Actually, when the show first started, Ernie Ford wanted to close his show with a hymn each time. The network declined his request until Ford said he'd walk and not do the show at all if he didn't get to do the hymns. You have to respect that kind of conviction.
Gordon MacRae was born decades before me, but I’ve had a massive crush on him since I was very young from watching Carousel and Oklahoma with my parents. I’m not young anymore but after all these years I still love this handsome man with the beautiful voice! ❤️❤️
What happened to talent, I mean true talent, like this. back then, they did it the right way. I'm only 16, but i have a great appreciation for this beautiful music, and no respect for some of the trash that tries to pass off as entertainment these days. nothing will ever live up to that golden era in music
Look hard for that talent, it is still out there. Alison Krauss, Ray Lamontagne, Jackie Evancho, Michael Buble, Brittany Howard, Emmylou Harris, and Idina Menzel are but just a few beautiful, talented voices that are around today.
No to those that appreciate real music can't appreciate the wanna be stuff we have now. I lost count on how many instruments my grandfather could play. Unfortunately we do not have that kind of talent in the world today its a pity.
Listening to this shows me how far America has fallen since the year 1958. There's nothing today that compares in talent and purity of voice. Too many greats have passed. America is in steep decline and it makes me sick.
This world would be a much poorer place if it wasn't for RUclips. We would never have the chance to hear about life as it was and how it could be. No-one makes songs like this any longer and if they did no-one would have the time to listen. Such a shame that todays kids don't really know what life is about.
Messrs. Ford and MacRae's rich bass/baritone voices blend magnificently on this touching version of one of the greatest Christmas hymns ever written. Rest in peace, Ernie and Gordon.
Why? Why? Why was I born too late & not be around these gorgeous men with voices that could melt ANY girls heart better than Sinatra or Elvis any day of the week. I probably just admire and love Ernie and Gordon's character more than anything.
As of this writing, 30 Justin Bieber fans gave this a thumbs down. That says it all. Ernie Ford and Gordon MacRae: two of the greatest baritone voices in recorded popular music.
I feel so blessed to have grown up with such admirable men to look up to. Who in today's entertainment world can even hold a candle to either of these men? These are the times when I am very happy to have RUclips as part of our culture...thanks for making it available for everyone to enjoy. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Really, really beautiful! I'd seen Tennessee Ernie Ford on "I Love Lucy", and he was hilarious; I didn't know he had a voice like this! I have always loved Gordon MacRae's voice, what a talent! Wish I could get an album of this beautiful, old fashioned Christmas music.
I met Gordon a few times in his "hey days" , once in NYC at the Strand theater, where he was gracious enough to sign my scrapebook, which he signed "To Joanne, the little girl with a lot of patience and consideration..good luck always." Another time in Toronto and he was nice enough to have his picture taken with me. How many "stars" of today would take the time to do this? I was one of his biggest fans..what a voice..what a man!
Gordon sort of looks like John Kennedy singing there. :-) Wow, what a pair of voices - neither of them could sing a bad note if they tried. I LOVE this.
It has been such a long time since I last listened to this. I'm old enough to have heard this from a black & white tv at the Air Force Base I was stationed at. Its so sad, such people we loved, with great talent, great wholesome entertainment are not with us now. The memories remain. There's no substitute for genuine faith & goodness except through Jesus Christ, The Lord of All.
Two wonderful talents, both of whom had problems with alcohol unfortunately, but, boy, could they sing! I wish that Ford, whose voice took a back seat to no on, had recorded a wider range of songs . . especially Great American Songbook material.
Roughly 2 or 3 yrs before he passed away, Gordon MacRae sung at the Macy's Christmas Parade, i couldnt believe he 'still had that voice',.the voice from the 1950's musical "Oklahoma'. He left us too soon.
this is wonderful entertainment -- heavyweight voices with the guts to sing live and get it right the first time. This calibre of talent is sorely mossed today
Well, on this summer night in June, I was looking for some music from Gordon MacRae, and I found this Christmas song by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Gordon. I had never heard their version, but I must say, It was brilliant. It's just too bad that they could not have sung more verses to it; I wanted more, but enjoyed it tremendously! It's tough to beat those two beautiful voices...
There is comparable talent today. The mercantilist democracies choose to ignore it in their cheap desire to rule over people. In today’s democratic mercantilist world, Elvis Presley would be driving a truck or, at best, still under the thumb of Colonel Parker. More to the point, Ethel Waters would not have been allowed to sing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” on screen. “Not commercial enough” is the refrain of our times.
I post this on my Facebook page almost every year. Because every year I dig through RUclips to find this after being deluged by the bilge that passes for modern Christmas music. After the dozenth hearing of someone's ego-driven, pyrotechnic version of O Holy Night -- trying to out-do the last over-the-top look-at-me-I-can sing-so-high rendition -- I go back to this classic Just two wonderful baritone voices blending beautifully with neither trying to out-shine the other. Just letting the song -- and its beautiful message -- be the focus. Tennessee Ernie and Gordon MacCrae. RIP
When talking about musical theater voices, Gordon MacRae was probably the best baritone ever. But TEF holds his own here. You don't usually here a baritone/bass duet. It's a shame these two wonderful singers didn't do more of this kind of stuff.
Edmund St.Austell (a pseudonym) who has a channel here and also an opera blog knew MacRae personally and thought that he could have been a superb operatic baritone if so motivated. In my opinion Ford had perhaps the finest vocal tone of any bass or bass-baritone of his day, including the great operatic basses. Of course, Ford often did country stuff in a put-on twangy voice but when he sang "straight" he was magnificent.
azangaro joe: What precluded MacRae from going into opera even if he wanted to was the EXTREME difficulty of effectively singing in foreign languages. One really has to be born in Italy or France or any Latino country where Latin based languages are in ones genetic makeup and you grow up speaking the language. Brilliant opera singers from the USA, England, Norwegian countries, etc. have made the transition but had to spend years in conservatories perfecting their art, and possess a knack for rapidly picking up on foreign languages, things MacRae may not have possessed the ability to do, even if he had the time and was willing to take the risks. Surely he chose the right path, and we are all better off for it.
If we were simply living in a world where nothing went wrong, wouldn't that be boring? No avenue for love and no choice to be made. Some would call that hell. But this duet, sung by two men who suffered mightily from alcoholism yet gave such a beautiful rendition of this song? This is heaven!
Ernie lived and worked in his early career, on the radio in nearby San Bernardino. I loved his TV show as a kid in Billings, MT and later San Diego. wow what power in the voices, such respect for the song. Meltingly beautiful, really. Power. Holiness and reverence for the transcendence that permeates this song.
My Mom loved listening to these two sing this Christmas hymn/song. It still sounds like perfection, even though I no longer have my Mom here to listen with me.
there is something so special about this song ... it captures a little piece of heaven ... and this is a truly magical interpretation merry christmas everyone -- may your days be bright!
Thanks so much, TEFSHOW, for posting. My favorite Christmas song, and yes, MacRae, " the kind of guy a girl can fall for." Words elude me as to how stunningly beautiful this rendition was! I usually listen to the French version, but this performance ranks right up there for me.
I am right there with you on the French version. I sang the French version in school chorus and find it tough to locate a wonderful recording of it in French. This recording with these 2 gentleman is nothing less than sublime.
Actually, when the show first started, Ernie Ford wanted to close his show with a hymn each time. The network declined his request until Ford said he'd walk and not do the show at all if he didn't get to do the hymns. You have to respect that kind of conviction.
Gordon MacRae was born decades before me, but I’ve had a massive crush on him since I was very young from watching Carousel and Oklahoma with my parents. I’m not young anymore but after all these years I still love this handsome man with the beautiful voice! ❤️❤️
💞
So ironic he died with cancer of the mouth and jaw.
Ironically sad
What happened to talent, I mean true talent, like this. back then, they did it the right way. I'm only 16, but i have a great appreciation for this beautiful music, and no respect for some of the trash that tries to pass off as entertainment these days. nothing will ever live up to that golden era in music
Nathanael K: Happy
that God blessed you with the intelligence, sensitivity, and good taste to appreciate great music.
Look hard for that talent, it is still out there. Alison Krauss, Ray Lamontagne, Jackie Evancho, Michael Buble, Brittany Howard, Emmylou Harris, and Idina Menzel are but just a few beautiful, talented voices that are around today.
I fully agree!
They had souls.... now we have zombies singing.
No to those that appreciate real music can't appreciate the wanna be stuff we have now. I lost count on how many instruments my grandfather could play. Unfortunately we do not have that kind of talent in the world today its a pity.
Listening to this shows me how far America has fallen since the year 1958.
There's nothing today that compares in talent and purity of voice. Too many greats have passed.
America is in steep decline and it makes me sick.
This world would be a much poorer place if it wasn't for RUclips. We would never have the chance to hear about life as it was and how it could be. No-one makes songs like this any longer and if they did no-one would have the time to listen.
Such a shame that todays kids don't really know what life is about.
Messrs. Ford and MacRae's rich bass/baritone voices blend magnificently on this touching version of one of the greatest Christmas hymns ever written. Rest in peace, Ernie and Gordon.
Why? Why? Why was I born too late & not be around these gorgeous men with voices that could melt ANY girls heart better than Sinatra or Elvis any day of the week. I probably just admire and love Ernie and Gordon's character more than anything.
REAL MEN....REAL TALENT!!!!
Enough said...
As of this writing, 30 Justin Bieber fans gave this a thumbs down. That says it all. Ernie Ford and Gordon MacRae: two of the greatest baritone voices in recorded popular music.
I loved them both dearly. It's so sad that at the time Gordon was battling alcoholism. I hope in the end of life he realizes how much God loves him .
A sublime hymn, beautifully sung by two glorious singers. How we miss men like these, who really knew how to sing.
Check out..Andrea Bocelli..Lords Prayer! Beauty and grace live if you choose to look for it!!raf
What a beautiful song praising our Lord Jesus, and two men with God given
voices.
A classic time I'm glad to of been around unlike this unholy time of these days
The Glory of G-d has shown his grace through these mens voices.
What can I say..Gordon MacRae was the BEST and Ernie Ford sang beautifully with him.
Who disliked this? Who? Do you hate joy and beauty and kittens? Seriously...the best version of this. And that's saying something.
+Claudia Hankin Balluff Who ever dislikes this song probably steals candy from a baby. They have no heart to be moved.
I could listen to this rendition a zillion times and still not be tired of hearing these two men sing. The goosebumps are all over me!
Love to hear these two , upcoming to Christmas. Very much missed talent.
I feel so blessed to have grown up with such admirable men to look up to.
Who in today's entertainment world can even hold a candle to either of these men?
These are the times when I am very happy to have RUclips as part of our culture...thanks for making it available for everyone to enjoy.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Really, really beautiful! I'd seen Tennessee Ernie Ford on "I Love Lucy", and he was hilarious; I didn't know he had a voice like this! I have always loved Gordon MacRae's voice, what a talent! Wish I could get an album of this beautiful, old fashioned Christmas music.
My favorite, favorite hymn of all time...all time. This is my new favorite version!
Wow these two guys really sang well together. It would have been great if they'd recorded an album of duets.
I met Gordon a few times in his "hey days" , once in NYC at the Strand theater, where he was gracious enough to sign my scrapebook, which he signed "To Joanne, the little girl with a lot of patience and consideration..good luck always." Another time in Toronto and he was nice enough to have his picture taken with me. How many "stars" of today would take the time to do this? I was one of his biggest fans..what a voice..what a man!
Two beautiful voices singing " O Holy Night " absolutely fantastic,beautifully sung.I listen to this over & over again.
Really a classic song and brilliantly sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Gordon McRae !!!
Brilliant singing !!!
Thanks.
Gordon sort of looks like John Kennedy singing there. :-) Wow, what a pair of voices - neither of them could sing a bad note if they tried. I LOVE this.
Happy Birthday Gordon MacRae!! 🙏🙏🎁🎂🎈🎈🎉🎊
Man! That’s some mighty fine singing! Mighty fine!
It has been such a long time since I last listened to this. I'm old enough to have heard this from a black & white tv at the Air Force Base I was stationed at. Its so sad, such people we loved, with great talent, great wholesome entertainment are not with us now. The memories remain. There's no substitute for genuine faith & goodness except through Jesus Christ, The Lord of All.
james wilburn Us young people won’t ever get to know how great it would’ve been to be a art of your generation
Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck . My test of true greatness !
Two wonderful talents, both of whom had problems with alcohol unfortunately, but, boy, could they sing! I wish that Ford, whose voice took a back seat to no on, had recorded a wider range of songs . . especially Great American Songbook material.
"There's a bright golden haze on the meadow....."
Lord...to have gifted singers like this again. Thanks for this beautiful video.
A great duet of fantastic voices on probably the most dramatic Christmas hymn. To think these people did productions like this every week...
Roughly 2 or 3 yrs before he passed away, Gordon MacRae sung at the Macy's Christmas Parade, i couldnt believe he 'still had that voice',.the voice from the 1950's musical "Oklahoma'. He left us too soon.
this is wonderful entertainment -- heavyweight voices with the guts to sing live and get it right the first time. This calibre of talent is sorely mossed today
This is tremendous. I could listen to it over and over.
Gordon Macrae has one of the most beautiful and spectacular baritone voices the world has ever known.
I agree completely!! He has always been my favorite!!!
It doesn't get any better than this! Love it!
Pure pleasure, such glorious baritones.
Well, on this summer night in June, I was looking for some music from Gordon MacRae, and I found this Christmas song by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Gordon. I had never heard their version, but I must say, It was brilliant. It's just too bad that they could not have sung more verses to it; I wanted more, but enjoyed it tremendously! It's tough to beat those two beautiful voices...
Great Hymn but two great singers...Bravo!
Two manly voices at
the top of their game.
Gone are the days when musical talent like this was so ubiquitous that we all
took it for granted.
this is wonderful, miss singing like this.
Glorious! Just sheer "glorious"!... God bless these men!
And remember, this duet was performed LIVE on the old Ernie Ford, black & white, show!
...and they were both classically-trained singers...
Such talent, such class. Nobody to compare in these culturally sad times.
There is comparable talent today. The mercantilist democracies choose to ignore it in their cheap desire to rule over people. In today’s democratic mercantilist world, Elvis Presley would be driving a truck or, at best, still under the thumb of Colonel Parker. More to the point, Ethel Waters would not have been allowed to sing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” on screen.
“Not commercial enough” is the refrain of our times.
@@cpklapper fna
So very beautiful. Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sitting here watching this and the chills are just rapid fire up and my down spine,what a sound.R.I.P "Tennessee" Ernie Ford & Gordon MacRae.
Beautiful!
Loved Gorden.Mcrea wonderful voice....recognisable always...😊
Sublime. Beautiful.
Thank you for saying this. Ernie always said that gospel
music was some of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
I must agree.
Pure gold.
When talent was absolutely raw and genuine. 💙💚🍀💚💙
That's it...that's what I like to ear...those smooooothe, loooowww tones~ That's the way that song was meant to be sung!
I post this on my Facebook page almost every year. Because every year I dig through RUclips to find this after being deluged by the bilge that passes for modern Christmas music. After the dozenth hearing of someone's ego-driven, pyrotechnic version of O Holy Night -- trying to out-do the last over-the-top look-at-me-I-can sing-so-high rendition -- I go back to this classic
Just two wonderful baritone voices blending beautifully with neither trying to out-shine the other. Just letting the song -- and its beautiful message -- be the focus.
Tennessee Ernie and Gordon MacCrae. RIP
Robert Merrill has a beautiful rendition as well.
By far the best version of this song I have heard
When talking about musical theater voices, Gordon MacRae was probably the best baritone ever. But TEF holds his own here. You don't usually here a baritone/bass duet. It's a shame these two wonderful singers didn't do more of this kind of stuff.
Edmund St.Austell (a pseudonym) who has a channel here and also an opera blog knew MacRae personally and thought that he could have been a superb operatic baritone if so motivated. In my opinion Ford had perhaps the finest vocal tone of any bass or bass-baritone of his day, including the great operatic basses. Of course, Ford often did country stuff in a put-on twangy voice but when he sang "straight" he was magnificent.
azangaro joe:
What precluded MacRae from going into opera even if he wanted to was the
EXTREME difficulty of
effectively singing in
foreign languages.
One really has to be
born in Italy or France
or any Latino country where Latin based languages are in ones genetic makeup
and you grow up speaking the language. Brilliant opera singers from the
USA, England, Norwegian countries,
etc. have made the transition but had to
spend years in conservatories perfecting their art,
and possess a knack
for rapidly picking up
on foreign languages,
things MacRae may not have possessed the ability to do, even
if he had the time and
was willing to take the risks. Surely he
chose the right path,
and we are all better off for it.
@@miltonmoore5294 eurocentric, every last one of em
If we were simply living in a world where nothing went wrong, wouldn't that be boring? No avenue for love and no choice to be made. Some would call that hell.
But this duet, sung by two men who suffered mightily from alcoholism yet gave such a beautiful rendition of this song? This is heaven!
If this doesn't put a lump in your throat, your're not human.
THe best version of that song i have ever heard ! And i think thats not my subjective opinion. It's a fact.
What beautiful voices
Why can nobody just compliment people from the past without insulting people from today ha
Ah, wonderful, trustworthy, classic TV
Ernie lived and worked in his early career, on the radio in nearby San Bernardino. I loved his TV show as a kid in Billings, MT and later San Diego. wow what power in the voices, such respect for the song. Meltingly beautiful, really. Power. Holiness and reverence for the transcendence that permeates this song.
I love how you said holiness and reverence... Perfect way to describe this
From one Billings boy to another: Well said!
My favorite Christmas song sung by some of my favorite singers
Two classic greats.
Whatever happened to great shows like this?
Here's hoping YOU have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
2 great singers, real talented men. Gordon looks like JFK here
2 of my favorite voices! It’s June 30 and I’m listening to this. Absolutely beautiful!
Two magnificent voices
An "angelic" performance worthy of the King of Kings" birth---
A different time. Merry Christmas to all and to all a very good night....The pure of heart, shall see God...Amen
O holy night Gordon mccray
My two favorite singing men on the same stage! Woooooo hoooooooo! Yeehaaaw!
"...graciously consented to..." That's what I call being in control of the English language
Swell hymn, and superb singers.
Très Beau .....simply beautiful
The networks would never broadcast this today, for fear that it might offend somebody.
That hamony gave me goosebumps on my arms and down my spine.
This gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. I envy anybody who was alive during those days...I'm freaking 18 :(
How wonderful these two men sing this beautiful song.
It makes me think of Christmas as a little girl. Hope and promise.
BEAUTIFUL!
My favourite carol - almost an operatic aria
sends chills up and down every time i hear this ..... truly awesome
Absolutely beautiful... no more needs to be said. Beautiful!
this is by far my favorite version of this beautiful carol.
Holy oh my gosh! This is incredible! I'd have been thrilled to know either of them sang this song, but a duet? Dang!
Love hearing two bass/baritone singers in their prime! ...great rendition of this song. Thanks for sharing this.
I was checking RUclips for Tennessee Ernies "O Holy Night" and found this one.
Wonderful.
SO BEAUTIFUL 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Two greats of my generation...Gone but never forgotten.
Tears and Chills!
My Mom loved listening to these two sing this Christmas hymn/song. It still sounds like perfection, even though I no longer have my Mom here to listen with me.
there is something so special about this song ... it captures a little piece of heaven ... and this is a truly magical interpretation
merry christmas everyone -- may your days be bright!
Glad this is recorded for the Ages...
Their voices go so well together... Incredible performance!
Class personified. Wish today's "entertainment" had some
Thanks so much, TEFSHOW, for posting. My favorite Christmas song, and yes, MacRae, " the kind of guy a girl can fall for."
Words elude me as to how stunningly beautiful this rendition was! I usually listen to the French version, but this performance ranks right up there for me.
I am right there with you on the French version. I sang the French version in school chorus and find it tough to locate a wonderful recording of it in French. This recording with these 2 gentleman is nothing less than sublime.
Thank you God for the gift of your Son!