In the middle of the song, while the music still plays, the singer tells the story of the origins of the song:
On December 24, 1818, the curate of a parish in Oberndorf, Austria, Josef Mohr,gave a poem that he written to a friend of his, Hans Gruber, who was also the choir master and organist in that church. He asked Mister Gruber if he would write music for his poem and that he might write it for two solo voices and guitar accompaniment. Because the organ being broken, he desperately wanted music being part of their Christmas Eve service. Mr. Gruber wrote the melody to a song which has become the most beloved of all Christmas carols. Stille Nacht, in English, Silent Night. Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh. Sleep in heavenly peace.
The singer was John Denver and his "back-up" was the Muppets.
The speech in this live broadcast is slightly different than on the album.
I was no older than 10 years old, but this was not my first time speaking in front of this congregation. I'd starred in many Christmas plays by this time and had played in the band each Sunday. (It was the Salvation Army, after all. They get you playing second cornet at birth.)
It was my first time that I remember speaking German. I'm sure I massacred the pronunciations, especially since we were just copying what we thought we'd heard on the record. I didn't actually read the German lyrics until I was in high school German class, at least 5 years later.
I remember a few other things about that night. I remember setting my hair on fire when I held a candle a little too close when I turned around. I remember one older member of the church, which we called "Anna Blue" (I can't remember if that was her real name or not, but that's what I remember calling her.). She used to play tambourine at every service. (Again, it's an Army thing.) Imagine Silent Night with a tambourine.
Christmas is about remembering. Sure, you can remember the great food you ate each year at Grandma's house or the cool KISS guitar you got one year or how you had to tie the tree to the wall to keep the cat from knocking it over. It's good to remember all of that.
But also remember the baby in the manger. The One of whom the angels sang "Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." The One who grew up and taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves and taught us that everyone, even our enemies, were our neighbors. The One who gave up His life so that we could live with Him forever.
Christmas is about lights. It's about food, family, and memories. It's about carols and gifts. Remember the gift that Christ gave to us: Himself.
