Candlelight Processional 2022?

[JohnD]

I’m holding judgement until I see it live but I have a feeling I won’t like the JTTW/Hallelujah Chorus mash up.

I can understand if you don't want to watch the video and just wait until you see it yourself. I'll say this: I can tolerate it as it is two Christian hymns combined together. But once people stand for the Hallelujah Chorus part, you're hard pressed to sit back down as it does return to Joy again to close it out.

 

[Joel]

You would hope. That is the whole point of the day. It just makes you wonder what they'll do next year and the year following. . .

"As Mary and Joseph gazed upon the sleeping baby Jesus, they wondered aloud how great this miracle child would be for their burgeoning YouTube channel."

 

[DisneyDreamerxyz]

Gloria Estefan lead the audience and choir to sing Feliz Navidad at the finale last night !!

 

[JohnD]

Gloria Estefan lead the audience and choir to sing Feliz Navidad at the finale last night !!

I'll give her that. She's entitled. Some extra magic for the guests that night.

 

[Comped]

I agree with you... in part.

The music and the biblical passages are rather still decidedly faith-based Christian.

But yes, there's a creeping secularism. Previously, it only reared its ugly head with the orchestra playing Jingle Bells in the overture amidst the sacred music. Now it extends to the opening number of Wonderful Time of the Year.

I've mentioned above that I didn't like that made-up dramatization leading into Silent Night. I'd drop that *and* the story of how Silent Night came about.

I didn't like the mash-up of Joy to the World and Hallelujah Chorus. It just destroys the integrity of both.

Fixes:

• Ditch Wonderful Time and start with Joy to the World
• Ditch any intro to Silent Night that isn't a passage from the Gospels.
• Keep Hallelujah Chorus as is and stop confusing the attendees about whether to stand or not.
• And ditch Jingle Bells from the overture, there's everywhere else in WDW to hear it.

I did like Can You Hear What I Hear... very nicely arranged.

Been creeping ever since One Solitary Man was removed, and the entire thing started getting shorter and shorter. Note it's different at Disneyland, more religious. Oddly enough, as you'd expect the reverse.

I'll give her that. She's entitled. Some extra magic for the guests that night.

Rare as it is...

 

[Touchdown]

I didn’t hate the changes, mainly because adding Let there be Peace on Earth at the end was fantastic. However, if I was in charge I would ditch it’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Do you hear what I hear (which is about the Cuban Missile Crisis, look it up) and reseperate the Hallelujah Chorus and Joy to the World. This would also restore the Isaiah intro to Hallelujah.

 

[JohnD]

I didn’t hate the changes, mainly because adding Let there be Peace on Earth at the end was fantastic. However, if I was in charge I would ditch it’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Do you hear what I hear (which is about the Cuban Missile Crisis, look it up) and reseperate the Hallelujah Chorus and Joy to the World. This would also restore the Isaiah intro to Hallelujah.

Every time I hear, "Said the little boy to the mighty king, 'Do you know what I know?'", I want to say "Shut up!". The king is Herod and he wants the proclaimed Messiah dead. Why else would he murder all the firstborns around.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Every time I hear, "Said the little boy to the mighty king, 'Do you know what I know?'", I want to say "Shut up!". The king is Herod and he wants the proclaimed Messiah dead. Why else would he murder all the firstborns around.

Bring him gifts of silver and gold.

He will bring us goodness and light.

It's a reference to the Magi who gave gifts of gold and followed the light of the star to the Light of the World.

And Herod certainly didn't proclaim a new king who will bring goodness and light.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I would ditch it’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Do you hear what I hear (which is about the Cuban Missile Crisis, look it up)

Ok...

Songwriting​

Regney wrote the lyrics for the song, while Shayne composed the music in October 1962.[2] This was an unusual arrangement for the two writers. Usually, it was Shayne who wrote the lyrics for their songs while Regney composed the music, as they did when they wrote a song based on the classic children's song "Rain Rain Go Away".[1][2]​

​

Regney was inspired to write the lyrics "Said the night wind to the little lamb, 'Do you see what I see?'" and "Pray for peace, people everywhere" after watching babies being pushed in strollers on the sidewalks of New York City.[1] Shayne stated in an interview years later that neither could personally perform the entire song at the time they wrote it because of the emotions surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis: "Our little song broke us up. You must realize there was a threat of war at the time".[1]​

​

Do You Hear What I Hear? - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So, it's *not* "about the Cuban Missile Crisis." It was written *during* the Crisis with a plea for peace. A significant difference.

Should we abandon "I'll Be Home for Christmas" because it's "about World War II"?

 

[Touchdown]

Bring him gifts of silver and gold.

He will bring us goodness and light.

It's a reference to the Magi who gave gifts of gold and followed the light of the star to the Light of the World.

And Herod certainly didn't proclaim a new king who will bring goodness and light.

However, it’s a Christmas veneer on a song pleading for world peace during a nuclear crisis. That’s why there is all these references to hearing, looking to the sky, etc. It was composed during the Cuban Missile Crisis by a husband and wife, they could never listen to it afterwards. It’s out of place surrounded by traditional carols. I don’t hate the song, but I dislike its placement in Candlelight.

 

[JohnD]

Bring him gifts of silver and gold.

He will bring us goodness and light.

It's a reference to the Magi who gave gifts of gold and followed the light of the star to the Light of the World.

And Herod certainly didn't proclaim a new king who will bring goodness and light.

Of course not. But in reality, that's not what the only king around would have said or done which is why I always cringe when I hear that verse. LOL. I love the sentiment, though. If it were only true then.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'll grant that the song is very vague and impressionistic to the point it teeters on being secular.

But since it's not a truly secularized song, I'll allow it.

Speaking of secularization, I just realized that they started "Let There Be Peace On Earth" with the 2nd verse... which doesn't mention God like the first verse does. Grrrr.

 

[Touchdown]

I imagine it’s more because of the “let me walk with my brother” part than God. The change to let “us walk with each other” always comes off awkward sounding.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I imagine it’s more because of the “let me walk with my brother” part than God. The change to let “us walk with each other” always comes off awkward sounding.

Well, that's because, grammatically, it should be "let us walk with one another..."

Other inclusive versions have "let me walk with my neighbor..."

 

[Touchdown]

Still awkward sounding.