topic Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear" in Holiday

The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

PA Mom-mom — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:41:44 GMT

I just read the story of the song "Do You Hear What I Hear." Written by Noel Regney, who had been a German soldier and in the French Resistance during WWII, and his wife, Gloria Shayne, in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The idea for the song started with seeing two babies in their strollers in NYC. I had no idea it was written so recently! My memory of the Cuban Missile Crisis was us being tense all the time. Bad dreams. "Duck and Cover" in school. This song means so much more to me now that I know the story. Regney said he and his wife could not get through the song without breaking down in tears.

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

Oznell — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 21:17:09 GMT

It's so great to have the back story of a beautiful, stirring song like "Do You Hear What I Hear", @PA Mom-mom , thanks!

I had no idea either. It sort of makes sense, that a crisis like the Cuban missile debacle, would make a thoughtful individual and veteran of the French Resistance, distill down in the form of a song, what's really important and unchanging in life, the eternal verities.

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

LdyBugz — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 21:42:28 GMT

@PA Mom-mom Thank you for posting this! I also had no clue about the history of this song. So interesting, and now it has even more meaning.

I, too, remember having to do practice "Duck and Cover" drills in school and crawling under our desks. Seems so strange now.

Happy Holidays!

~LdyBugz

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

ValuSkr — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 23:04:28 GMT

I will have to pay attention to the lyrics now. Did they hear incoming ordnance, or what is the connection to the Cuban Missile Crisis.?

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

PA Mom-mom — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:32:36 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
I will have to pay attention to the lyrics now. Did they hear incoming ordnance, or what is the connection to the Cuban Missile Crisis.?

@ValuSkr Apparently he was asked to write a Christmas song at about the same time as the crisis. As you know, everyone was very worried about the possibility of war because of it. He had been in the thick of WWII and couldn't shake that fear. He was walking in NYC one day and saw two innocent babes being pushed by their mothers, and he imagined this song for them.

On a side note, I remember having a recurring dream at that time about been bombarded by rockets. I dreamed it several times a night. It was a scary time.

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

SoCal Bred — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:50:01 GMT

It's a beautiful written song, one of my favorites.

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

Wobin — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 07:49:52 GMT

Thank you for sharing this. I have loved that song and remember that time so well.

Re: The Story of "Do You Hear What I Hear"

luvzchiz — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 07:59:02 GMT

I've always loved Andy Williams rendition.