taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:15:05 GMT -5
Christmas is my favorite time of year, and tonight I'm gonna celebrate by getting us into the Top 10!Stats for #13:--The second song from the Carnival Ride holiday edition to leave us --The third least polarizing song, having the 3rd lowest standard deviation --The loser of a TIE!!! #1s: 0 Top 5s: 2 Top 10s: 8 Bottom 5s: 4 Last Places: 1
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:24:24 GMT -5
Long lay the world In sin and error pining 'Til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth.
A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees O hear the angel voices O night divine
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:33:16 GMT -5
First out tonight is "O Holy Night," from the 2008 holiday edition of Carnival Ride. I'm very particular about renditions of this song. I find it pointless when an artist only sings the first verse. In this version, Carrie does exactly that, spending two minutes taking the song somewhere and then wasting another two minutes on the same verse, running the song around in circles. If you're gonna cover "O Holy Night," you really should do the second verse, like Céline Dion does in her iconic (and imo definitive) version. Imagine the SLAYAGE if Martina McBride had done it like Céline! (Especially considering that Martina is regarded as the Céline of country music)
Luckily, Carrie came through in 2020 and did the song in what I honestly think is the correct way, and effectively neutered this 2008 version in the process, making it utterly unlistenable to me. This version started off poorly thanks to my last place, and garnered a lot of support along the way, making it as high as #9 midway through the submission process. Just a couple lists later, more lower ranks started to join me, sending this back outside of the Top 10 where it eventually settled at #13.
Like I teased in the lead-up to this song's reveal, this is the loser of a TIE! Any guesses as to which song could've possibly fought so hard with this one?
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:38:59 GMT -5
Stats for #12:
--The winner of a tie --9 points ahead of our #11 song
#1s: 0 Top 5s: 3 Top 10s: 7 Bottoms 5s: 5 Last Places: 1
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:46:06 GMT -5
Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace Hail the Son of Righteousness Light and life to all He brings Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by Born that man no more may die Born to raise the sons of earth Born to give them second birth Hark, the herald angels sing
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 21:50:35 GMT -5
Winning the tie with "O Holy Night in 2008" is "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," which leaves at #12. I have always loved Carrie's rendition of this song, it's so calming and this year in particular I've been spinning it quite a lot. This song started out dipping in and out of the Top 10, and then lower ranks tanked it down to the bottom 3. It managed to muster up enough strength again, however, to nearly hit the Top 10 for a third time! It was pushed back once more and settled at #12 for the remainder of the submission process.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:09:34 GMT -5
Stats for #11:
--The next original song to leave --Only four points behind our #10 song
#1s: 0 Top 5s: 3 Top 10s: 7 Bottom 5s: 6 Last Places: 0
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:17:04 GMT -5
The first time Mary held You close All wrapped up in tattered clothes Did You see tears fall from her eyes? Just a mother holding her first child, ooh
Fully human, fully God Full of wonder and the blood That one day You would shed to save the world Tiny feet and tiny hands With all the earth at their command
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.indulgecountry
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"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
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Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 22, 2020 22:19:00 GMT -5
Yeah, her original rendering of "O Holy Night" is completely useless now that she's given us the new version.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:23:50 GMT -5
Just missing the Top 10 is "Sweet Baby Jesus," the second original song to leave the pack. I absolutely adore this song and the way it humanizes both Jesus and His mom just a bit, wondering if He was cold on the night of his birth and guessing that it must've felt strange to Him that He of all people be chosen to save the world. The arrangement is heavenly and CU's vocals are divine on this one. This song started out just outside the Top 5 and thanks to 14887fan and tim 's lists, it was quickly tanked clear out to last place. It could never recover enough after that to quite make it back into the Top 10, but it certainly tried! Just a couple more lists (with ranks in its favor of course) and I'm sure it would've finally done it.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:27:35 GMT -5
Your Top 10!!
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee O Come All Ye Faithful Hallelujah (with John Legend) O Holy Night (2020 version) Mary, Did You Know? Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Silent Night The First Noel Do You Hear What I Hear? Favorite Time of Year
#10 is coming right up! Any guesses as to which it will be?
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:42:03 GMT -5
Stats for #10:
--Ten points behind the #9 song --Another Carnival Ride holiday track
#1s: 0 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 5 Bottom 5s: 6 Last Places: 1
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:49:41 GMT -5
Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord That hath made Heaven and earth of nought And with his blood mankind hath bought
Noel Noel Noel Noel
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 22:54:25 GMT -5
Kicking off the Top 10 is "The First Noel." I've always loved this rendition, and there was so much incredible music on this list that I had to relegate this outside my Top 10, but couldn't bear to put it outside my Top 15. The intro is beautiful, and Carrie's transition into head voice at the end is heavenly. This song quickly managed to make it into the Top 10, where it managed to more or less comfortably settle for the remainder of the submission process.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 22, 2020 23:00:17 GMT -5
Come around tomorrow night as I reveal #9-#7!
Recap:
10. The First Noel (204) 11. Sweet Baby Jesus (208) 12. Hark! The Herald Angels (217) 13. O Holy Night (2008) (217) 14. Let There Be Peace (229) 15. Little Drummer Boy (ft. Isaiah Fisher) (230) 16. All Is Well (ft. Michael W. Smith) (247) 17. What Child Is This? (271) 18. Away In A Manger (274) 19. I'll Be Home For Christmas (Elvis Presley ft. Carrie) (304)
Songs Remaining:
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee O Come All Ye Faithful Hallelujah (with John Legend) O Holy Night (2020 version) Mary, Did You Know? Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Silent Night Do You Hear What I Hear? Favorite Time of Year
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.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
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Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 22, 2020 23:00:52 GMT -5
I liked her rendition of "The First Noel," but it didn't hold a candle to many of the other songs in this list and fell into my bottom 5 as a result. Her Xmas music is very strong overall.
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musicfan134
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Post by musicfan134 on Dec 22, 2020 23:43:44 GMT -5
Ugh. Tough set. SBJ and HTHAS out already? Y'all have no taste.
I underranked TFN quite a bit.
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14887fan
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Post by 14887fan on Dec 23, 2020 0:09:44 GMT -5
Ugh. Tough set. SBJ and HTHAS out already? Y'all have no taste. They should've been out earlier. Seek deeper introspection, sis.
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Post by castleoblivion26 on Dec 23, 2020 7:17:18 GMT -5
"Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" need to go. Kinda hoping my rank doesn't hurt "Hallelujah" because that song has grown on me since I did my ranking.
also I'm kinda sad that the 2008 performance of "O Holy Night" was out first as I still prefer that one. Maybe over time that'll change. I just felt she had a better performance overall with that one compared to the new one, that was all about the better vocals but something felt off otherwise. Not saying the new one is bad at all cause I still like it but compared to the two.
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toomuchboy
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Post by toomuchboy on Dec 23, 2020 10:56:15 GMT -5
A perfect top 10, imo! As far as the placement, All Is Well is the only one that went out a little lower than I would have liked.
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Post by tim on Dec 23, 2020 11:02:35 GMT -5
Having not heard Carrie’s first version of “O Holy Night” before, I have to agree with taylor that her most recent rendition pretty much makes this one a bit less relevant. I found this one to be a bit underwhelming overall whereas I was completely captivated by the new one. “Sweet Baby Jesus” is one of two songs here that I underranked which is mad even more obvious by the fact that I was the bottom ranking participant for it. It’s grown on me a bit more and I’d certainly move this one up a few spots on my list now. Carrie’s version of “The First Noel” is just beautiful and is one that I found myself wanting to revisit. Because of that I just couldn’t leave it outside of my top 5. Kinda hoping my rank doesn't hurt "Hallelujah" because that song has grown on me since I did my ranking. Same. This is the song I made reference to in my predictions as one that I felt like I underranked myself. Even after a few listens I just couldn’t find myself getting into it…until the other day it just kind of clicked and now I’m really regretting my ranking for it. Consider this my mea culpa in advance for my error in judgment!
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Post by fisherwoodcu on Dec 23, 2020 11:44:22 GMT -5
I feel the same exact way as others about Hallelujah. I hope I don’t bring it down too much...looking back at my list I think I would definitely move it about five or six spots higher. I love that song as time goes on even more.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 22:56:13 GMT -5
Do you hear what I hear? It's the sound of the next three songs leaving tonight!Stats for #9:--Another track from My Gift --A #1 LOSS!! That's right, we're beginning with the loss of someone's top-ranking song!
#1s: 1 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 5 Bottom 5s: 3 Last Places: 1
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:05:48 GMT -5
O Mary, did you know that your baby boy Is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy Would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy Is heaven's Perfect Lamb? The sleeping child you're holding
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:13:52 GMT -5
Out first tonight is "Mary, Did You Know?" Written by Mark Lowry & Buddy Greene in 1984 (lyrics) and 1991 (the music itself), it was first recorded by Christian artist Michael English on his album self-titled debut album in 1991. It has since gone on to become a modern Christmas classic, having been recorded by hundreds of various artists, including Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd, Reba McEntire, Pentatonix, and most recently Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton, who both recorded the tune for their respective holiday albums.
I thought Carrie's rendition of this song was fine enough, but for me it doesn't hold a candle to the versions done by Reba on her 1999 holiday album and Dolly's 2020 rendition. I started this song off at #12 and it went backwards from there a couple times before moving towards the Top 10, where it would stay throughout the remainder of the submission process. It almost managed to hit the Top 5 but alas, a couple lower rankings sent this song closer out of the Top 10 with each passing list, until it stopped at #9 right at the very end.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:21:46 GMT -5
Stats for #8:
--Another track from My Gift --Our first song to see NO bottom 5 rankings
#1s: 0 Top 5s: 8 Top 10s: 2 Bottom 5s: 0 Last Places: 0
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:30:03 GMT -5
Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright 'Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:37:30 GMT -5
Up next is "Silent Night," the final track on the standard edition of My Gift. This was a very smart closer. The arrangement is beautiful and that ending in particular is heavenly. This is one song that I feel I definitely underranked and if given the opportunity to redo the list I would definitely move this into my Top 10.
"Silent Night" started outside the Top 10 and heavy support helped it sail right along in the submission process, going as far as to be a Top 5 contender before the onslaught of #13 placements chipped away at its momentum. It didn't get tanked so poorly that it was in any danger of leaving the Top 10, however!
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:45:56 GMT -5
Stats for #7:
--The final track from the Carnival Ride holiday edition --ANOTHER #1 LOSS --Only three points ahead of "Silent Night"
#1s: 1 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 8 Bottom 5s: 3 Last Places: 1
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 23, 2020 23:54:09 GMT -5
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy Do you hear what I hear (Do you hear what I hear) Ringing through the sky shepherd boy Do you hear what I hear (Do you hear what I hear) A song, a song High above the trees With a voice as big as the sea
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