Here’s mine (*FLAILSSSSSS*):
IT’S CHRISTMAS EVERY DAYYYYY!!!!!
Sorry, just having a moment…..
Love this one! š š š
Yes, of course these two covers depict the same person… or do they?? š
On Winter in the Air, David looks up, dreamy, reflective, thinking back to that 5-star Yelp review he can’t wait to check out.
On Navidad, Dahveeeeed lasers you with those eyes. He already knows what he’s going to order. And it comes with hot sauce.
On Winter in the Air, David offers a hint of a smile. He’s wistful. The dimple at rest.
On Navidad,Ā Dahveed goes for full smile power. Warning labels need to be affixed.
On Winter in the Air, David marvels at the falling snowflakes.
On Navidad, Dahveed melts every single one.
On Winter in the Air, David sits back, musing on his vast array of Christmas sweaters.
On Navidad,Ā Dahveed stands strong, ready for a bachata-off.
On Winter in the Air, David relaxes in festive plaid slacks.
On Navidad, Dahveed wears black, only black… oh, and sometimes grey.
Winter-in-the-Air David Amazon Primes his gift list.
Navidad Dahveed hand carves gifts out of jalapeƱos.
Winter-in-the-Air David’s lips don’t lie.
Navidad Dahveed’s hips don’t lie.
In the Bleak MidwinterJudging from the statistics on iTunes, āIn the Bleak Midwinterā is one of the less played or purchased singles from David Archuletaās new Christmas album, āWinter in the Air.ā
Admittedly, it is not the song I select first either, but I am here to champion this underdog track because there is still so much to enjoy and appreciate in Davidās flawless rendition.
At the very least, it is yet another testament to his artistry and his unmatched skill in singing a story that reaches both heart and mind. A spiritual sensitivity and pure vocal prowess, thatās what it is.
A little about the song.
The lyrics in this traditional Christmas carol are based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti (1830-1894).
Her poem was first published in 1872, and was titled, āA Christmas Carol.ā In 1906, it was set to music by Gustav Holst for The English Hymnal. It has actually been set to music many times and in many ways, but the hymnal melody is the one used most often by vocal soloists.
The song has been recorded by an endless list of artists. Every performing musician must want this carol included in their Christmas repertoire. Among the versions on YouTube, there were expected renditions and a few surprises. A few: Julie Andrews, Kingās College Choir, Sissel, Tine Thing Helseth (trumpet), James Taylor, Paul Cardall, Susan Boyle, The Tabernacle Choir, Dan Fogelberg, Sarah McLachlan, YoYo Ma, Annie Lennox, Frida (ABBA), Orla Fallon, Indigo Girls, Moody Bluesā¦ See what I mean?
Back to Davidās interpretation.
The original poem, now called āIn the Bleak Midwinter,ā is easily found online. It has five stanzas, and I have never heard a vocal version where the poem is used in its entirety. Artists and arrangers seem to pick and choose which lines they want to use, and that is what David has done.
He eliminated two stanzas, moved a couplet to a different place, changed the word order in one line, changed the rhythm of one line (Ć la Sissel), and replaced a couple of words.
He made it his own with the sequence of the verses and the lines he chose to use. It would be interesting to know his thinking behind the decisions he made.
Here are the lyrics for Davidās version, showing where he paused for musical interludes:
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Ā Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
Snow had fallen, snow, on snow, on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Ā Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But only His mother in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped her beloved with a kiss.
Ā In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
The production on this song is unusual and really interesting. It begins with chimes and a Gregorian-like undertone that supports the opening lyrics: bleak, windy, cold, etc. This creates the visual of a physical setting for me, maybe something from the time period of the poet. I could imagine David in an old and beautiful but cavernous cathedral, perhaps pondering what it must have been like on that wintry night when Christ was born.
When David begins to sing, there is a slight echoing of the music, which adds to the image of a large space where even the softest sounds reverberate. (You can almost picture the voluminous stained-glass windows.) Davidās beautiful voice is calming and reverent but purposeful, if that is an apt description.
The first interlude has different chimes, more melody and more movement. There is obviously more story to be told. An accurate explanation of the interlude passage is difficult because it is a sound you feel, something between haunting and ethereal. It is not music for a sunny summer day, but it belongs.
Listen to how Davidās tone gradually intensifies when he sings about the Saviorās birth, His crucifixion, and the anticipated Second Coming. His voice is accompanied by fewer chimes and more stringsāless cold and more warmth. He finishes the stanza (with the couplet he moved) to remind us of the humbling circumstances with the bleak midwinter cold.
Another interlude follows, using the same chimes as the first, but it is longer, building toward the announcement of the birth, and then it stops. David begins a cappella to tell us about the sacred scene at the manger. There is very little accompaniment thereafter and his vocal interpretation is beyond perfect. I hear awe and reverence and love. So good!
David sings the last stanza in the same worshipful manner. His voice lingers on the final mention of Jesus Christ as the song ends. I am completely blessed by this. Amen.
~TaterZen
*************
p.s.
Random notes and a whole lotta perfectsPerfection #1: First of all, Davidās Spanish is perfectly suited for O Ven, O Ven Emanuel. The softness of this romantic language allows him even more vocal versatility.Ā When listening to both the English and Spanish versions, I find David singing in a lower tone than the English one, thereās a depth and richness that Iāve never heard anywhere else.
Perfection #2: His pitch is perfect on every note and the key he chooses to sing this in is David at his finest, there is no straining whatsoever and he sounds relaxed and powerful and controlled all at the same time.
Perfection #3: His tone is sublime. Even on the higher notes, he glides effortlessly in and out of them.
Perfection #4: To me, this is his most perfect recording where the production never overshadows the lyrics but helps set the otherworldly mood. And when David sings the lower notes, it is pure heaven. He glides up and down the scale with such ease. Even his rolled rās show no hesitation, they are smooth as perfect silk.
Perfection #5: I love how the production and the foreign language transcend me to a different time and place. Itās haunting and reassuring at the same time. I have never felt Davidās vocals so perfectly matched with an accompaniment as on this song.
Perfection #6: Thereās an all over quality in his voice which is, you guessed it, ā¦ perfect. Maybe itās because heās holding back a little, concentrating on the pronunciation of each word, I honestly donāt know, but imho, when you compare his English version to this Spanish one, you can hear a difference.
I hope he chooses to do this in concert, perhaps singing part in English and part in Spanish.
So librarians, editors, and yāall with big word vocabularies (the rest of you can dust off your thesauruses) find this olā gal a word that describes this song, other than perfect, perfectly.
~ Janey
*******
p.s.
Contact @karenkid:
“Hello all! It’s developed that I won’t be able to attend David’s concert in Georgia on December 15. š„ I’m looking to give away the tickets. They’re Center Orchestra, Row G, Seats 111 and 112. You can contact me at knbschneider@gmail.com. Thanks!! ~ karenkid”
[So sorry you can’t make it, Karen!]
p.p.s.s.
*runs out of p’s and s’s*
#trufax
That is the best cardboard David in the history of cardboard Davids. š https://t.co/bfa9eOVnQh
ā Chelsy Jordan *is on semi-hiatus* (@chelsyjordan) November 12, 2018
I AM CRYING THOSE TEARS YOU GET WHEN THE WINTER WIND STINGS YOUR EYES BUT THE SPARKLY SNOW IS SO BEAUTIFUL ON THE TREE BRANCHES THAT YOU OPEN THEM ANYWAY TO SEE THE SUN GLINTING OFF THE ICE CRYSTALS AND YOU PULL YOUR SCARF UP OVER YOUR NOSE SO YOUR EYES CAN STILL PEEK OUT AND MARVEL AT THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL.
How about you guysssss?
I love everything about this video… David… the song (my fave)… the beautiful dancers, so natural… the aerial shots of the forest… David… his outfit (I covet that cardigan)… his lightly scruffed grown-up outdoorsy look… David… the little touches like his hand brushing the trees… did I mention David? Just ALL OF IT!!!!!
********
How cool is it that the video was debuted by Variety!!! Full story HERE.
********
p.s.
I swear Almond the Squirrel is in the video and his TOSOD boots! Reaching, I know, lol.
So. #WinterIntheAir.
Where do I even begin?
Normally, I’d do a post covering my impressions of all the songs on the album.
But I have too many feelings about each song to do that, so I’m just going to talk about one at a time.
Overall though, I will say that not only do I love that David’s included fun, “deck the halls”-ish songs along with reverent, sacred carols, but also that it’s one of the few (if only) Christmas albums I know that conveys the feeling of quiet introspection that sneaks up on us during the holidays.
Those moments when you take a break from all the craziness and sit quietly alone and contemplate what Christmas really means to you…
Whether you feel sadness about regrets or loved ones who are gone, or a longing to make a change in your life. Or maybe, along with all that, you reflect on Christ’s humble beginnings, the hardships that he faced, and the love he channeled into the world. Love that comes shining through in each note of this album.
The holidays can be a tough time for many of us, and I feel an undercurrent of that on this album. Amid the joy and reverence, I also feel a tinge of melancholy… a nod to the pain that can overtake us when we’re told by all the commercials and posts and parties that it’s “The most wonderful time of the year.”
To me, this album helps us take a moment to really think about the true meaning of Christmas… about how much you’re loved and how you can be more compassionate with others… those thoughts can help us feel less alone, maybe more connected to those we’ve lost and to something bigger than ourselves.
Those kinds of feelings are rarely conveyed on Christmas albums, but I feel like David’s done that beautifully here. Definitely in the title track.
When David sung a bit of it from his car on Instagram, I literally burst into tears. Did not see that coming. It was a completely visceral reaction.
I’m hesitant to overanalyze why it happened because I don’t want to break the spell.
Just now, I played the song, and the same thing happened. In fact, I was listening to the album driving home last night and had to skip the title track, for real, becauseĀ it was dark and rainy and tons of construction on my route and I needed to see where I was going… tears were not an option!
There’s just something in David’s tone right off the bat, like he’s whispering in your ear.
“Sacred stillness brought to life”… that’s exactly what it is.
The hushed quiet after it snows and the world is peaceful and perfect for a little while. You hold your breath and marvel at the otherworldly beauty of it all.
How he captures all that with his voice, I have no idea. But it pierces my heart and triggers rivers of tears. The sheer beauty of it.
The notes and what’s between the notes. That makes zero sense but I can feel that. Can you?
Foot prints in the snow
The world a shining globe
The scent of evergreen is like home
A deep breath cold and cleanThe sound of distant bells
The story they foretell
An almost silent night,
A sacred stillness brought to lifeLike music, like magic
Somehow it just happens
I could stay here forever
Nothing can compare
To this moment with you
And winter in the air
Winter in the airSparkling on the streets
Red birds, hear them sing
All is calm and bright
Underneath the stars that watch the nightLike music, like magic
Somehow it just happens
I could stay here forever
Nothing can compare
To this moment with you
And winter in the air
Winter in the airOn this snowy night,
The world is pure and rightLike music, like magic
Somehow it just happens
I could stay here forever
Nothing can compare
To this moment with you
And winter in the air
Winter in the air
p.s.
Some great news and interviews today!
Great @DavidArchie interview! āBut Iāve learned to stop asking why, keep my hands open, ready to receive whatās next and be grateful.ā šhttps://t.co/45hv6rYW2Q
— snowangelzz š (@TheSnowAngelz) November 5, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
'Go for it': David Archuleta talks Mariah Carey advice and new album in exclusive interview https://t.co/krGmUH59xu
— Patty-Ann (@pabuckie) November 5, 2018
Soooooooooo excited for this album! And the EP!!!!
Here are the car-aoke snippets David shared… so far I am LOVING all the original songs… the title track, He Is Born and Christmas Every Day all sound amazing from what we’ve heard so far!
Tears immediately welled up and I was clutching my chest when David started singing the title track snippet. I AM NOT READYYYY!!!!
Forget that, I am SO ready! lol
Countdown begins!
I want to know what everyone thinks of the songs as soon as you’ve heard them!
LET’S ALL HOLD HANDS AND SING KUMBAYA WHILE WE WAIT!!!!
p.s.
You might say that David and Kari take the cake! *hides*
(check out @livingbeautahfully and @catcherintheryephotography’s insta stories for vid clips, as well, thx. for the heads up, Janey! I believe these were taken behind the scenes for Studio 5, to air tomorrow)
Love, love, LOOOOOOVEĀ this interview!
Spoiler alert: A candid shot of me when I got to the end and read that David’s releasing a new pop album in 2019:
ML:Ā Iāve never been [to Nashville], but Iāve heard similar sentiments about it. Itās one of those places that feels like home even though it may be far from it.
DA:Ā Yes, itās so that! People just talk to you in the grocery store even if people know who you are. The city understands artists, because itās what so many people in this town do. They donāt look at you like youāre some sort of foreign alien. Everyone knows at least someone in the music industry here. So, itās just nice to be able to strike up a conversation with a cute, old, southern woman whoāll invite you over for dinner if you ever want a good home-cooked meal. [Edit: DUDE, how about a cute, ol’ Canadian woman who doesn’t really cook but knows people who do?!?]
…
DA: One of my favorite places Iāve been to as a tourist when I had some downtime, was a place in Croatia called theĀ Plitvice Lakes. I feel like images donāt do it justice because you go there and even though it was rainy, the water was so blue and clear. They built this walkway that goes all across the lakes and evenĀ up some waterfalls. There are so many waterfalls, like little ones. You feel like youāre in Narnia or seeing the elves of Rivendell. Itās just a beautiful place. [Edit:Ā Narnia. š]
…
DA:Ā It does, because itās amazing to see all the different cultures. Being onĀ American Idol, for example, I never thought Iād be going to Southeast Asia to perform so much in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Theyāre all huge fans of singing competitions and just pop music in general. Whatās the background of your name by the way? [Edit:Ā You guyyyyyyyys, I’m crying at how much he cares about people and wants to know more about them.]
ML:Ā My name is Persian, but Iām originally from India. My great grandparents were from there, but my parents were born and raised inĀ Tanzania, East Africa. Then, my sisters and I were born here in the US. That helps explain why, for me, anything that has to do anything with culture is so exciting. Thatās truly the best part about traveling. You can see and experience these cultures. It shows how connected we actually are versus how different we are.
DA:Ā Itās amazing! Language is so different everywhere it goes. It can affect the behaviors and the cultures of the people. I did go to Southern India one time toĀ Chennai, actually. Something that stuck out to me was when we were there for this organization called Rising Star Outreach that built schools there for kids from leprosy colonies. On one of the days we had off, we walked around the village and they had these dome homes.Ā A guy that I had never seen before was just there with his wife and his mom. Even though we were strangers he was like, āCome eat with us.ā And, they invited us for dinner. We didnāt have time to, but I was just like, āWow, this is amazing.ā I had no idea how to speak with him with words, but it made for an even cooler interaction. They wanted to connect with us too. Wanting us to have dinner with them was really sweet. [Edit: People around the world want to feed The Archuleta and I approve of this message!!!]
…
DA:Ā Yes, itās something that Iāve always wanted to do. Some of the first songs Iāve ever learned were Spanish ones, but I didnāt know how to talk to the people. When I learned Spanish and came back home, I was able to talk to my grandpa. Heās like a book on the shelf that you always saw growing up, but never picked up to read. I didnāt speak Spanish and he doesnāt speak English.
So, when I got back, I got to hear all his stories. He actually worked for the newspaper and wrote articles. He told me about how he worked in the [United Kingdom] and Vietnam. I had never realized how much traveling he did as a reporter for the national newspaper in Honduras. To hear him talk about his childhood and hear about how my mom grew up, it was just amazing. I was so glad that I could connect with him. [Edit: “He’s like a book on the shelf that you always saw growing up, but never picked up to read.” I CAN’T. CANNOT. C.A.N.N.O.T.]
…
DA: [about travel broadening your perspective] … you see different ways to live and you can still continue finding joy, happiness and peace. But, it also helps you realize how similar everyone is because everyone still has those day-to-day struggles of feeling loved, feeling like you have a sense of purpose. You could be friends with all kinds of people from different countries even if theyāre living completely different lifestyles than you are. Itās a really beautiful experience. [Edit: What a beautiful soul he is.]
…
ML:Ā …Lastly, youāll be hitting the road for a month-long tour at the end of November to promote the album. What else do the next couple of months have in store for you?
DA:Ā Iāll be working on my next pop record. Iām already working on pop music for my next record to be released in 2019.
Me:
Read the whole amazing thing HERE.
How about you guys??? What were your favourite parts??!!
.
p.s.
AND NOW THIS!!! IT IS CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY!!!!!
p.p.s.
THINGS BE HAPPENIN’ IN ARCHULETAVILLE!!!!!!
Wow, sold out already!
Not surprised because our crack team of investigative creepers, I mean, reporters,* has discovered what’s in the Mystery Box!
Clue: It’s five of the items below. Test your best guess!
Or, what’s your guess??
Act now HERE to get these gems & more!
*creepers, let’s be honest here
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
WHAT AN AWESOME, FUN, FESTIVE, VERY DAVID VIDEOOOOOO!!!!!!
I wasn’t expecting much, tbh… I already LOVE the song, so thought a video would be a nice bonus but didn’t think I’d be wowed by it or anything, but it’s PERFECT!
So glad there’s dancing! I was literally chair dancing, arms in the air, the whole bit, in my home office where people passing close by must’ve thought I was having some kind of medical episode.
BUT I DON’T CARE! Love it!
And can we talk about this move???!!!!
Wut the wut wut???!!!
PLEASE AFFIX WARNING LABELS IN FUTURE, DAHVEEED!
And how cool that Entertainment Tonight premiered it?? Love that!!
So what do you guys think??
A little too not over it.
Click pic 2 track David! (Like we're not already, lol.)
Click pic 4 David's Instagram
Click pic 2 order BEGIN.
PO Box 4297 Apopka, FL 32704 USA
Click pic 2 buy deluxe version!
Click pic 4 deets!
.