Friday, December 25, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of Christmas Day

Sufjan Stevens, "Joy to the World" from Songs for Christmas (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Normally, yours truly is rather insistent that "Joy to the World" should be "big" rather than "little": "Joy to the World" should knock the roof right off the rafters. This rendition of "Joy to the World" is rather small, but rapturously earnest. There is a moment when even the greatest joy is so overwhelming that no utterance is possible except a small prayer, almost silent; such is this "Joy to the World."
"Joy to the world! The Lord has come;
Let Earth receive her king;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

"Joy to the world! The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

"He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glorious of His righteousness,
And wonders of the His love,
And wonders of the His love,
And wonders of the His love,
And wonders of the His love,
And wonders, wonders of the His love."

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