Jara – Tiempo y Silencio

An evening pause: In English the song is “Time and Silence.” Lyrics:

A house in the sky
A garden in the sea
A lark in your chest
a return of the begin

A wish of stars
A sparrow’s heartbeat
An island in your bed
A sunset

Time and silence
Screams and songs
Heaven and kisses
Voice and grief

To be born in your laugh
To grow in your weeping
To live on your shoulder
To die in your arms

Hat tip Judd Clark

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Carly Simon – That’s The Way I Always Heard It Should Be

An evening pause: Performed live in Central Park, New York, 1971. Wonderful song, but her cynicism about marriage in this song sadly predicts the disaster we are in today, living in a society of children raised in broken homes, created by the 60s Baby Boom generation (mine) that decided to reject the fundamentals of its parents. It was foolish and sad, but most of all it was cruel to the innocent children born of that irresponsibility. Those children are now mindlessly wrecking their revenge.

Hat tip Doug Johnson.

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Don McLean – Vincent

An evening pause: I’ve posted McLean singing this song previously, but it is worth watching again. A beautiful song to begin the year. The words that matter:

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin – Auld Lang Syne

An evening pause: As the New Year will arrive over the weekend, let’s celebrate the New Year now. Happy New Year to all my readers! Thank you all for your support, that in the end made this year the most successful since this website was founded. May the future bring us all joy and happiness, despite the mad ones around us.

Hat tip Alton Blevins.

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Elthin – Je vivroie liement

An evening pause: Written by Guillaume de Machaut in the 14th century. The title means “I should lead a happy life.” For a full translation go here. The players are clearly using instruments designed and built to match the traditional instruments used when this song was played.

Hat tip Alton Blevins.

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Stonebriar Orchestra and Choir – O Come O Come Emmanuel

An evening pause: We started the Christmas holiday season with this carol. We shall now end with it. As always, all the best to our Christian brethren on this day, one of their most sacred holidays.

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

A Christmas pause: As I have done now for several years on Christmas day, I bring you the classic 1951 version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, starring Alastair Sim. Still by far the best adaption of the book and a truly wonderful movie.

And as I noted in a previous year:

Dickens did not demand the modern version of charity, where it is imposed by governmental force on everyone. Instead, he was advocating the older wiser concept of western civilization, that charity begins at home, that we as individuals are obliged as humans to exercise good will and generosity to others, by choice.

It is always a matter of choice. And when we take that choice away from people, we destroy the good will that makes true charity possible.

It is also most important that we all heed the words of Christmas Present: ‘This boy is ignorance, this girl is want. Beware them both, but most of all beware this boy.’”

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Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve/Sarajevo

An evening pause: Makes me think of Disney’s Peter Pan (1953) and Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro (1988), about how some things only children can see.

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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