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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

from HOLIDAY SINGLES by Naomi LaViolette

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Story behind the song, by Naomi LaViolette:

"l Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem "Christmas Bells" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It tells of the narrator's despair, upon hearing Christmas bells during the American Civil War.

2020 has been a year of upheaval. Discomfort the new norm. We've been made brutally aware of the systemic racism that continues to plague our world. Our hearts broke for the families of George Floyd and the many others that have been victims of racial injustice. The COVID-19 pandemic reached all-time highs for infections and deaths. After I learned the background of this carol, it became, without a doubt, the one I had to record for this year.

In my rendition, I also adapted some of the lyrics to be gender-neutral in references to both people and God - "goodwill to ALL" instead of "goodwill to men," and "or fast asleep" instead of "nor doth He sleep." I hope that people of all beliefs can connect to the important message present in this song... how do we celebrate joyful holidays during a time of great turmoil? We feel the despair. We don't ignore the pain or truth of our county's past and present. And we get involved. We draw on love and light in the Divine and each other to work ceaselessly at bringing peace and goodwill to all.

The artwork for "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" is made with a photo of the Grass Valley Methodist Church by Ginger Sanders. I picked this photo for many reasons: first, it's GORGEOUS. It has this magical winter-y vintage Christmas-morning vibe that is so perfect for the song. But also very importantly, the church was built in Oregon in the late 1800s, not too long after the Civil War. It was a time when black-exclusion laws existed in Oregon, and those laws broadcasted very loudly that Oregon wasn’t a place where blacks would be welcome or comfortable. Whereas, any white male settler could receive 650 acres of land and another 650 if he was married. This, of course, was land taken from native people who had been living here for centuries. So while this photo is beautiful, it is also a reminder of dark times in our state's past.

See more of Ginger's beautiful photography at photographoregon.com.

lyrics

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play

Wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to all

I 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 all

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 all


So peal the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead, or fast asleep

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to all


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 all
Peace on earth, good will to all
Peace on earth, good will to all

credits

from HOLIDAY SINGLES, track released December 15, 2020
Naomi LaViolette, piano/vocals
Bill Athens, bass
Tim Karplus, guitar/vocals
Jeanot Lewis-Roland, engineering/mixing/mastering
Ginger Sanders, photography

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Naomi LaViolette Portland, Oregon

A gifted songwriter and versatile pianist from the Pacific Northwest, Naomi LaViolette’s critically acclaimed recordings have earned her comparisons to Norah Jones, Sara Bareilles, and Sarah McLachlan. Her roots are deep in classical music—she has a master’s degree in classical piano performance—but she has also immersed herself in jazz standards, folk songs, soul, pop, and gospel. ... more

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