LET IT SNOW

 

'Let It Snow' is not a Christmas song. The song was written in July, 1945 in Los Angeles by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne. While it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song the song was written about the hot day it was that day.

A veces nos sorprende la historia de una canción. ¿Cómo es posible que esta canción se escribiera en California un día muy caluroso?

Esta es la versión original interpretada por Vaughn Monroe.

En esta página https://www.songfacts.com/facts/dean-martin/let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow he encontrado información sobre la canción, tal como aparece a continuación.

This was written by the lyricist Sammy Cahn and the Broadway songwriter Jule Styne in 1945. It was first recorded by Vaughn Monroe, and has since become a standard, with Patsy Cline, Martina McBride, Garth Brooks, Herb Alpert, Chris Isaak, the Carpenters, Carly Simon and Jessica Simpson just some of the artists to record it. Dean Martin's version is one of the best known, and it fit his image as a swinging member of the Rat Pack without a care in the world. The most popular version on American radio (according to ASCAP), is by Harry Connick Jr. >>

Although this song is associated with Christmas, there is no mention of the holiday in the lyrics. It's about making the most of a snowy day by spending it with a loved one by the fire.

In the book Songwriters on Songwriting by Paul Zollo, Sammy Cahn said: "'Let It Snow' was written on Hollywood and Vine on the hottest day of the year. I said to Jule Stein, 'Why don't we go down to the beach and cool off?' He said, 'Why don't we stay here and write a winter song.' I went to the typewriter. 'Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've got no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.' Now why three 'let it snow's'? Why not two or four? Because three is lyric."

A version by Rod Stewart recorded for his 2012 holiday album, Merry Christmas, Baby, reached #1 on Billboard's adult contemporary chart.

On November 13, 2019, an official music video was released. In the animated clip, Dean Martin and his family host a Christmas gathering in their cozy cabin, where Santa shows up to distribute gifts while they're sleeping. Only two children are depicted in the video, but in reality Martin had seven biological children and one adopted daughter.

LYRICS

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Man it doesn't show signs of stopping
And I brought me some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let it snow! Let it snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm
But if you'll really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm

And the fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you'd love me so
Let it snow! Let it snow and snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm
But if you really grab me tight
All the way home I'll be warm

Oh, the fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you'd love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Esta canción es muy pegadiza y la versión siguiente, acompañada por grandes vocalistas y músicos, es muy diferente a las anteriores.

Cómo no presentar las versiones interpretadas por Michael Bublé o Frank Sinatra

También existen versiones interpretadas para estas fechas - Christmas - con la letra para poder practicar.

Y una versión en español/English, que no es una traducción, por supuesto. Esta sólo para los/las fans de Luis Fonsi. 

Y una traducción, para revisar el vocabulario, que suena poco natural y no se imagina en la situación tan romántica que describe la canción pero que, por esta vez, va a servir.

Oh, el clima afuera esta horrible

Pero el fuego es tan delicioso

Y como no tenemos a donde ir

¡Deja que nieve! ¡Deja que nieve! ¡Deja que nieve!

 

Hombre, no muestra signos de detenerse

Y me traje un poco de maíz para hacer estallar

Las luces están apagadas

¡Deja que nieve! ¡Deja que nieve!

 

Cuando finalmente nos damos un beso de buenas noches

Cómo odiaré salir en la tormenta

Pero si realmente me abrazas fuerte

Todo el camino a casa estaré caliente

 

Y el fuego se está muriendo lentamente

Y, querida, todavía nos estamos despidiendo

Pero mientras me ames tanto

¡Deja que nieve! ¡Que nieve y nieve!

 

Cuando finalmente nos damos un beso de buenas noches

Cómo odiaré salir en la tormenta

Pero si realmente me agarras fuerte

Todo el camino a casa estaré caliente

 

Oh, el fuego está muriendo lentamente

Y, querida, todavía nos estamos despidiendo

Pero mientras me ames tanto

¡Que nieve, que nieve, que nieve!

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

Aunque haya leves cambios en las letras según los intérpretes, abajo disponéis de la letra y algún vocabulario auxiliar.

LYRICS

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

The author and composer is unknown.
However, this song may date back to the 16th century.

We wish you a Merry Christmas.
We wish you a Merry Christmas.
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.

Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin.
Good tidings for Christmas
And a Happy New Year.

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding.
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding.
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding
And a cup of good cheer.

We won't go until we get some.
We won't go until we get some.
We won't go until we get some,
So bring some out here.

VOCABULARY

to wish.- desear

tidings.- noticias

to bring.- traer

figgy pudding.- pudin/pastel con higos

cheer.- ánimo, aliento

 

to cheer.- aclamar, vitorear

fig.- higo, breva, higuera

kin.- pariente, familiar, emparentado

SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN / Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

The holiday season will begin with the annual tree lighting in the heart of New York City at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, November 30.

La cadena de TV NBC realiza un programa con motivo de este evento anual con actuaciones de artistas finaliza con el encendido del árbol.

Esta versión más clásica resulta mejor para aprender a cantar la propuesta de hoy.

Continuamos con el acontecimiento anual en NY.

https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-lighting/

History of the Tree

For more than eight decades, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has stood as a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike. While the lights, decorations, and stars have changed through the years, visiting the Tree remains a quintessential New York experience.

December 1931 Workers at Rockefeller Center pooled their money together to buy a Christmas tree. The men decorated the 20-foot high balsam fir with handmade garlands made by their families. This photo, taken on Christmas Eve, shows the men lined up to receive their wages.

 

December 1933 Rockefeller Center decided to make the Christmas Tree an annual tradition, and held the very first tree lighting ceremony.

 

December 1936 Two trees were erected at Rockefeller Center, and a skating pageant was held at the newly opened ice skating rink on the Plaza.

 

 

December 1942 World War II ushered in an era of simple and patriotic designs, including red, white, and blue unlit globes and painted wooden stars. In 1942, no materials essential to the war effort were used to decorate Rockefeller Center, and instead of one large tree, three more modest trees were raised. From 1942 until the end of the war, the Tree went unlit each year due to blackout regulations.

 

November 1951 Santa and friends watch as the Tree is raised.

 

December 1955 In the 1950s, workers began using scaffolding to aid in decorating the trees. Before the decade was over, the process had grown to require 20 men and a period of nine days.

 

December 1969 Sculptor Valerie Clarebout’s triumphant and towering wire angel figures debuted in the Channel Gardens. She created the 12 sculptures using 75 points of metal wire each. Clarebout passed away in 1982 at the age of 74, but her legacy lives on in her resplendent gift to New York City.

 

November 1997 This Tree traveled down the Hudson River by barge from its home in Stony Point, New York.

 

November 1998 A tree from Richfield, Ohio, was flown to New York City on the world’s largest transport plane, the Anatov An-124 Ruslan.

 

December 1999 Christmas of 1999 hosted the largest Tree in Rockefeller Center’s history. Hailing from Killingworth, Connecticut, the Tree stood at 100 feet tall.

 

December 2001 Following the tragedies of September 11, 2001, the Tree was decorated in a patriotic red, white, and blue. People from around the world visited the Plaza to see the Tree.

 

December 2018 A new Swarovski Star, designed by famed architect Daniel Libeskind, adorned the 72-foot-tall Christmas Tree. The 9-foot-4-inch topper, back lit by LEDs, features 3 million dazzling Swarovski crystals across 70 triangular spikes.

 

The Christmas Tree FAQs  (2022)

How big is the Tree?

The 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a 82ft tall Norway Spruce, 50 feet wide and weighs 14 tons.

How old is the Tree?

The 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is approximately 85-90 years old.

Where is this year's Tree from?

The 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree hails from Queensbury, NY.

How many lights are on the Tree?

There are more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights on approximately 5 miles (8 km) of wire.

How big is the star on the Tree?

Designed by architect  Daniel  Libeskind  in 2018, the three dimensional Swarovski star weighs approximately 900 pounds (408.23 kg) and features 70 spikes covered in 3 million crystals.

When does the Tree arrive in New York City?

To allow adequate time for it to be decorated before it’s lit, theTree will arrive on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

How do I watch the Christmas Tree lighting?

Stay tuned for more information about public access to this year’s tree lighting. You are always invited to view the live national broadcast “Christmas at Rockefeller Center” from home on NBC, on November 30, 8PM EST/7PM C.

When is the Tree lighting?

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

When does the Tree come  down?

This is yet to be determined, but details about when the Tree will come down will be announced in the coming weeks. To stay informed about all the details, sign up for The Center newsletter.

La búsqueda del árbol del 2022.

 Seguimos con nuestra canción.

"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"

You better watch out 
You better not cry 
You better not pout 
I'm telling you why 
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town 

He's making a list, 
Checking it twice; 
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice. 
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town 

He sees you when you're sleeping 
He knows when you're awake 
He knows if you've been bad or good 
So be good for goodness sake 

With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping 
He knows when you're awake 
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake 
Goodness sake 

You better watch out 
You better not cry 
You better not pout 
I'm telling you why 
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming to town 
Santa Claus is coming
Santa Claus is coming
Santa Claus is coming to town 

(Coming to town)
Santa's a busy man he has no time to play
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
(Santa Claus is coming to town)
(Coming to town)
(Santa Claus is coming to town)
(Coming to town)

VOCABULARY

WATCH OUT.- watch out vi phrasal      (be vigilant or careful)    estar atento

POUT.-  (expression, in anger)   hacer puchero loc verb / enojarse⇒, enfadarse

NAUGHTY.- naughty adj           (child: disobedient)        malcriado/a / desobediente /travieso   adj

GOODNESS.- Goodness! interj (astonishment)  ¡Dios mío! loc interj  /  ¡por Dios! loc interj

SAKE.- sake n  (purpose)          en nombre de   loc prep

Versión interpretada por Bruce Springteen - "The Boss"

Otro estilo ...

... y otras propuestas para practicar

Y esta curiosidad, maravillosa interpretada por  ...   Ella Fitzgerald 

THINK - Aretha Franklin

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_(Aretha_Franklin_song)#:~:text=%22Think%22%20is%20a%20song%20written,hit%20in%20the%20United%20States.

"Think" is a song written by American singer Aretha Franklin and Ted White, and first recorded by Franklin. It was released as a single in 1968, from her Aretha Now album.

Franklin performed a new version of the song in a musical sequence of The Blues Brothers (1980). Because Franklin was not used to lip-syncing, this scene required a number of takes and considerable editing.^[25] A 3:15 version of the song appears on the film's soundtrack album. In addition to Franklin, the recording features the Blues Brothers band and backup vocals from Franklin's sister Carolyn and cousin Brenda Corbett.

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/aretha-franklin/think

• Franklin wrote this with Teddy White, who was her husband and manager. In the song, Aretha sings about freedom and respect for women.

Think  - Aretha Franklin

You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free

Let's go back, let's go back
Let's go way on, way back when
I didn't even know you
You couldn't have been too much more than ten (just a child)
I ain't no psychiatrist, I ain't no doctor with degrees
But, it don't take too much high IQ's
To see what you're doing to me

You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Yeah, think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free

Oh, freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom)
Oh, freedom, yeah, freedom
Freedom (freedom), oh, oh freedom (freedom)
Freedom, oh freedom

Hey, think about it, think about it

There ain't nothing you could ask
I could answer you but I won't (I won't)
But I was gonna change, but I'm not
If you keep doing things I don't

You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Oh Lord, think (think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free

People walking around everyday
Playing games, taking scores
Trying to make other people lose their minds
Ah, be careful you don't lose yours, oh

Think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me, ooh
Think (think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free

You need me (need me)
And I need you (don't you know)
Without each other there ain't nothing people can do, oh

Oh, hey, think about it, baby (What are you trying to do me)
Yeah, oh baby, think about it now, yeah
(Think about forgiveness, dream about forgiveness)
Think about forgiveness
Think about it, baby, baby
Think about forgiveness
Think about forgiveness
Think about forgiveness

VOCABULARY

IQ n      colloquial, initialism (intelligence quotient) (sigla) CI / coeficiente intelectual / cociente intelectual​

ü  IQ is not a determining factor for college admission.

                        El CI no es un factor determinante para el ingreso a la universidad.

intelligence quotient n    (measure of intelligence)           coeficiente intelectual / cociente intelectual loc nom m

ü  Bob has a high intelligence quotient but Marion's is higher.

                        Bruno tiene un coeficiente intelectual alto, pero el de Mario es más alto todavía.

forgiveness    UK:*/fərˈgɪvnɪs/

forgiveness n    uncountable (act of forgiving)     perdón nm  /  disculpas nfpl

ü  Ben called his friend to ask for forgiveness.

            Ben llamó a su amigo para pedirle perdón.

Forgiveness .- ask for forgiveness v expr (plead to be pardoned)   pedir perdón loc verb

ü   Sam should admit that he behaved badly, and ask for forgiveness.

            Sam debería admitir que se comportó mal y pedir perdón.

ask [sb] for forgiveness v expr    (plead to be pardoned)   pedirle perdón a alguien loc verb + prep

ü   Since you caused so much trouble, you should ask your father for forgiveness.

            Como causaste tantos problemas, deberías pedirle perdón a tu padre.

beg forgiveness vtr + n  (plead for pardon) (de alguien)  rogar perdón loc verb /  suplicar perdón loc verb

ü   It is easier sometimes to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.

A continuación aparecen algunas consideraciones sobre el uso de la doble negación en frases. 

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/double-negatives-and-usage

Double negatives and usage

In standard English, when we use negative words such as nobody, nowhere, never or nothing, we do not commonly use a negative verb:

ü He had nothing interesting to tell us. (Not: He hadn’t nothing interesting…)

ü It was 10 am but there was nobody in the office. (Not: … but there wasn’t nobody in the office.)

However, we hear double and triple negatives spoken in some regional dialects of English. This is common when people from the same region are speaking with one another. Double negatives like this are not acceptable in formal situations or in writing.

Compare

non-standard dialect	standard English
We couldn’t never work with nobody like that.	We couldn’t ever work with anybody like that.
He never says nothing interesting to no one.	He never says anything interesting to anyone.

Double negation with adjectives and adverbs (not unexpected)

However, we can use not + an adjective or adverb with a negative prefix (e.g. un-, in-) as a way of softening or downtoning the meaning of the adjective. The meaning becomes affirmative, but the double negation shows that the writer/speaker is cautious about it. This is most common in formal writing:

ü This year’s rise in inflation to 3% was not unexpected. (This year’s rise in inflation to 3% was expected to some extent.) ( …. No fue inesperado)

ü The crisis has been attributed, not unreasonably, to the Prime Minister’s weakness. (…no sin razón..)

ü A: The repair cost fifty pounds.    B: Oh well, that’s not unreasonable.

 

https://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/grammar/double-negatives.shtml#:~:text=A%20double%20negative%20is%20a,with%20a%20single%20negative%20meaning.

Double Negatives

A double negative is a statement which contains two negative words.

If two negatives are used in one sentence, the opposite meaning may be conveyed (convey=expresar, verbalizar). In many British, American, and other dialects, two or more negatives can be used with a single negative meaning.

ü Incorrect:       I ain't seen nobody.

However, English and American usage commentators perceive the double negative form as rustic, uneducated, and nonstandard. Here is a more standard form of the above example:

Rule to Remember: A double negative is a statement containing two negative words. It is not part of standard English, and its use should be avoided.

ü Correct:          I haven't seen anybody.

The most frequently used negative words are no, not, nothing, never, none, no one, nowhere, neither, and nobody. There are some words which have a negative element in their meanings although they contain no overly negative affix. These words are: hardly, scarcely, barely, etc. (apenas-escasamente)

ü Incorrect:       I haven't barely started to think about my exam.

ü Correct:          I have barely started to think about my exam.

Nobody, nothing, never are considered emphatic (enfático, rotundo, categórico, enérgico). Be careful when you use these words. Use not anybody, not ever instead.

Anybody, anything, and ever are not negative and have to be used with not to convey a negative meaning.

There are justifiable uses of two negative words in a sentence.

ü Correct:          There is no way I cannot visit my mother this year.

In the sentence above, the use of double negatives is emphatic -- "I must visit my mother."

Consider another example:

ü Correct:          I wasn't unhappy with my grade.

Here the double negative is used to intend a positive or lukewarm (tibio, templado, indiferente) meaning -- "I wasn't displeased, but I wasn't elated (exultante, eufórico) either about my grade."

 

Two negative ideas can be expressed with not... or and not... nor conjunctions. When not is followed by two or more verbs, nouns, or adjectives, it is joined by or.

ü Correct:          He doesn't drink or dance.

Use nor after a phrase to separate and emphasize a second verb, adjective, or noun.

ü Correct:          Our main objective is not oil, nor power. It is stability in the region.

Miss has a negative meaning and does not need to have a negative added.

ü Incorrect:       I miss not seeing him every day.

ü Correct:          I miss seeing him every day.

There are several ways of correcting a double negative:

ü Incorrect:       The waitress wasn't doing nothing but standing around smoking.

ü Correct:          The waitress wasn't doing anything but standing around smoking.

ü Correct:          The waitress was doing nothing but standing around smoking.

ü Incorrect:       The shopper did not have no energy left at the end of the day.

ü Correct:          The shopper did not have any energy left at the end of the day.

ü Correct:          The shopper had no energy left at the end of the day.