A favorite hymn

 I've always had a fondness for "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," which is based on a Longfellow poem (they rearrange the verses).

I don't care for *most* recorded versions of it; they sweeten it up too much; to me, I think it's best as sort of a stark piece with minimal instrumental accompaniment.

I like the bit of history this video gives, but the arrangement they use of the song grates on me a bit:

While I haven't suffered the tragedies Longfellow did (the loss of his wife in a horrible accident; his oldest son, who had run away (apparently against Longfellow's wishes; I take it he was somewhat of a pacifist) to fight for the Union army had been seriously wounded. But I DO struggle with the "hope" the song - and a lot of Christmas songs - talk about. And here, explicitly, it says "Peace on earth, good will towards men" and the implication is it's here, now, while we're alive, and not JUST "pie in the sky by and by when we die" (I have thought that one of the reasons religion seemed to be so important to the "peasant" hundreds of years ago being, life here was so miserable for them that the only hope they had was of Heaven being better)

Apparently a LOT of the versions on YouTube now are the new Counting Crows arrangement, and I admit I dislike it: I prefer the old hymn-tune I learned as a girl, which is called Waltham, and is by John-Baptiste Calkin.

Also, some recordings of it leave out what I consider the pivotal verse - the one about "and in despair, I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said..." I suppose the modern desire to happy everything up and to deny that you can have faith and yet also be sad and yes, even doubt sometimes that good will win, is why it's removed, but that makes me sad, because - suffering of various sorts is a part of life, and denying people feel it is denying a part of being human.

I don't *love* the string-sweetening in this Johnny Cash version, but it's Johnny Cash, AND he uses the "right" hymn tune and also includes the important verse:

And here's an audio of the poem, with a little (unspoken) background given first:

Here's the *entire* poem, which includes references to the Civil War that are left out in the song, and also with verses in the original order that Longfellow composed them:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along
    The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
    A voice, a chime,
    A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
    And with the sound
    The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
    And made forlorn
    The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
    "For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."