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Christmas Is.

Christmas Is.

Lyrics: American singer-songwriter and actress Dolly Parton.

Vocals: American singers-songwriters and actresses Dolly Parton and Miley Ray Cyrus, latter dubbed the “Pop Chameleon”.

Christmas Is.

(Mmhmm
Ah huh
Mmhmm)

Christmas is a time for caring,
Being at your best.
Christmas is a time for sharing,
Knowing you’ve been blessed.
Christmas is a time for giving,
Love is made of this,
That’s what Christmas is.
Christmas is a joyful time,
If you’re the lucky ones.
Some are blessed with gifts and trinkets,
Others having none.
Some have feasts up on the table,
Others having crumbs.
There are the haves and the have nots,
And you could be either one.
It’s all about kindness,
Love and compassion,
Better to give than receive.
That is a true fact,
But those who don’t know that,
Well, they are the poorest indeed.
And I hope you remember every December,
That bright shining light from above,
The promise from God’s lips,
The greatest of all gifts,
Wrapped up in His wonderous love (His wondrous love).
So rejoice in His glory,
The great Christmas story,
And to all that you’re sharing in will (uh huh),
You go tell it with passion (oh),
Of love everlasting (lasting),
‘Cause that’s what Christmas is.
Is a time for caring,
Being at your best,
Christmas is a time for sharing,
Knowing you’ve been blessed.
Christmas is a time for giving,
Love is made of this,
That’s what Christmas is.
(Mmhmm, mmhmm, mmhmm),
That’s what Christmas is.

END

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I Need a Silent Night.

I Need a Silent Night

Vocals: American singer; songwriter and musician Amy Grant.
Lyrics: Amy Grant and British Contemporary Christian singer and classic songwriter Christopher Neville Eaton.

I Need a Silent Night

I’ve made the same mistake before,
Too many malls, too many stores.
December traffic, Christmas rush,
It breaks me till I push and shove,
Children are crying while mothers are trying,
To photograph Santa and sleigh.
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line.
What can I say?
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise.
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here,
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
December comes then disappears,
Faster and faster every year.
Did my own mother keep this pace,
Or was the world a different place?
Where people stayed home wishing for snow,
Watching three channels on their TV.
Look at us now rushing around,
Trying to buy Christmas peace.
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise,
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here.
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
What was it like back there in Bethlehem,
With peace on earth, good will toward men?
Every shepherd’s out in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night,
And the glory of the Lord shone around them,
And they were so afraid.
And the angels said fear not for behold,
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people.
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise,
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here,
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
To end this crazy day with a silent night.

END

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A Song For A Sunday.

You Needed Me

Vocals: Canadian pop, country, and adult contemporary music singer, who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide Anne Murray.
Lyrics: American songwriter, pianist, and producer Randy Goodrum.

You Needed Me

I cried a tear, you wiped it dry,
I was confused, you cleared my mind,
I sold my soul, you bought it back for me,
And held me up and gave me dignity,
Somehow you needed me.
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
To face the world out on my own again,
You put me high upon a pedestal,
So high that I could almost see eternity,
You needed me, you needed me.
And I can’t believe it’s you,
I can’t believe it’s true,
I needed you and you were there,
And I’ll never leave, why should I leave?
I’d be a fool, ’cause I finally found someone who really cares.
You held my hand when it was cold,
When I was lost, you took me home,
You gave me hope when I was at the end,
And turned my lies back into truth again,
You even called me “friend”,
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
To face the world out on my own again,
You put me high upon a pedestal,
So high that I could almost see eternity,
You needed me, you needed me.
You needed me, you needed me.

End

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A Song For A Sunday.

This One’s For You.

Lyrics: Accordion player with the Furey Brothers, Terry Bradford, composed this song as a tribute to the late Paul Furey who was once a member of the Furey Brothers and Davie Arthur group.
Vocals: The Furey Brothers And Davie Arthur.

This One’s For You.

Ah you turn the pages of your life,
See friend’s that come and go,
But that sir you are just a man,
That everyone should know.
From perfect stock, the kind of rock,
That made this island’s name,
But though the sun shone bright for you,
You left us just the same.

This one’s for you buddy, where ever you may be,
I never really told you what your friendship meant to me.
A glass or two buddy, are to stir the memory,
And though my eyes can’t see you, in my heart you’ll always be.

With so many treasured moments, I just don’t know where to start,
‘Cause Paul you played the kind of way that walked right through my heart,
And with a pint and a spoof, you were living proof of how to play the game,
And with so much left to give the world, you left us just the same.

This one’s for you brother, where ever you may be.
I never really told you what your music meant to me.
A glass or two brother, are to stir the memory,
And though my eyes can’t see you, in my heart you’ll always be.

A real old fashioned lady, with goodness through and through,
Ma you were the greatest woman that I ever knew.
You handed me the gift of life and helped me stake my claim.
I never thought you’d go away, but you left us just the same.

This one’s for you mammy, where ever you may be.
I never really told you what your loving meant to me.
A glass or two mammy, are to stir the memory,
And though my eyes can’t see you, in my heart you’ll always be.
(Repeat last verse)

END

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Schooldays Over.

Schooldays Over.

“Good God! to think upon a child, that has no childish days,
No careless play, no frolics wild, no words of prayer and praise!
Man from the cradle, ’tis too soon to earn their daily bread,
And heap the heat and toil of noon, upon an infant’s head.
O, England! though thy tribute waves, proclaim thee great and free,
While those small children pine like slaves, there is a curse on thee!”


Extract from a poem by Letitia Elizabeth Landon entitled “The Factory”,
Read her poem in full here.

Child labour, as we are aware, is the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives them of their childhood; interferes with their ability to attend regular education, or is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful to their being. Poverty and lack of schools are considered the primary cause of child labour.

Child labour has existed to varying extents throughout world history and as late as 2017, four African nations (Mali, Benin, Chad and Guinea-Bissau) witnessed over 50% of children, latter aged between the ages of 5-14, working, the largest employers of child labour.

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, there was a rapid increase in the industrial exploitation of labour, including child labour. The Victorian era in particular became notorious for the conditions under which children were employed.
Children as young as four years old were employed in factories and mines, working long hours in dangerous, often fatal, working conditions. In coal mines, children would crawl through tunnels, latter too narrow for adults to fit.

Children were also employed as errand boys, shoe blacks, or selling matches, flowers and other cheap goods. Some children undertook work as apprentices to respectable trades, such as building or as domestic servants. Their Working hours were long: builders worked an average of 64 hours a week during summer months and 52 hours during winter months, while servants indoors worked an 80-hour week.
Child wages were low; as little as 10–20% of an adult male’s wage.

With the later growth of trade unions these issues began to change. German-born philosopher, economist, political theorist, historian, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist, Karl Marx (1818-1883) was an outspoken opponent of child labour, stating that British industries “could but live by sucking blood, and children’s blood too”, and that U.S. capital was financed by the “capitalized blood of children”.

The English poet and novelist, better known by her initials Letitia Elizabeth Landon [L.E.L.] (1802–1838) castigated child labour in her 1835 poem “The Factory”, portions of which she pointedly included in her 18th Birthday Tribute to the Princess Victoria in 1837.

Thankfully, in this case our world has changed considerably for the better.

Schooldays Over.

Lyrics: The late, great British folk singer, songwriter, folk song collector, labour activist and actor, James Henry Miller, better known by the stage name of Ewan MacColl.
Vocals: Irish singer, folk musician and Dublin actor, the late, great Luke Kelly.

Schooldays Over.

Schooldays over, come on then John, time to be getting your pit boots on.
On with your sark* and the moleskin trousers*, it’s time you were on your way,
Time you were learning the pitman’s job and earning the pitman’s pay.

Come on then Jim, it’s time to go, time you were working down below.
Time to be handling a pick and shovel, you start at the pits today,
Time you were learning the collier’s job and earning the collier’s pay,

Come on then Dai, it’s almost light, time you were off to the anthracite.
The morning mist is on the vallеy it’s time you were on your way,
Time you were learning the miner’s job and earning the miner’s pay.

Schooldays over, come on then John, time to be getting your pit boots on.
On with your sark and the moleskin trousers, it’s time you were on your way,
Time you were learning the pitman’s job and earning the pitman’s pay.


End

[* sark: Any long, shirtlike garment worn next to the skin, as a chemise, nightshirt].
[* moleskin trousers: Working menswear, woven of carded cotton yarn in a dense weft-faced satin weave, similar to today’s jeans in terms of cut and construction and still commonly used to make trousers today].

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