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Dec 2 - Christmas on Canada’s coasts
Playlist
* Christmas Goes to Sea - Lee Murdock - 2:31
* Christmas in the Harbour - The Punters - 3:35
* Santa Claus (in Northern Tutchone) - Jerry Alfred - 1:09
* Christmas on the Coast - Gary Fjellgaard - 3:08
Music notes
Christmas Goes to Sea Many of Canada’s coastal communities, maybe even all of them where the water isn’t frozen this time of year, have ways of celebrating their nautical connections at Christmas time. Here in Victoria many sailors decorate their boats with Christmas lights the same way that people dress up their houses, illuminating the harbour with holiday cheer; fishing boats, work boats, pleasure boats, even the Royal Canadian Navy gets involved.
This year the official kick-off event for the Victoria Harbour Lights festivity will be on Thursday, December 4, from 5:00 to 8:00PM. The Harbour Authority provides free cookies and hot chocolate, and Santa will be coming (by boat, of course) to join the party. In past years Victoria has had a parade of lighted boats, but apparently that won’t be happening this year. But in nearby Sidney there will be a lighted-boat sail-past along the waterfront on Saturday December 6, beginning at 5:00PM, from the downtown harbour to Bezan Bay.
The idea of decorating boats for Christmas is not new but I don’t know when it began. The lyrics for this song were written in 1941 by the American poet and novelist Rachel Field. Her words were set to music and are sung by Great Lakes’ historian and balladeer Lee Murdock. I got this track from a beautifully written and illustrated book /CD called Christmas Goes to Sea that he self-published in 2005. The book is unfortunately now out-of-print, but the CD is still available.
I saw a fishing boat steer byBluff-prowed beneath the winter skyIt was Christmas, dusk was falling.The hull was crusted dark with sprayAll around the water spread graySeagulls followed, followed calling.
But to the masthead gallantly was lashed a little Christmas tree,A lonely green-armed pledge of pine.No bright festoons or gifts it borebut yet those empty boughs held moreThan blinking lights and tinsel for its sign.
Such a grand sight it was to seeThat small seafaring Christmas treeHigh amid the shrouds and spar.And all night long I thought about itSalt crusted, wind-buffeted and only litBy Bethlehem’s brightest star.Christmas in the HarbourSt. John’s record producer Gary O’Driscoll wrote and arranged this song for a 1980 national CBC television special called Christmas - Up at Ours. His version was released on 45 RPM the following year, and in the year after that it became the anchor song for a Christmas music album. Listening to it became a Christmas tradition for many Newfoundland families.
This cover was recorded in 1998 by The Punters to be the opening song for an O’Driscoll Christmas sampler album that showcased various Newfoundland singers and groups, also called Christmas in the Harbour. The Punters at that time were Larry Foley on guitar, Patrick Moran - fiddle and guitar, Brian Kenny on bass, Bob Hiscock – drums, and they all join in on the vocals with Larry as the lead singer.
[Chorus] Toora-loora-loora-lay Christ the king was born today Hark the herald angels say It’s Christmas in the harbour
Church bells ring out loud and clearPeople come from far and nearAll men drink their Christmas cheerIt’s Christmas in the harbour
Younger faces all aglowSmile beneath the mistletoeYule log embers brightly glowIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Children sleep without a soundAll nestled in their eiderdownSnow is falling softly downIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Trees are laden down in snowIt’s off to midnight mass we goHand and hand across the snowIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Young and old they dance and singEnjoying all their jannying (mummering)Peace on earth goodwill to menIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus x 3]
Santa Claus A few years ago I was given an unusual CD album called A Northern Christmas by someone – I can’t remember who, but Thank You! It is primarily comprised of familiar holiday songs and carols sung in Inuktitut, the language of the Indigenous people who live in the Canadian arctic. But it also included this little treat.
Unfortunately the album had become separated from its box and liner notes so I had very little information about the music tracks other than what the label said and the data that is embedded with the disc’s tracks. But fortunately, and only for this track, Jerry Alfred who sings this song included an introduction in English to tell the song’s story.
I found a Wikipedia entry for Jerry: He is not Inuit, but instead is a member of the adjacent Selkirk First Nation in Central Yukon, whose language is Northern Tutchone. Throughout his life, Jerry Alfred has been be involved in the preservation and dissemination of his community’s traditional culture, especially in his tradition-bearer role as the people’s Keeper of Songs.
Christmas on the CoastAlthough he was born and raised on the prairies and is primarily known as a Country music singer, singer-songwriter Gary Fjellgaard and his wife Lynne have long lived out here on the left coast. On Vancouver Island no less. I don’t know when he wrote this song but it appears on his out-of-print 2007 album Secret Santa.
Below are the lyrics and you can find the chords here:
Dancing lights on Christmas night, like sparks upon the water,Voices drift from carol ships passing in the bay.Hear them singing, praises ringing, faces towards the heavensAnd hear the bells, those silver bells , it’s Christmas on the coast.
When fishermen are home again, safe within the harbour;When every village, every town, lights up the Christmas tree;When Santa’s boat comes gently floating up against the jetty;When all the children run to him, its Christmas on the coast.
La, la, la, la, la la la la etc. And if it rains on that day, the angels still sing And we’ll all count the blessings that Christmas will bring.
Dancing lights on Christmas night, like sparks upon the waterVoices drift from carol ships, passing in the bay.Hear them singing, praises ringing, faces towards the heavensAnd hear the bells, those silver bells, it’s Christmas on the coast.They seem to say: “Happy Holiday!” It’s Christmas on the coast.
La, la, la, la, la la la la etc.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midwintermusic.substack.com
View all episodes
By Daily songs & essays by Bill Huot. Runs Nov 25 to Dec 21.Playlist
* Christmas Goes to Sea - Lee Murdock - 2:31
* Christmas in the Harbour - The Punters - 3:35
* Santa Claus (in Northern Tutchone) - Jerry Alfred - 1:09
* Christmas on the Coast - Gary Fjellgaard - 3:08
Music notes
Christmas Goes to Sea Many of Canada’s coastal communities, maybe even all of them where the water isn’t frozen this time of year, have ways of celebrating their nautical connections at Christmas time. Here in Victoria many sailors decorate their boats with Christmas lights the same way that people dress up their houses, illuminating the harbour with holiday cheer; fishing boats, work boats, pleasure boats, even the Royal Canadian Navy gets involved.
This year the official kick-off event for the Victoria Harbour Lights festivity will be on Thursday, December 4, from 5:00 to 8:00PM. The Harbour Authority provides free cookies and hot chocolate, and Santa will be coming (by boat, of course) to join the party. In past years Victoria has had a parade of lighted boats, but apparently that won’t be happening this year. But in nearby Sidney there will be a lighted-boat sail-past along the waterfront on Saturday December 6, beginning at 5:00PM, from the downtown harbour to Bezan Bay.
The idea of decorating boats for Christmas is not new but I don’t know when it began. The lyrics for this song were written in 1941 by the American poet and novelist Rachel Field. Her words were set to music and are sung by Great Lakes’ historian and balladeer Lee Murdock. I got this track from a beautifully written and illustrated book /CD called Christmas Goes to Sea that he self-published in 2005. The book is unfortunately now out-of-print, but the CD is still available.
I saw a fishing boat steer byBluff-prowed beneath the winter skyIt was Christmas, dusk was falling.The hull was crusted dark with sprayAll around the water spread graySeagulls followed, followed calling.
But to the masthead gallantly was lashed a little Christmas tree,A lonely green-armed pledge of pine.No bright festoons or gifts it borebut yet those empty boughs held moreThan blinking lights and tinsel for its sign.
Such a grand sight it was to seeThat small seafaring Christmas treeHigh amid the shrouds and spar.And all night long I thought about itSalt crusted, wind-buffeted and only litBy Bethlehem’s brightest star.Christmas in the HarbourSt. John’s record producer Gary O’Driscoll wrote and arranged this song for a 1980 national CBC television special called Christmas - Up at Ours. His version was released on 45 RPM the following year, and in the year after that it became the anchor song for a Christmas music album. Listening to it became a Christmas tradition for many Newfoundland families.
This cover was recorded in 1998 by The Punters to be the opening song for an O’Driscoll Christmas sampler album that showcased various Newfoundland singers and groups, also called Christmas in the Harbour. The Punters at that time were Larry Foley on guitar, Patrick Moran - fiddle and guitar, Brian Kenny on bass, Bob Hiscock – drums, and they all join in on the vocals with Larry as the lead singer.
[Chorus] Toora-loora-loora-lay Christ the king was born today Hark the herald angels say It’s Christmas in the harbour
Church bells ring out loud and clearPeople come from far and nearAll men drink their Christmas cheerIt’s Christmas in the harbour
Younger faces all aglowSmile beneath the mistletoeYule log embers brightly glowIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Children sleep without a soundAll nestled in their eiderdownSnow is falling softly downIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Trees are laden down in snowIt’s off to midnight mass we goHand and hand across the snowIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus]
Young and old they dance and singEnjoying all their jannying (mummering)Peace on earth goodwill to menIt’s Christmas in the harbour [Chorus x 3]
Santa Claus A few years ago I was given an unusual CD album called A Northern Christmas by someone – I can’t remember who, but Thank You! It is primarily comprised of familiar holiday songs and carols sung in Inuktitut, the language of the Indigenous people who live in the Canadian arctic. But it also included this little treat.
Unfortunately the album had become separated from its box and liner notes so I had very little information about the music tracks other than what the label said and the data that is embedded with the disc’s tracks. But fortunately, and only for this track, Jerry Alfred who sings this song included an introduction in English to tell the song’s story.
I found a Wikipedia entry for Jerry: He is not Inuit, but instead is a member of the adjacent Selkirk First Nation in Central Yukon, whose language is Northern Tutchone. Throughout his life, Jerry Alfred has been be involved in the preservation and dissemination of his community’s traditional culture, especially in his tradition-bearer role as the people’s Keeper of Songs.
Christmas on the CoastAlthough he was born and raised on the prairies and is primarily known as a Country music singer, singer-songwriter Gary Fjellgaard and his wife Lynne have long lived out here on the left coast. On Vancouver Island no less. I don’t know when he wrote this song but it appears on his out-of-print 2007 album Secret Santa.
Below are the lyrics and you can find the chords here:
Dancing lights on Christmas night, like sparks upon the water,Voices drift from carol ships passing in the bay.Hear them singing, praises ringing, faces towards the heavensAnd hear the bells, those silver bells , it’s Christmas on the coast.
When fishermen are home again, safe within the harbour;When every village, every town, lights up the Christmas tree;When Santa’s boat comes gently floating up against the jetty;When all the children run to him, its Christmas on the coast.
La, la, la, la, la la la la etc. And if it rains on that day, the angels still sing And we’ll all count the blessings that Christmas will bring.
Dancing lights on Christmas night, like sparks upon the waterVoices drift from carol ships, passing in the bay.Hear them singing, praises ringing, faces towards the heavensAnd hear the bells, those silver bells, it’s Christmas on the coast.They seem to say: “Happy Holiday!” It’s Christmas on the coast.
La, la, la, la, la la la la etc.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midwintermusic.substack.com