I just saw a JC Penney ad on TV, with Blake Shelton singing “Silent Night”. While I’ve yet to see any commentary on it, the producers of the ad have Blake skip (or otherwise delete out of the performance) a certain second line of the song.
I wonder why.
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,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Thank God (oops!) they didn’t get to the song’s second verse:
Silent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake, at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.
… or, Lord help us (double-oops) the song’s third verse:
Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Remember, though, there is no War on Christmas.
Because people like Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz say so.
