Go Tell It On The Mountain 2013

Go Tell it on the Mountain is my Paul’s favorite Christmas song. Of. All. Time. Year after year it is his favorite.  This is so peculiar to me as I am not particularly attached to it, and hardly recognize it as a particularly Christmassy song.  Although I am churched enough to know it can be found in the Christmas music part of the hymnal.

I know he first learned this song when he was in first grade.  The children’s choir at FBC OKC sang it.  He fondly remembers the piano arrangement that Alan Hicks played for them, and in Paul’s mind that is the standard that all other versions are judged.  Last year at Christmas when we were visiting in Oklahoma Bruce Greer played a similar sounding version of the song on Christmas and Paul was very excited, and let me know he thought Mr. Hicks must have given that arrangement to Bruce Greer.

I am pretty sure that the only recording I have of the song is on vinyl.  I own my Mom’s old Firestone Christmas albums and I think we may have it on one of those. Maybe the Mahalia Jackson version?

I have discovered in the last few years, that although my Matthew enjoys just about any sort of Christmas music, Paul really prefers Christmas hymns.  In the spirit of the season and in an effort to get Paul to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, Matthew and I created a special play list on my iphone. 

The playlist includes

·         Angels We Have Heard on High

·         Christmastime is Here (Instrumental from Charlie Brown)

·         Count Your Blessings

·         Do You Hear What I Hear

·         The First Noel

·         God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

·         Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

·         Joy To The World

·         Little Drummer Boy

·         Come All Ye Faithful

·         Holy Night

·         Silent Night

·         Come, O Come Emmanuel

I searched and searched and found that none of us own a digital recording of Go Tell It on The Mountain.  So I chose to purchase one on iTunes.  At first I thought there were only 3 or 4 versions, but then I expanded the search.  Good Googely Moogely.  Hundreds and hundreds of versions.

I played about 20 for Paul before he got too overwhelmed with the choices.  That is when I turned to facebook for help.

Judson Kinkade Trying to find "the perfect" version of Go Tell It On The Mountain on iTunes for my Paul. What are your favorites? Any suggestions?

Chris Young I personally just like a pure piano version with no lyrics or words. Everyone knows them anyway. My grandpa used to play it for me and I would religiously sit on his piano bench with him.

Judson Kinkade He wants someone singing, but not too country, Dolly, Randy Travis, Little Big Town, and Sara Evans have all been ruled out.
And he likes it to sound like a gospel hymn so Mahalia Jackson, Blind Boys of Alabama, Golden Gospel Singers are all in the running. As are Penatonix, (although it doesn't fit the criteria), Wynston Marsalis, (although no words), Veggie Tales, (because it makes him smile), and Big Daddy Weave, (mostly for the name)

Chris Young What r the options on iTunes you're leading towards too ?? I'm a pretty rounded subject on this song.

Judson Kinkade And Jim Nabors got a no because he made up some new fangled verses. Paul doesn't like that

Chris Young Does Mariah Carey do a version?

Chris Young Out of that list, I would personally go with Big Daddy Weave... Despite the awesome name.

Elizabeth Norman Worley Celtic Thunder

Elizabeth Norman Worley Bob Marley.

Judson Kinkade Bob Marley made him laugh but no. Celtic Thunder is a maybe

Chris Young Judson, I think this is perfect based on what u said Paul likes. A little bit of Country, a little bit of rock, and you can't argue with James Taylor's' voice.

Judson Kinkade He doesn't like how James Taylor's version isn't the traditional version.

Judson Kinkade Sandy Patti got a No as well.

Judson Kinkade Brenda Lee and Bing Crosby are potentials

Chris Young Beatles ??

Chris Young I hope Paul realizes that the resources put in to finding the perfect song have eclipsed the federal spending budget of Vermont in 2014....

Charley Lawrence-Harjo Simon and Garfunkel, Jewel, Vanessa Williams, CeCe Winans, Anne Murray, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Sheryl Crow, Garth Brooks, Hunter Hayes, and the Clark Sisters all have versions

Karen McWilliams The Kingston Trio?

Eric Stringer I love this one. by the Blind Boys of Alabama

Eric Stringer /\ That entire album is good.

Judson Kinkade Blind Boys is an option. It made his top 5

Uno Khan am listening to it now -- the minor key is an unusual approach, eh? they can sho sang

Rebecca Unzicker anne murray gets my vote.

Eric Stringer So, what's the verdict?

Judson Kinkade Good question. I'll blog about it. This is building the suspense right?!?!?

And so what Paul chose after much deliberation and all the help from the interwebs was. . .

Wait for it. . .

Bing Crosby.  He went with the traditional version, and Brenda Lee as a second choice.