On the Other Hand...The Five Greatest Caroles Ever

While the late Hitch achieves a bit of post-mortem beatification, I wonder, around this time of year,  if he should have found himself belly up at the bar with a glass or three of his favorite whisky, ("accept no substitutes") and a group of carolers wandered in singing, if he might give it a smile or if he would frown and turn his back on, for example, Ding Dong Merrily...

WQXR had a lovely article today about the Five Greatest Caroles of All Time, based on surveys with choirmasters and musicians, and which it identifies as:

1. In the Bleak Midwinter

 2. Ding Dong Merrily on High

3. In Dulci Jubilo

4. Silent Night

5. Tie: O Come, All Ye Faithful / Once in Royal David's City 

While not all versions above are created equal, I am providing this little survey of these tunes for your listening enjoyment. Excerpt: "In The Bleak Midwinter" is the world’s greatest Christmas carol, according to a poll by WQXR.org of leading choirmasters and choral experts from the US and the UK. The song came out on top, placing above well-known carols like “Silent Night,” “Ding Dong Merrily on High” and “Once in Royal David's City.”

Meanwhile, I invite you to take a look at WQXR's holiday-themed article about the Five Greatest Caroles Ever here

Not to be forgotten, the famous Monty Python sketch culminating in a rousing version of "Ding Dong Merrily on High."

-Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn