Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is a Christmas song. It was written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie and was first sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934. It became an instant hit with orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music the next day and more than 400,000 copies sold by Christmas. Continue reading
這是一首非常有趣的聖誕歌謠，聖誕節的傳統故事中，有一則這樣說：聖誕老人有八隻馴鹿，牠們與聖誕老人住在北極，每當聖誕夜，就會拉著雪橇和聖誕老人一起到各處，將聖誕禮物發送給所有相信他的乖男孩和女孩，小朋友都非常期待他們的禮物。1939年，美國一家百貨公司Montgomery Ward要求行銷公司老闆Robert May編一首有關聖誕老人的童詩，送給小朋友。於是Robert創造了一個新角色編成一首詩。這個新角色是一隻鼻子又紅又亮的馴鹿。牠被命名為「魯道夫」。Robert的妻弟電台製作人Johnny Mark再將這首詩編成歌曲。 Continue reading
《彌賽亞》寫於1741年，是古今最大的神曲，每年聖誕節都會在世界各地被演唱，慶祝耶穌基督的誕生並歌頌祂的救世精神。韓德爾在寫這首神曲時，足不出戶不眠不休，常常被感動得淚流滿面，淚水浸濕了手稿，趴在桌上呼喊：「我看到天門開了。」本來韓德爾想藉著這首神曲挽回歌劇事業的失敗，結果後來打消了賺錢的念頭，封筆不再寫歌劇，而只寫神曲。 Continue reading
“O Come All Ye Faithful” is translated from “Adeste Fideles“, a hymn tune. The text itself has unclear beginnings, and may have been written in the 13th century by John of Reading, though it has been concluded that John Francis Wade was probably the author. Continue reading
“Joy to the World” is a popular Christmas carol. The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts’ collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship. Watts wrote the words of “Joy to the World” as a hymn glorifying Christ’s triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a song celebrating His first coming. Only the second half of Watts’ lyrics are still used today. Continue reading