Fri 30 Nov 2007
The Worst of O Holy Night
Posted by Erin under Music
[24] Comments
Today I am going to share with you my one and only Christmas tradition. I hope you are worthy of it.
Like all good traditions, this one comes with rules. It is also a song,one that may be familiar to you: “O Holy Night.” But this is not just any version of the song. Dr. G found it somewhere on the internet several years ago and downloaded it. Once a year, we fish it up from the depths of the hard drives and listen to it again.
Rumor has it that this recording was sent by an aspiring vocalist as a demo to a Nashville record company, and some indiscreet staffer circulated it around. Others suggest that the achievements of this singer would be impossible for an amateur, and that every note is carefully planned. Either way, it’s a stunner.
As it played the other night, I found myself crumpled on the floor in a fetal position, laughing. Every time it seemed safe to uncurl, the singer would ramp it up a notch and I would seize up again.
It is truly The Worst Version of O Holy Night Ever Recorded. Here are the rules for participating in this tradition:
You must listen to the whole song.
You must listen to it at a sufficient volume.
If you don’t think it is funny, you must never tell me.
Mentally check here if you agree to these terms: ____
Ok. You can listen.
The Worst O Holy Night Ever Recorded
24 Responses to “ The Worst of O Holy Night ”
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[...] this so I’ll keep linking to it.Blame Brian McLaren for drawing my attention to this: “The Worst Version of O Holy Night Ever Recorded.”* * * * * * * * *“Too much power in the hands of a few rich people and large [...]
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[...] Here, this is terrible – try it! [...]
Oh. My. Gosh.
I have been having a lousy, lousy day and that made it so much… well, I don’t know if “better” is the word I’m looking for, because that would make me mean, but…
whoa…
That high note…
you know it was…divine.
Ouch. I haven’t heard many people who sing worse than I do before.
He must have had his finger caught in the door and every high note he hit was when the was closing on his finger. Im sure glad ther is no recording of my singing.
Oh. My. Goodness.
By the time he got to “FALLLLLLLLL on your KNEEEEEEES” I was literally rolling around on the floor laughing. I’m SO going to play this for the people I’m in a Christmas cantata choir practice with tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing!
Kristin and I just participated in the tradition as prescribed and laughed heartily. I’m not usually a traditions sort of a guy, but this one is sweet…
I violated our agreement… so sorry. My husband couldn’t take it much longer..he was sitting next to me when i played it.
It’s painful to have your favorite song sung in such a fashion….at least it was passionate.
My Christmas tradition is to listen to Eric Cartman sing this song. Sadly, he is better than this guy…
Check it:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/500352/south_park_cartman_sings_o_holy_night/%20target=
Yikes! This is hilarious. And painful. And, fortunately, almost over. Oh, there’s the high note. Aiiiiyeeeeeaaaaahhhheeee.
Ow. My ears.
Please… stop… I am crying. With laughter. But also distressed that my wife called upstairs: “is that you making that noise?”
This is a work of sheer genius. It has to be a spoof. The timing and the escalation of exquisite pain are just too perfect. I especially like the huge breath in the middle of the final long note at the end. It sets you off again just when you think the agony is over.
I know that guys teacher. And the genius who recorded it.
BEST version of o holy night i have ever heard i laughed my butt off
This is, without a doubt, the most awful, heartfelt rendition of “O Holy Night” that I’ve ever heard. I’m a reasonably respectable tenor, and my dangly bits tried to retract themselves at the sound of that high note. My cats and dogs fled in utter terror and agony. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Thank you for sharing!
Oh, listen to that. It sounds like the bastard offspring of Bob Dylan and Conway Twitty. Not to offend either man individually, especially as I’m a HUGE Dylan fan, but the combination is truly unholy. Great link!
WTF?! You *know* a singer is awful when he makes William Frickin’ *Shatner* sound good! *goes to dig out Shatner version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to use as brain bleach*
Oh. Oh god. Oh, oh no, no, I do not accept one piece of this reality!
I just… Wow. Wow.
Dramatic pauses: You’re doing it wrong.
Falsetto: Oh dear gods you’re doing it SO SO WRONG.
XD Poor guy…
Put me in the TOTALLY intentional camp. WHICH MAKES IT NO LESS AWESOME. \o/ But totally planned. Comedy. Gold.
We ought not to make fun of those with special needs.
There is nothing I can say in a mere comment field that will explain what has just happened to my ears.
This is Mrs. Miller’s grandson, isn’t it?
Oh dear god. My stomach muscles seized up about halfway through and then I stopped breathing. I’m… I’m okay. I think.
Question: is it good for a second listen?
So, I don’t know how to verify this, but I have a theory as to where this recording comes from. I found the exact same clip as part of Arcade Fire’s “A Very Arcade Christmas” album, which must have been recorded during a random Yuletide party where a bunch of them got really drunk. There is also a pretty great rendition of Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire and also Jinglebell Rock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiWVkIMTm0Q
I throw in my vote with the people who say it’s genius and totally intentional. Only a true genius could fuck it up so painstakingly. Their well-deserved Grammy award attests to it.