O Little Town of Bethlehem #BOTB hit it off on #4M #Christmas #music
Good morning, kittens & dawgs! It’s that most wonderful time of the year and if you’re feeling like Scrooge then hopefully today’s music will melt your ba-hum-bug self away.
All month, the Monday’s Music Moves Me crew will dish up some of your favorite Christmas tunes to rock the season. It just so happens #BOTB & #4M are doing the bump again, so this will be a dual post. To start off the battle and the holiday mood, I decided to go with a theme within a theme with songs of Bethlehem. Of course, I will only have one song title with two artists trying to outshine the other.
Traditional Christmas songs are excellent covers for artists of all genre. Personally, my favorite sounds of Christmas music is best delivered by classic voices of yesteryear ~ Crosby, Williams, Sinatra, Cole, & Martin to name just a few. However, I decided on the contemporary Christian singer, Chris Tomlin and soft pop rocker, Sarah McLachlan to do this old-time favorite of mine, O Little Town of Bethlehem.
Which soloist does it better & why? Remember your vote decides who wins!
Okay, on behalf of the lovely Dancing Queen, Marie @XmasDolly, and her Solid Gold dancers ~ Callie @JAmericanSpice, Stacy @Stacy Uncorked, Becca @Everyday Life, & myself thank you for joining us for another week of Monday’s Music Moves Me.
Now, it’s time for you to ask us to step out on the dance floor with you. By linking your musical post (Our Hostess labels or removes non-music links) URL (not your main blog address) below you are inviting the 4M crew to boogie down to your tunes.
Next Monday, I’ll share this week’s #BOTB winner, but don’t forget to vote! I am ready to have a merry ole good time this Christmas and I’ll be by your place soon wearing sleigh bells to see what tunes you are sharing. Put on a pot of coffee ’cause next stop… your place! What music moves you?
26 Comments
John Holton
I liked Sarah MacLachlan’s version better. It was cleaner (just her and the guitar) and moved a little more smoothly.
becca112971
Loving all the christmas music this week. What a beautiful time of the year.
Far Away Eyes
Another late vote for Sarah.
Rorybore
Oh I love Chris Tomlin!! I have a lot of his worship music and I just love his voice.
and that is really saying something because Sarah is Canadian and I am pretty sure I have to leave my country now. 🙂
but both tunes are fantastic really.
DiscConnected
I’m late to the party but following the crowd-a vote for Sarah…
Naila Moon
I am with Colette, I cannot choose either way. Good points for both of them.
I even listened twice!
Colette S
They are both so good!
It is hard to choose Cathy,
I have to give both equal points.
Very well done!
Robin
I thought I’d like the Tomlin version since I like so many other songs of his. I found it lackluster and disappointing (expectations too high???). On the other hand, I think Sarah has a gorgeous voice, and this song was no exception. So, chalk another vote for SM.
Janice Trinh
Great music choice. I think I like Sarah’s better – only because it kinda sounds angelic which seems a little more appropriate for the song. 😉
Cathy Kennedy
Sarah does have an angelic quality to her voice. I think what I like about her is I feel her words not only with this song, but most of hers. Thanks for voting!
This Belle Rocks
I am personally partial to Sarah McLachlan, though both were pretty. What is #BOTB? If it is music-related, I’m thinking I may need to join up! (Though I know my music isn’t everyone’s cup o’ tea, so I’m not sure….) Happy Music Monday!
Cathy Kennedy
Yeah, Belle! #BOTB aka Battle of the Band is a music theme posted put on twice each month (1st & 15th) where you select two artists compete doing the same song. It’s a fun meme. To learn more, visit STMcC Presents Battle of the Band! Thanks for stopping by & casting your vote!
Birgit
I vote for Sarah as it was just the right length. I could not listen to a whole Christmas CD of hers but I prefer it over Tomlin. I am one for traditional and lean more to classical side of things but his ended up to be too long and it felt boring at the end
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh)
Both versions are well done. However, while Sarah’s voice is really nice, I feel Tomlin sings more from the heart. He gets my vote.
Cathy Kennedy
I like both versions, too, but in the end Sarah’s rendition was favored more by my spirit. Thanks Alex for voting!
kismaslife
I love Sarah but always have. I believe they are both excellent!
Stephen T. McCarthy
Yeah, I would say that I prefer the second one also. Not by a whole lot, but the first one was certainly longer than it needed to be.
To be honest, I didn’t feel either version sounded particularly inspired, but both were pleasant enough and the second one was prettier than the first, so it looks like I’m in agreement with everyone else here so far.
~ D-FensDogg
‘Loyal American Underground’
Chris Fries
I found Chris Tomlin’s version to be very good, but it seemed to lack some of the emotion and connection of Sarah’s. The acoustic guitar seemed to give it a little more intimacy, also.
I vote for Sarah.
Mike Spain
Sarah gets my voice, more feeling in the song!
Stacy Uncorked
What a cool idea, Cathy! I’m going to have to go with Sarah’s cover – the first one was just meh…I’ve always been partial to Sarah’s voice, and with these two covers there’s really no comparison as hers has much more personality and listenability… 🙂 Thanks for the dance – hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and wonderful Christmas season! 🙂
Let It Be Christmas, My Favourite Time of Year Happy Holiday/Holiday Season, A Soldier’s Silent Night.
Patrick Weseman
I like the Sarah McLachlan version better. Her voice really stands out to me.
Leovi
The two versions are fantastic and very different voices, I love the voice of Sarah McLachlan!
Arlee Bird
I like both of these artists, but I fully expected Chris Tomlin to be my preferred choice. Alas, I must vote for Sarah on this song. The Tomlin version was too lackluster for my taste–perhaps too common with traditionality. Sarah’s version had more feeling in my opinion. Her version was tight and nicely presented.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Cathy Kennedy
I agree with you, Lee. I much prefer Sarah’s cover over Tomlin’s for the same reasons. I made a goof by not saying one way or the other in my post this week. I guess I had too much Thanksgiving preparations going on to see that I missed this detail. *sigh* Oh well…thanks for stopping by. Have a good week!
stevebethere
This year seems to have come around so quick
Nice selections Cathy 🙂
Have an earlyxmastastic week 🙂
Cathy Kennedy
The years always pass by much to fast. It would be nice to throw the brakes on to slow time down a wee bit, but I’m afraid this ride is out of our hands. Thanks for dancing with the 4M crew this morning, Steve!