O little town of Bethlehem
THE words to this carol were written by an American Episcopal clergyman, Phillips Brooks, who was born in Boston in 1825 and educated at Harvard. For many years he was … Continue readingO little town of Bethlehem
Recent Posts
Vote Pig, and muddy puddles!
WELCOME again to the land of you couldn’t make it up, where the hot news is that a Cambridge University academic says the minimum voting age should be reduced to … Continue readingVote Pig, and muddy puddles!
When infant teachers cry: The Be Good Tanyas
SOME time ago I gained possession of an unofficial double CD featuring the all-female Canadian folk group the Be Good Tanyas, recorded live in the early Noughties. The patter between … Continue readingWhen infant teachers cry: The Be Good Tanyas
The Coventry Carol
AS requested by TCW reader Charles Dawne, today’s choice is the Coventry Carol. Mr Dawne describes it as ‘haunting’ and I agree. It is a long way from the joyful … Continue readingThe Coventry Carol
Good King Wenceslas
I HAVE always thought that Good King Wenceslas was about a benevolent old gent trying to spread a little happiness. Wrong. According to the Guardian ‘it glorifies a patriarchal definition … Continue readingGood King Wenceslas
Joy to the World
AMONG TCW’s well-informed, thoughtful and witty readers are some in America. Take a bow, Audre Myers, and the rest of you. I have chosen today’s carol in your honour as … Continue readingJoy to the World
In the Bleak Mid-winter
I AM writing this overlooking the sparkling blue Atlantic in Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands. The sky is cloudless and the temperature is a perfect 23C (73F). So it is … Continue readingIn the Bleak Mid-winter
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
FOR many of us, the ultimate Christmas movie is Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life from 1946. Its affirmation of the triumph of good over evil must have been a … Continue readingHark! The Herald Angels Sing
Away in a Manger
THE first carol that most of us learned must be Away in a Manger, a staple of school nativity plays. With that in mind I set out to find a … Continue readingAway in a Manger
Silent Night
I WAS pleased to see that commenters like the idea of a daily carol. I also enjoyed paul parmenter’s account of a chaotic carol service – I imagine many of … Continue readingSilent Night