Seasons Greetings Friends,
Thanksgiving Day Has Come
and Gone
I hope you and your family had a peaceful and
healthy Thanksgiving. We had a relatively quiet
feast at our house. Since Ann Marie and I are
both from large families we often have
Thanksgiving at someone else’s house, but my
92 year old mom lives with us and she is finding
it very difficult to get out so we decided to
celebrate at home this year. Mom’s caregiver
Gladys, an angel from Ghana by way of the Bronx,
also lives with us. Katie was home from college.
My sister Joan and her family, and our new, next
door neighbor all joined us so we had a houseful
for dinner. Ann Marie prepared a delicious turkey
dinner and everyone helped in some way. We had
lots to eat, good conversation, some singing and
card playing, a late night game of charades, and
a short, chilly walk under a nearly full moon.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all and
this was a reflective, joyous and relaxing one.
And now the season of light begins.
What’s New?: Release of
NEW Christmas CD Concludes Nearly Ten Year
Project
My new Christmas CD “Season of Light, Hope
and Peace” is being manufactured as I write
and will be ready to ship by December 1. I began
writing Christmas songs in 1994 and each year I
write one or two new ones. When I had enough to
do an album we began to record some of the songs.
One problem I had getting the CD done was that I
would only get in the mood to work on Christmas
songs during the holiday season. Another
challenge was that the list would change as I
decided to add or remove certain songs. The
result was that each year we would work on a new
song or two but didn’t have everything we
wanted until now. By 2001 we had recorded eight
songs and decided to produce a limited number of
CD’s for family and friends knowing that
more songs would be added in the future. We ended
up reprinting a couple of these small runs and at
times our kitchen table became the assembly line
as we cut out and inserted lyrics and artwork and
put CD’s together. While those times were
memorable we’re all delighted with the new
lyrics and artwork and won’t miss the
assembly phase too much. The splendid watercolor
painting on the new cover was done by artist
friend Gini Frank Fischer. It is our house at
Christmas time. My Dad who passed away in 1994
loved to decorate the house and we have carried
on the tradition.
The recordings on the new CD include the original
eight songs remixed plus five new ones. Working
with dear friends Jeff Miller and Jon Bates the
recordings have been compiled into a collection
that flows together smoothly. Jeff and Jon are
amazing musicians and engineers, and most
importantly, great friends.
Each year as the earth slips into darkness again
we come together as friends, family, and faith
communities to look for the light within
ourselves and each other, and to await the birth
of a child. We also come together to sing, give
thanks, and hope and pray for peace on earth.
Thank you for making music a part of your
celebration. If you’d like to hear some of
the songs on the new CD please go to
www.johnfarrell.net
Listed below are the contents of the album and
brief descriptions of the songs.
SEASON OF LIGHT, HOPE AND
PEACE
1. It’s Snowing!
A song about the first snowflakes and the
beginning of the holiday season. It’s also a
wish that it will keep snowing long enough for
school to be canceled. Includes a verse and
chorus of “Jingle Bells.”
2. One by One
A Thanksgiving song that recounts some of our
many blessings. I include
simple sign language when I do the song in
concert. Signs are on the website
www.johnfarrell.net
3. Hot Chocolate and Diplomacy
Each year we go to “Sam’s Tree
Farm,” where we cut down our Christmas tree.
While we’re there we critique, debate,
cajole, argue, complain and coerce before we
eventually arrive at the decision. In the end,
hot chocolate and a contorted democracy carry the
day, and of course, the tree always looks fine
once it’s home and decorated.
4. It’s the Christmas Play
Inspired in part by the book “The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever,” and in part by the
many school programs I’ve attended through
the years. The song imagines some of the many
things that can and do go wrong during the
holiday show. Ends with “We Wish You a Merry
Christmas.”
5. Dear Santa
Three letters from children asking Santa,
“How do you do it?” including questions
about How do you get to every house? How do you
make all the toys? Where do you live? Etc. Each
of Santa’s replies ends with the line
“I can do it because you love me, and
because you believe I can.” The kids’
voices on this one are exquisite! (Please forgive
the bragging, they’re our kids)
6. Let’s Go Caroling
Singing about singing, this medley includes
“Deck the Halls,” “Away in a
Manger,” and “There Was a Little
Baby.”
7. A Little Bit of Scrooge
One of our Christmas traditions is a trip to New
York City to see the decorations and visits the
sights. We have gone to see the musical version
of “A Christmas Carol,” two times.
After last years show I wrote this song
acknowledging that along with the season of joy
there are plenty of reasons to be “grumpy
and annoyed.” Lyric includes “We buy
too much, we want too much, we eat too much too.
We throw stuff away just because it isn’t
new…” In the end its Ebenezer’s
decision to give it away that redeems him.
8. Christmas is Coming
We’ve sung this at several church
celebrations. As I wrote the song I was thinking
about how Christmas comes in so many different
ways to people in so many different situations.
The song contrasts a small village with the
bustling city; the family in the mansion on the
hill with a family of eight in a third floor
apartment; and a lonely old man singing carols in
a nursing home with a new mother singing
“Silent Night,” to her infant child. To
all of them “Christmas is coming, turning
darkness to light...”
9. I Should Close My Eyes
I vividly remember how hard it was to get to
sleep on Christmas Eve and all the sounds I heard
in and outside the house. This is that
remembrance which drifts off into a dreamlike
musical journey.
10. Gotta Get Going
“Each year things get hectic as the seasons
roll around. Days fly by like shooting starts,
leaves fall to the ground. Weeks just seem to
disappear like snowmen in the sun…” You
think you’re busy, imagine Santa and his
helpers on Christmas Eve. The band really lets go
on this one as Jon, Jeff, and Dana boogie like
the jolly old elf and friends. Makes you want get
up and dance.
11. Birthday of a Child
“When you wake up Christmas morning filled
with love and hopes so high, remember what we
celebrate is the birthday of a child…”
12. Christmas in the Trenches
For years I have listened to, been moved by, and
sung John McCutcheon’s gorgeous song about
an impromptu Christmas Eve truce that really
happened during WWI. Unfortunately, the song is
as relevant and timely today as it was when the
truce occurred. I say unfortunately because we
still haven’t learned that “on each end
of a rifle we’re the same.” This song
may seem a bit out of place in that I didn’t
write it and it’s not about children at
Christmas, but it’s been a part of our
holiday season for years and needs to be heard by
as many listeners as possible. Many of you may
know the song heard it.but perhaps it will be a
gift to some. It certainly was a gift to me the
first time I
12. Season of Light
This simple “round” reminds me what the
season is about, particularly the line
“Waiting for the child to welcome us
home.” The need to reconnect with a sense of
wonder about the natural world combined with the
faith, hope, trust, and longing for peace and
love that children experience during the holidays
is something the world can’t get too much
of, especially now.
THANK YOU OFFER on NEW CD! 3
CD’S FOR $30 INCLUDES SHIPPING
To thank those of you who have so kindly shared
my music with your friends and family we are
offering you the chance to purchase 3 copies of
the new CD for just $30. This price includes
shipping and handling. Mary Jain sends orders out
immediately and she ships everything first class
mail so you will receive CD’s soon after you
place your order. If using the mail-in order form
WRITE THANK YOU OFFER 3 FOR $30 on the order form
and send just $30 for the 3 CD’s. If you
would like more than 3 CD’s calculate the
price at $10 each. That will also include
shipping and handling. We’re hoping to be
able to do the 3 for $30 offer for credit card
orders too.
BRONX ZOO HOLIDAY LIGHTS
PERFORMANCES
On the evenings of December 3, 4, and 5, I will
be performing at the Bronx Zoo’s Holiday
Lights event. My shows will be at 5:30, 6:30 and
7:30 at the Zoo Center. The Holiday Lights are
spectacular and events include a play version of
The Polar Express as well as storytelling, live
reindeer and camels, thousands of lights and much
more. For information and directions visit
http://bronxzoo.com/426208/5266141
HOLIDAY CONCERTS TO BENEFIT
HANAHOE CLINIC will be at DANBURY HOSPITAL
December 11 I will be doing two concerts to
benefit the Hanahoe Children’s Clinic. The
concerts will be at Danbury Hospital at 11 a.m.
and 2 p.m. For reservations, more information,
and directions go to
http://www.johnfarrell.net/04-Hanahoe.htm or call
Mary Jain at 1-800-928-4007
TOLL FREE NUMBER AND ONLINE
CREDIT CARD ORDERING
You can now reach Mary Jain at a toll-free number
to discuss bookings, order CD’s, or just
chat. That number is 1-800-928-4007. You can also
now use credit cards to place orders online. I
have been slow in setting this up but I have been
persuaded that this is a convenience that will
helpful and appreciated.
HOLIDAY WISHES
On behalf of Mary Jain Dayger, Ann Marie, and our
family I wish you and your loved ones a holiday
season filled with love, good health and joy. We
also wish that 2005 will be a year in which more
people will act and pray for greater compassion,
forgiveness, love, justice and peace for all of
God’s creatures everywhere, not just for
ourselves. We live in a time of great bounty in
our country but a time of even greater need
around the world. Let there be peace on earth and
let it begin with us.
Keep a song in your heart!
With love and thanks,
John
P.S. I’m going to begin sending a monthly
newsletter. I will try to be brief, but as you
know brevity isn’t a strength of mine when
it comes to writing. If this newsletter is
unwanted and an annoyance to you, please send us
an email with the word “UNSUBSCRIBE” in
the subject line. Send the email to office@johnfarrell.net
and Mary Jain will remove your address from the
list. My apologies if you have received it in
error.
John Farrell
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