly and run
Christ is born,
tell the folk of the village
Jesus is sleeping in His cradle
Ah, ah, beautiful is the Mother
Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son

Hasten now, good folk of the village
Hasten now, the Christ Child to see
You will find Him asleep in the manger
Quietly come and whisper softly
Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers
Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps