Left to my own devices, I began to sing some holiday songs because Christmas and New Year's beckon or hark or whatever they do and I wanted to infuse my spirit with a little bit of holiday essence. After lightly singing a few songs, or what I like to call Tony Bennett-ing them (ie, sing-talking), I decided to give myself and the cars around me the chance to hear me take on "O Holy Night," one of my favorite Christmas songs because it is haunting and beautiful and vaguely French. While I was singing it, I realized that "O Holy Night" is A) incredibly difficult to sing and B) incredibly fun to sing. While reaching the high notes can be challenging, they often act as a Pilates session for your vocal cords. Trust, next time you're feeling stressed or annoyed, just try to hit the highest point of "O Holy Night" and you will calm down, along with scaring anyone in your general proximity.
That's when I realized that "O Holy Night" does a few things I really like not only about holiday songs, but about singing them: Holiday songs truly allow you to bring out all the shlock and melisma you want while singing them without feeling shlocky yourself. For as much as I love a jazzy Christmas, give me a chance to stand in front of a microphone and drip syrup all over it and I'm there! That's why I thought today we'd listen to a few of our favorite singers tackle "O Holy Night" and see what they get right and what they get wrong. Let's start with:
Queen of Melisma They Should Name Her Melisma Morgan, Mariah Carey
First off, I just have to say that I've been waiting all day to make that "Melisma Morgan" joke.
Okay, onto Mariah: I like how she makes no effort to actually pronounce the words, because who care about the words? We're not here for the words, we're here for vocal acrobatics and just like real acrobatics, the closer you are to missing the bar, the more exciting it is for us. That being said, it takes Mariah a full 2 minutes and 33 seconds before she starts singing over the eager choir backing her. When she does, it's merely loud and not really dramatic, plus using the whistle register for the final note is a bit of a cop-out.
On my patented "O Holy Night" scale: I give it 2 Holy-ies and only 1 O.
Let me put it this way, I did not O. Next is:
Man With the Voice That Could and Does Power Several Major Metropolitan Cities, Josh Groban
I knew I should have gone to Josh for my schmaltz and shlock. We're literally 10 seconds in and I'm already feeling so cheesy you could put me on a piece of bread and call me a pizza (my wordplay is kind of off the chain today, no?). There is a workmanlike quality about Josh's phrasing. C'mon, Josh, this song is about JESUS. Jesus may not like commercialization (if you sell sh*t outside the holy place, Jesus will give you a stern talking to), but he LOVES drama. I mean, let's be real, he's Jesus. Anyway, I kept waiting for Josh to really... go there, but he kind of lets me down a little bit. Just like a man.
On my "O Holy Night" scale: I give it 3 Holy-ies, 2 Os, and a Night, but only one.
NEXT
Martina McBride, Whom My Mother Always Thinks Looks Like She's in Pain, Not When She Sings, But Just Generally
This performance is from... I don't know exactly when but I'm gonna guess early 2000s because Martina is rocking some major chunking in her hair and that ended in 2003 (Side note: if you are still chunking, PLEASE STOP). People often forget that Martina McBride is like amazing because she's not blonde or young and writing about every man she's ever slept with (sorry, I'll stop editorializing), and her "Night" proves why. Acapella, drama, kicking in with big vocals at only a minute in, vibrato... M&McB is serving it and with a final note lasting a full 10 seconds of VOICE, she's my favorite so far.
On my "O Holy Night" scale: I give it 1 Holy (it's not very spiritual), 4 Os, and 2 Nights.
Who is next?
Someone From the TV Show "Glee," Don't Ask Me, I Don't Watch That Show, You'll Have to Tell Me
Here's what's funny about this? Turning to "Glee" was kind of a stroke of genius in terms of getting me all of what I want from "O Holy Night." I think, emphasis on think that this is Lea Michele singing and if so, YES, because like Winnie the Pooh, she has opened the honey jar and stuck her hand right inside. Every note drips with Broadway-inspired overdone-ness. It's like she's singing to people who can't hear. I love it. I don't know what the episode was like, but I hope it involved candles and birds: birds, candles, and curtains blowing softly in the wind, and balconies overlooking gardens and gauzy up-lighting. I'm asking for too much.
On my "O Holy Night" scale: I give it 3 Holy-ies, 3 Os, and 3 Nights.
Next is OMG why is she so low on this list:
CELINE. DION.
First of all, I have to say that I love that Celine's first, only (?) holiday album is called "These Are Special Times" because I can picture her saying it, pausing after saying "These" and cocking her head to the side and smirking her Celine Dion smirk before adding "Are Special Times" like three minutes later (side note: why is she smelling her gift?). Truthfully, Celine's version doesn't get interesting until about three minutes and 15 seconds and, like Mariah, suffers from epic loudness, but NO ONE can beat her high note, which takes off, spirals around like a curlicue and continues for about 47 minutes before landing on top of René Angélil, who then eats it.
On my "O Holy Night" scale: 4 Os, and 1 Night because you can't spend more than 1 night with Celine. She's crazypants.
Let's do one more:
Jennifer Hudson, Whom I Love So I Have Nothing Humorous to Add
I like this version. I'd like it better still if she's take one baby step away from the microphone. And if the choir wasn't there (what's with the choirs, people?) I also love how she really opens up toward the end, but her final note lacks a little for me.
On my "O Holy Night" scale: 2 Holy-ies, 2 Os, and 1 Night.
Question Time: Do you like "O Holy Night" as a song? Or are you officially tired of listening to it after like 8 times? Who does your favorite rendition of it? What about YOUR rendition? Have you ever tried to sing it? It's fun, but it's a great way to relieve energy.
9 comments:
Jun -
Ok - so my computer at home has a little virus and hasn't been acting so well lately, so I had to do something I almost certainly never do which is watch/listen to YouTube at work.(Santa has promised me a new computer, but he wanted to wait until the "After Christmas Blowout Sales")
That being said, it was absolutly worth the risk. I LOVED each and every one of them, each in their individual way. I also found fault with each of them (which translates: if I were the producer this is what I would have done). But overall (as always) you came up with a great blog post and insightful comment which bears pondering.
I may be the only one awake, working and posting this Christmas Day so I don't feel bad about stretching this out.
I liked Mariah. She could have done better, but she sure can reach up into the rafters. I just wish the song/video had had a conclusion rather than fading out in somewhat of confusing choir chatter. During the program they may have segued into another great song, but I got lost in this video right at the end.
Josh did a really good job (with the exception of a couple of phrasings). But it was obviously a video with Josh providing back-up. When I watch it with my eyes open it is brilliant. When I watch it with my eyes closed Josh is lost somewhere in the background. Still a great video.
Martina did and exceptional job and gets props hands down. I especially appreciated how she made it her own. I had to sit up and pay attention because I didn't know what she was going to do next.
As for Glee, I loved it as well. I think the song selections, orchestrations and arraignments for the show are absolutely phenomenal. This version did not disappoint me at all. And if there were any criticisms on my part I claim selective alzheimers.
Céline is an all-time favorite who also goes for the rafters but reaches far above and beyond. Overall I think if I could only have one, then this would be my favorite.
But then I am so torn! Jennifer absolutely knocks it out of the ball park! On the second verse she takes it and makes it her own and she had a-plenty of vocal showcasing that was still humble which made it even more expansive and gave me goose-bumps.
I would also have to say that the tail end of the video was sweet and somehow seemed like the cherry on top of a perfect performance. I loved those little kids.
So, there you have it. Jun - I don't know where you find the time to do all you do, but thanks for finding the time to write this blog.
Christmas blessings to all.
Dale, no it's fine to expand! I love that! Thanks for saying such nice things and I'm glad I was able to bring you a little fun at work this Christmas! I agree with you that each person brings a little something different to the table. Maybe if they ALL DID A VERSION TOGETHER I would get everything I want. Can you imagine?!
Admit it. You only like this song because it says "fall on your knees" and you automatically think of you, John Cena, and a glory hole.
WOW. Dani, you saw the sign for "THERE" and went straight past it! LOL! I would only say in my defense, I would never fall on my knees at a glory hole with John Cena. I NEED TO SEE THE BODY. That is all.
What is this line you speak of *as I cross it blindly*?
In all seriousness, I do love this song.
Agreed, Dani, it is such a pretty song, especially when you belt it out full force on the freeway. It fills other nearby cars with JOY!
This is one of my favorite carol for the simple fact it takes every bombastic holiday song cliche and doubles down on it. Fall on those knees! Chains shall he break! That do-do-DO-do-do intro that everyone uses! The gospel choir that appears out of no where as you sing!
But you are correct, Lea Michele is the Glee singer on this particular track and in the show she had just aced her exclusive Winter Showcase performance and Whoopi Goldberg's stern opera singer allows her to do an encore even though she is a freshman at the pretentious yet made up NYADA. I made none of that up for dramatic effect. She does that Lea Michele thing where she closes her eyes, quivers her lower lip and pushes her arms out to get that extra note out. Every high note, every time. It's gloriously dramatic, with full orchestration even though no one knew they were doing this song until second before it began. It's a Christmas miracle for a Jewish girl and it makes the baby Jesus jealous.
And I must add, Celine Dion's These Are Special Times is everything you expect from Celine. She sings in French, Spanish and English, she not only tackles O Holy Night but Ave Maria and Happy Xmas (War Is Over) and brings Andrea Bocelli and R. Kelly along for the ride. Because, why not? She's Celine Effin Dion.
I do enjoy Kelly Clarkson's rendition from the American Idol Holidy Classics CD. She does like the whole thing acapella with a gospel choir, because it's against the Geneva Convention to refuse a gospel choir for this song.
But if you want an late-90s R&B feel, check out Stacie Orrico's version. It's from the mid 2000s but has that drum machine from every wannabe-TLC jam.
I wish you a happy and prosperous new year, Junior!
Hi Paul! First of all, you said "Stacy Orricco" who I forgot was a person! And your description of the Glee episode sounds even better than what I envisioned (although I still will not watch that show). Hope you had a great New Year's!
And Sam! Thanks and I hope you had a great New Year's too and I hope it's a great 2013 for you!
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