In Search Of Domestic Tranquility

Back in my pastoring days I learned that when it came to deciding things like what color we should paint the nursery or what we should serve at the Annual ( you fill in the blank) Banquet the fewer people involved the better. The reason is simple. If you paint the nursery green but Mrs. Jones prefers orange, if you did not ask her, she will simply think you picked an ugly color. But  if you ask Mrs. Jones what color she thinks you should choose, and the walls still get painted green, well now it's personal. Her input has been rejected and you may very well have to deal with her hurt feelings.

This same principle applies to putting together a list of top Christmas recordings. While compiling my list I asked for my wife's input. I showed her what I had put together and asked her if she had any suggestions. She named several songs she thought deserved consideration and some of those made the list. Some did not. In particular her favorite did not. This di not make her happy.

There are several reasons for this. For one this recording is only a couple years old and so it has not stood the test of time. It hasn't been around long enough to be considered one of the "greatest". Also, it is a reworking of a song which in its original form has nothing to do with Christmas. It's a great song. It's a beautiful song. It's an iconic song. It's not a Christmas song. When most people hear it being played their thoughts will not turn to Christmas.

Nevertheless, it is very beautiful and moving and deserves to be heard. Maybe in 10 years if I revise the list this will have made the kind of impact that it will have to be included. For now just listen and enjoy Hallelujah by Cloverton.