Saturday Night Genealogy Fun...Blog Caroling

Randy has given us another fun challenge!

So it's Saturday Night again, so let's have some Genealogy Fun!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) Identify your absolute favorite Christmas Carol or Holiday song.

2) Share your favorite carol or song in a blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook post or google Plus stream post.

3) For extra credit, post an audio or video of the carol or song (almost all are on www.YouTube.com) and the words to the song. Add the background of the song, and the artists if you can find them.

4) Enjoy the memories and feelings that the carol or song brings to your heart and mind, and share them too!
This was so simple for me! Some people have several Christmas carol favorites. But none touch me more than Silent Night.  Or rather, Stille Nacht as sung by my grandpa Dreher. I would get him to sing it to me all seasons, not just at Christmas.

Wikipedia has this to say about the song:
"The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber. In 1859, John Freeman Young (second Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Florida) published the English translation that is most frequently sung today.  The version of the melody that is generally sung today differs slightly (particularly in the final strain) from Gruber's original, which was a sprightly, dance-like tune in 6/8 time, as opposed to the slow, meditative lullaby version generally sung today. Today, the lyrics and melody are in the public domain.

A version recorded by Bing Crosby is one of the fewer than thirty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide."

In German [Deutsch] the words are:
DEUTSCH

Music: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818
Words: Joseph Mohr, 1816/1818

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund
, Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Words: Joseph Mohr, 1816
Music: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818

English

Silent night, holy night
All is calm all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

I searched for just the perfect sung version, and this is one that reminds me so much of the gentle voice that my Grandpa had, except he was a baritone! Enjoy!