2008-12-22

Grown-up Christmas List



Well, it's that time of year again. Neil Kramer at Citizen of the Month is hosting his Third Annual Blogger Christmahanukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert.

My friend Vinny participated the first year (a stunning rendition of O Holy Night), then last year I composed a new song entitled Vermont Snow for the occasion. This year, I wanted to sing a song that spoke to my hopes for the many people in my life, and around the world. I recorded Grown-up Christmas List, with some help from GarageBand, and MrMaple's audio gear and kind guidance.

Here is just the audio file, if you prefer it to the above video, and the lyrics are below.

Grown-Up Christmas List

Music by David Foster
Lyrics by Linda Thompson

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies

Well, I'm all grown up now
Can you still help somehow
I'm not a child but my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself, but for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

What is this illusion called
The innocence of youth
Maybe only in their blind belief
Can we ever find the truth

No more lives torn apart
And wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

This is my only lifelong wish
This is my grown-up Christmas list

Sorry for the unforgiving midi accompaniment (I practiced the accompaniment on the piano, but those key changes did me in!), but hopefully the wonderful images, used through Creative Commons licensure, will make up for it. Image attributions as follows:

margotta
Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton
Personal photo: Me with Santa (really my Dad), 1971
Personal photo: My son with Santa, 2005
bass_nroll
NuageDeNuit
mdumlao98
carf
I'mBatman
gocyclones
Cayusa
Nite_Owl
hdptcar
Tim Green aka atoach
daveblume
mdumlao98
Personal photo: Husband and I practicing our wedding dance, 2002
Studio 60 and the Sunset Strip: The Christmas Show. Not used with permission.
Personal Photo: Our son marveling at his reflection, 2006
Personal Photo: Our son's 1st Christmas, 2005
TIO... is taking a holiday break...
jeff.snodgrass
danny.hammontree
Celestial Photography
Clonny
vonbergen.net
Jayel Aheram
Sir Mervs
®oberto's
Capt. Tim
Personal photo: Our son and I the day after his birth, 2005
Rubink1
carf
Personal photo: Wreath at the entrance to our driveway 2006
cenz

Thank you, Neil, for organizing this online event yet again. Happy Hanukkah to you!

Happy Holidays one and all, and may peace be yours this New Year.

PS - Here's my back-up song, In the Bleak Mid Winter.

5 comments:

mommo4.5 said...

Just beautiful! Thanks. This is becoming one of my favourite Christmas songs.

mommo4.5 said...

I just had to comment again after listening to "In the Bleak Midwinter." That's just lovely, and I can imagine the time you put into that. Is that your own arrangement? I'd love to know where I could get it -- though I wouldn't try to do all the parts myself, not being quite to amibitious as you.

I came to your site after hearing your beautiful "Vermont Snow" from last year's concert.

MapleMama said...

Thanks, mommo4.5 for your very kind comments! They are most appreciated.

This arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter is by Roger Emerson. I bought it here.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

Biker Chick said...

oh, maplelady, I miss you, and I miss your voice. still warm and beautiful. love you!

Biker Chick said...

oh, maplelady, I miss you, and I miss your voice. still warm and beautiful. love you!