Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas
Ξ December 24th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Music is Life, The Anime Annals |
Just a quick (EDIT: Hah!) little schizoid post to wish a Merry Christmas to the ever-welcome Visitor 
This Post is best read late at night, and especially so if you love Kate Bush as I and her many KateFancies and LoveHounds do *waves to Kate fans drifting in like snowflakes* And for those impending winter season anime fans wandering in, a little treat or three for your patience at the end (at least, if you like Kanon and “Canon in D” 
)…
Since pictures tell a thousand words, and words just… kinda pile up (at least around these here parts LOL), moving pictures must multiply that another thousand-fold! Since I’m feeling lazy (yum… eggnog!) I thought that a few videos would do well in conveying my Yuletide wishes to you. So, light a fire (preferably in a fireplace!), nog your eggs with a dash of brandy (or five), and let’s all get comfy in a warm and soothing room… and for an appetizer, listen to Kate singing “Home For Christmas”:
Nice little ditty, eh? (AND… to those aforementioned Kate-fanciers, you have found the hidden and secret Kate Bush Page here, haven’t you? Hint: you won’t have to go to the Unbound website to find it! Now, no more hints! You’ve got to do your homework, haven’t you? )
Let’s get serious and settle down for the main course, and watch her perform the lovely “December Will Be Magic Again”, taken from her 1979 Christmas Special. Turn up the heat, light up the candle lights, and melt like the snow…
If curious about the lyrics, they’re on the video’s YouTube page, as are those of the following set; many thanks to Symphonyofflowers (a fellow KateFancy from the HomeGround Forum) for the wonderful vids :-D
So, are you feeling warm and soothed yet? How ’bout something to take care of that, hmm? Because Kate is so Warm and Soothing… well, at least when she needs and wants to be! And here, she does indeed…
Man, she even warms up a slideshow! Speaking of, and so as to help keep the cold out from your room and your heart, something to warm your Place up considerably: “In the Warm Room”…
Ah… that was swell! *sighs contentedly*
I think everyone’s feeling a little sleepy now, so to send you off to dreamland… Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” performed against the anime it inspired, called fittingly enough, Kanon. Both the song and the show are among my Most Favorite Things. Coincidence? I think not…
For the uninitiated Kate fans still hanging around, the following slideshow Anime Music Video introduces the Viewer to each of the girls first: Nayuki, Shiori, Makoto, Mai, and Ayu, and then Nayuki again followed by Yuichi, the male lead (lucky fellow!) (well, he is for the most part in this dramatic, funny, tragic, and heart-wrenching/-warming series)…
Hmm… my plan to share a clip from the show where the significance of the Pachelbel piece was explained is foiled; it’s gone! Agh! I’ll have to make it up to you: Last year I made a Post about Kanon/Canon entitled “Changes… in ‘D’”, where I transposed the short-but-critical dialogue mentioned above. And yeah, the actual clip was yanked 
But please do read it if curious about the deeper meanings in that connection, and the illuminating Comments from Max that follow it ;-)
Well then, a bit of a change in plans; care for a little dessert? Since snow seems to be almost everywhere this time of year, how about a tour around “that snowy city” of Kanon‘s, and listen to the extended version of the beautiful opening theme “Last Regrets” while we’re at it? Oh, and glory at the sheer beauty of this acclaimed masterpiece:
...and since you've been so very good this year, the lyrics in both Romaji and English (thanks to animelyrics.com!):
| Original / Romaji Lyrics | English Translation |
|---|---|
arigatou iwanaiyo zutto shimatte oku sayonara ha kagerinai yume no ato shizuka ni oritatsu |
I won't say thank you I'll always keep it inside It won't be a sad goodbye Silently, the aftermath of the dream rises |
ryouteni ha furisosogu kakera wo itsumademo itsumademo daite saiko made waratteru tsuyosa wo mou shitteita |
Always, always embracing The fragments that rained into my hands I already had the strength To keep smiling to the end |
ohayou mezame ha mabushikute kanashii sayonara yurusenai bokutachi no yowasa ga yokatta |
Good morning Waking is dazzlingly sad I'm glad that our weakness Wouldn't let us say goodbye |
futari ni ha arifureta yasashisa hana no youni koi no youni utsurou hikui kumo kaze wo matsu shizukesa mou kikoenai |
Like love, this routine kindness between us Blooms like a flower The low clouds, the silence waiting for the wind I can no longer hear them |
ryouteni ha furisosogu kakera wo itsumademo itsumademo daite saiko made waratteru tsuyosa wo mou shitteita |
Always, always embracing The fragments that rained into my hands I already had the strength To keep smiling to the end |
mou nakanai mou nakanai nakanai... |
I won't cry anymore, I won't cry anymore, I won't cry... |
Finally (oh damn, my formatting's changed and I forgot what the default is -bear with me!!!)... an aperitif!
Here's Ayu's short (no pun intended!)"Seasons" monologue and scene, voiced by her seiyuu (and my favorite) Yui Horie:
WARNING: MAJOR Kanon spoilers ahead; don't view if you plan to watch it!
This is, for those who've seen it, a cherished scene, and so this little Christmas present-o
Thanks for reading, and again I'd like to wish a very Merry Christmas to you and yours,
and forward my best wishes for a prosperous (however you may count it) New Year!
May the many days to come bring you Joy, whatever Season you celebrate 