John sent me a little guitar demo in open tuning, and something about its brightness and clarity made me think "this wants to be a Christmas song!" :)
The story itself is inspired by a line from Hamlet:-
Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes, Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad; The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is that time.
It occured to me ...what if, not just the cockerel, but all the birds came together on Christmas Eve and sang all night to celebrate the birth of that very special baby?
:)
Thank you John...your vocals and music build the story so well, and bring it to a powerful climax!
In The Middle of the Night
D.Rulliere/J.Kenney © 2012
Listen to this tale that I've heard told
It's written in the story books of old
Deepest winter, snow was falling soft and white
In the middle of the night
Then there came a sound borne on the breeze
It echoed through the stillness of the trees
The sweetest music through the ether clear and bright
Broke the silence of the night
A halcyon bird with a message to bring
He was singing of peace and wondrous things
Moonbeams chased the snow clouds from the sky
An unknown star shone brightly way up high
And filled the snow-swept frozen land with golden light
In the middle of the night
And birds came flocking in to join the song
A feathered choir a thousand voices strong
A thousand dreams on wings of wonder taking flight
In the middle of the night
They sang of joy and a baby born
And they carried on singing all night long
They were heralding hope of a brand new dawn
Welcoming in the first Christmas Morn
Listen now the time is near at hand
It's Christmas Eve and snow lies on the land
As the birdsong fills the air with sweet delight
In the middle of the night