Annie Lennox THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (live)

[GreenZebra2795]

This was always on in my office.

1st time = pretty nice

83784375984375984375 time = I want to stab myself in the eye.

[hankbat5149]

when you're up to your eye teeth in Pagans, and a Saviour has been delivered, find a way to blend in and give revelation to those in need.

[kimokaker]

She is magick still...



[RideHanna]

great to see Annie still has her pipes!

[RealHempman]

The Winter Solstice was chose because of the old pagan traditions and the need the Catholic Church had to find any way to create more converts. There was tradition in many, many villages during Saturnalis to chase Jewish people throwing stones at them and otherwise harrassing them. Many people (mostly Jews) were sacrificed to pagans gods. The church not only wnated more converts but wnated to stop the bloodshed. They said the pagans could continue most of thier traditions if they converted.

[RealHempman]

How silly for Annie to sing the re-write of the original song. The real meaning has been clouded and obscured.

[MrBoota10]

is it a girl or a boy/

[Cellolife97]

Besides do you really think decorating a tree, winter plants and santa clause is what Christmas is all about??

[junedeer]

This is a pagan song about the winter solstice and it has been tainted by Christianity!! so pissed when I heard the name Jesus in this song!! you all just got to steal everything and cant come up with your own holiday traditions ya just gotta keep robing from the pagans and calling it your own!!

[Cellolife97]

@junedeer Not to argue but it really isn't doesn't seem to be specifically either a Pagan or Christian song....it contains intermingled Christian and Pagan imagrey. For instance it seems Holly was sacred to the druids who associated it with winter solstice, but Holly also has traditionally had a strong association with Christmas. So although the song has been a tradition for a long time to be a Christmas carol that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be for everyone.

[junedeer]

@Cellolife97 the only reason Holly is associated with Christmas is b/c of of the pagan Holly king who fights the oak king every year on the winter solstice and wins the battle which marks the rebirth of the SUN!!! EVERYTHING you use as your christian traditions for Christmas originated from the pagan solstice celebrations for Yule. The decorating the tree, all the plants we associate with it, even Santa Clause and the notion of birth of a son (sun).

[Cellolife97]

@junedeer .....I'm sorry but I'm confused, how does a holly king fighting with an oak king on winter solstice have anything to do with Christmas? Also we may be thinking differently when in it comes to associating holly with holidays. Holly isn't....symbolic in Christmas like in winter solstice. It doesn't have to do with the holiday itself but is normally just a traditional decoration, probably just because it is a lovely winter plant.

[ramette99]

@Cellolife97 junedeer is right, Christmas is an adapted pagan festival. It eased the transition in Europe when Christianity was spreading, buut the pagans didn't want to give up their winter celebrations, it was a kind of compromise. Jesus wasn't even born in December, so Christmas really has nothing to do with Jesus at all!

[Cellolife97]

@ramette99 1 of 2: I think you are right that Dec 25 was chosen PARTLY to help ease the transition for pagans, but not entirely. We know that Jesus was not born in December, we don't know his actual date of birth except that it was in year 0. Yes, Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25th because that is near the time of the Winter Solstice--however, not for the pagan religous reasons, but because that is the time when the days begin to increase, and become lighter.

[Cellolife97]

@ramette99 2 of 2: We also honor the birthday of Saint John the Baptist on June 24 because that is when the days begin to decrease and become darker--and John the Baptist said "[Jesus] must increase, I must decrease." (John, 3:30) So it is fitting to celebrate the birth of Christ, who must increase, when the days begin to increase, so as to symbolize Christ bringing light into the world. I hope you understand. Have a Merry Christmas, whatever religon you may celebrate.

[ramette99]

@Cellolife97 the pagans chose that time of year for the same reason, because the days were getting longer, so it is pagan in origin, but no longer pagan in meaning, of course. They were celebrating the return of the sun god :)

[Cellolife97]

@ramette99 Just so I don't misunderstand you could you clarify what you mean exactly? Particularly what do mean you by it is pagan in origin. (I just want to make sure I really understand instead of making of assumptions.)

[ramette99]

@Cellolife97 I just mean that before Christianity spread throughout Europe, the people were pagans. They had many different festivals and traditions which were adapted and absorbed into Christianity, Christmas and Easter being the two most obvious. That's why we get symbols of fertility (eggs) at Easter, because the pagans used that time to celebrate Oestre (not sure if I've spelled that right), the Goddess of fertility (also where we get the oestrogen from).

[ramette99]

@ramette99 I meant to say the word oestrogen, not just where we get oestrogen from!

[ramette99]

@Cellolife97 The Easter Hare is symbolic of Easter because the Goddess Oestre had a companion who was a hare.

[Slartibartfastyanob]

@Cellolife97 yeah jebus wasnt born in december!!...or at all!

[Cellolife97]

@junedeer holly does not have any religous value for us Christians (I.E., we don't worship it or holly-kings), it simply became part of the Christmas culture. And that's how culture works--things develop. Traditions build upon and borrow from one another, etc. Just like pagan cultures developed by borrowing things from people who lived before them. Furthermore, just because pagans used holly symbolically doesn't mean they own it--that no one else in the world can ever mention it in their songs.

[reblakeevans]

Its a great CD with a couple of rare songs on it.

[rmdmplce8]

wow!



[TheSupernova247]

Gorgeous! Annie did a wonderful job and looked beautiful, but I don't think she needed the backup singers. They didn't add anything, and they were off key.

[justinbeiberisqweer]

FUCK THIS PUT SOME EMINEM ON MOTHER FUCKIN ALBINO CUNT YOU SOUND LIKE A MAN

[xKikiKattx]

@justinbeiberisqweer I hope you know that trolling an old lady is NOT considered cool. Why are you watching this and not some eminem? SHUT THE HELL UP.

Trlolololll~ ;D

[elaslife]

she' so ....relaxed

[itritsch]

simply wonderful!

[packrattogo]

Did this performance close out the show...is that why it seems to be cut short?

I really love all the recent performances of "God Rest Ye" and "Universal Child," but it's so great to see her perform some of these other songs from the album. They're all so beautiful.

[1961WF2909]

I wish to see it in all!

So beautiful! It's one of my favourites on ACC. Hope to hear ánd see it in all one of these days!

[petermsp]

She was terrific this morning. Nearly brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for posting this.

[BrittanyJackson19]

Beautiful <3

[YellaBellydAlligator]

Hi, it appeared Annie missed her cue to start singing and apologized and simply began again. I started the video on the do-over; no sense in taking away from the beautiful performance.

[DirOfTheObv]

Annie's vocals are awesome on this one. What happened at the outset? I'm curious to know... It sounded wonderful I wish we had the full ending on it.