Do you hear what I hear?
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song
High above the trees
With a voice
Voice as big as the sea
— Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne (1962)
Let’s keep it simple today. I am just going to wish you all well for this Christmas Eve and safe travels to all that have to hit the road or soar through the sky on this day.
Many of you will be busy with last minute holiday preparations or travel and will be immersed in the din of it all. Silence and quietude might be in scarce supply which is a pity. One of my fondest memories of Christmas as a child is sitting in the still darkness being cut by the soft lights of our Christmas tree. The image of that tree and the peaceful quietness surrounding it remain deeply etched into my psyche.
Like Citizen Kane‘s Rosebud, that tree and its aura of peace and quiet might be that thing I have pursued my whole life.
Hmm…
We seldom appreciate the treasures given to us by a found silence. We are able with it to hear those things that evade us normally. Almost as if we can hear the sound of the world turning or the universe slowly shifting.
The sound of eternity speaking to us.
I hope to find that same quiet again where I can listen for such things.
Here’s a song whose title and tune you most likely know, Do You Hear What I Hear? Written in 1962 by the married songwriting team of Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne, it has been recorded by hundreds of artists and sold tens of millions of records. It’s one of those carols that has been a part of our holiday season for most of our lives to the point that it feels like it should be a much older song.
This version is a bit different than the one that you know. It is performed by the Blind Boys of Alabama and it is what I would call a bit deconstructed, paring away certain parts of the song and focusing on the chorus. It has a bluesy feel that you don’t associate with the original. I like it as it gives me a different perspective on the song.
I am sharing two versions with slightly different tempos and beats. The first is a live performance with a bit more of a blues shuffle and the second is their recorded version with Taj Mahal. I included both because the live performance ends a bit abruptly.
Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas eve. May you find a bit of that silence during this time so that you can better hear the sound of eternity, if only for a few moments.
Redtree Times 
Thank you for this message and the previous one with Van Dyke’s words. I look forward to listening in the quiet.
Enjoy Christmas and this season of peace and joy, and continued blessings for 2026.
I hope you can hear what the silence has to say to you.
Sending you many warm wishes for a peaceful and joyous holiday, Tamara, along with hopes for a New Year that will be better in every possible way.
I’d never heard this group’s version of the song, and I’m glad you posted both versions. They’re quite wonderful. If you haven’t come across Home Free’s version, recorded in a Minnesota ice palace, I suspect you’ll enjoy it as well. It’s musically and visually quite something.
I thought it was interesting to hear the differences in each version from them, especially in a cover that was already much different than the original. I do like the Home Free version though I did search for a live version of the song from them just to compare. Both were great. Thanks, Linda.
One of my fondest memories of Christmas is sneaking downstairs and turning on the colored lights on a little Christmas tree on a table and sitting there by myself and just staring at it for a long time. Spending time alone was special coming from a large family. We didn’t have much but the simple little things were enough. I remember my mom saying to me that we were poor but we were happy. I miss her. She taught me a lot to be helpful and kind to others. Merry Christmas to all!
Thanks for sharing that, Lucy. Your mother taught you well, Lucy. This is certainly the season where we miss our moms most. I know I do. My mom’s mom died when she was 2 years old at the height of the Depression, and she was raised in poverty by her grandmother and, after her grandmother died, an uncle. I believe surviving her many hardships made her very tough-minded but also instilled in her a strong sense of compassion and generosity toward those who were going through tough times, even when we ourselves were not doing that well. Mine is always in my thoughts especially during the holidays, mainly because she represents safety and warmth for me. I could go on for a while about my mom and I bet you could about yours, as well, Lucy. They were the heart of so many of our childhood memories. Hope you’ll be thinking of your mom tonight and during the rest of the holidays. Wishing you and Jeff all possible joy and peace. Merry Christmas, Lucy!—gary