i wish i may, i wish i might

there is a restlessness in my soul that i can't explain. i guess that's why i keep gravitating to these songs that have a gentle, peaceful quality to them. tonight's song is in the form of a lullaby, and when one is looking for a song to quiet one's inner turmoil, i can't think of a better choice of music.

starbright - jim brickman feat. kenny loggins from the gift

winter star its vigil keeping

it's a very cold night and there is a forecast for snow to begin late this evening. as often happens under such conditions, the world outside is very quiet and still. with this feeling gently lingering in the air, it seemed that today's selected song would be most fitting.

still, still, still - mary chapin carpenter from come darkness, come light

an interlude

we're halfway through the month. i think it's time for an instrumental.

greensleeves - vince guaraldi trio from a charlie brown christmas 

so i'm gonna catch my breath

sometimes you hear a song that speaks to you, but you're not quite sure why. somehow, somewhere, something deep inside of you connects strongly with the music and the lyrics.

i heard today's song for the first time yesterday afternoon, and if my teary-eyed response was a reliable indicator, then I would have to say an intense emotional connection was indeed established even if i'm not consciously aware of why it happened. maybe with a few more listens the reason will come to me, though i think the lyric i chose to be the title of this entry likely reveals that i have some sense of the reason for my response.

the question becomes, is it i don't know the reason or i don't want to know the reason? only time will tell.

the heartache can wait - leann rimes from today is christmas

tidings bring

there is something about hearing a boys' choir singing the songs of the season that can't help but move you. the purity of the voices joined in harmony somehow causes the message of christmas to resonate deep in the heart. listen and experience this sensation for yourself with today's song selection.

carols sing from michael w. smith's christmastime

can't think of anything i'd rather do

gershwin. porter. berlin. rodgers and hart. i love a good standard. there's just something about the music of the 30's and 40's that has resonated with me ever since i was a kid.

today's song is an excellent example of what i love about this genre. it is one that i had not heard previously by a pair of songwriters with whom i was not familiar but who were writing at the same time as the more well-known composers that i referred to at the beginning of this entry.

while the song may have been unknown to me before, i am definitely glad i know it now. i hope you feel the same after listening to it.

a lovely way to spend christmas - kristin chenoweth from a lovely way to spend christmas

we'll just have to muddle through somehow

today's song is another one of those modern holiday classics and is a repeat, of sorts, from last year. I write "of sorts" because this version is slightly different from the one posted last year. you see, while this song is quite popular, the version with which most people are familiar has a slight change from the original.

many people know that the song have yourself a merry little christmas was first sung in the movie meet me in st. louis. what fewer people remember though is it was not really sung as a cheery encouragement to enjoy the season, but rather it was a more solemn attempt of one sister (played by the incomparable judy garland) to calm the fears of another as they faced an uncertain future with the family soon to be moving from their beloved st. louis to new york city.

there is one lyric in particular that differs between the movie and popular culture version. i managed to find a version that is performed with the original lyric. i assume hanging a shining star from the highest bow seemed more positive, however, this year i feel this version of this holiday standard better mirrors my own perspective.

have yourself a merry little christmas - james taylor from october road