No one sings Christmas Carols better than Clay Aiken. Somehow, his voice just soars when he sings the beautiful songs of the season. His album, “Merry Christmas With Love” set a record for 1st week sales of a holiday album with sales of 270,010. When Clay released his Holiday EP, “All Is Well” in 2006, he added four more beautiful songs to his library of recorded Christmas Carols.
Clay included one of the most loved traditional Christmas Carols, “O, Holy Night,” on his album. This carol has been named one of the most beautiful of all Christmas Carols, with excellent lyrics and a beautiful melody.
The author of the lyrics was Placide Cappeau who lived in the historic city of Avignon. He was a commissionaire of wines, and an occasional writer of poetry. The local parish priest asked Cappeau to write a Christmas poem.
On a trip to Paris, Cappeau took the poem to the composer Adolphe Adam. Adam was the composer of over 80 stage works. Adam wrote the tune in a few days, and the song received its premier at the midnight mass on Christmas Eve 1847.
There is some interesting trivia associated with this song: in 1906, Canadian inventor Reginald Fessenden made what many consider to be the first ever radio broadcast in Brant Rock, Massachusetts. His brief broadcast included him playing “O Holy Night” on the violin, making it the first song ever broadcast on radio.
“O, Holy Night”
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining;
This is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, oh night when Christ was born;
O night, oh holy night, oh night divine.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, oh night when Christ was born;
O night, oh holy night, oh night divine.
No one sings this beautiful carol better than Clay Aiken!!
Have you ever heard Clay sing Oh, Holy Night on the radio?
How does that man sweep you in every time. Brings tears to my eyes. Love this song and him singing it, well. No Words.
Just beautiful, love this song and Clay singing it. Thanks Musicfan.
Perfection!
Thank you (and thank you, Clay).
Haven't heard Clay on the radio yet this season. Of course, in my car it's Clay's Christmas cds, so I don't have the radio on much.
Oh,Holy Night is one of my favorite carols. I am glad Clay sings it.
The blog today looks beautiful and I enjoy the small facts about the song.
My absolute favourite Christmas song since I was a little girl. I love Clay's live performances of this song the best.