Carol of the Bells (Day Nine)

And here is the carol of the ninth day of Christmas. Carol of the Bells has always been one of my favorites. In fact, my dad every so often likes to tell the story of how I told my kindergarten teacher that it was my favorite carol, a fact that shocked her. Like many of my favorites, I love the haunting melody.

The words are good as well, although my favorite version in recent years, the version by David Foster, is instrumental. That version is featured as part of the Silver Dollar City Christmas tree light show each year, has something of the style of a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas carol reworking (although more dramatic than the usual MS style) and is well worth checking out. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra's “Christmas Eve Sarajevo (12/24)” is also worth checking out as a modern reworking.

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away

Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold,

Ding dong ding dong
that is their song
with joyful ring
all caroling

—Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych (English adaptation by Peter Wilhousky)