In reply to: The best Christmas Song posted by vermin05
Maybe it's partly nostalgia as his Christmas Song album has been a Christmas day staple in our family ever since I was a kid.
Ie the upbeat fast tempo version that destroys any sense of reverence? The sad thing is, the song still works. I can’t imagine someone doing that to Silent Night or Midnight Clear and having it sound good.
In addition, Oh Holy Night, suffers in the same way Midnight Clear does, it can’t be done well by everyone, it needs someone with talent to make it sound good.
O Holy Night is a song that deserves reverence, yet it's theme is universal.
It's worth wading through the miles of overwrought melodramatic performances to find a version like I posted. When done right, it will literally bring you to your knees. That's what I consider greatness. But, like all music, it comes down to personal taste.