John McDermott (Canadian) - Christmas in the Trenches
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- Опубликовано: 12 июл 2008
- Your ratings and comments are welcome! In every war, it is the "grunts" - the boots on the ground, that pay the greatest share of the cost of battle. And it is the soldier who offers up the most fervent and sincere prayers for peace, because they know that the two "givens" of war are #1 - young men die, and #2 - nothing can change number one.
This is a video clip from John McDermott's live DVD "A Time to Remember" (2002), in which he sings a splendid rendition of John McCutcheon's song "Christmas in the Trenches" accompanied by some fine young actors on the stage. The song is about a true occurrence during the first Christmas of World War I in 1914. The First World War was perhaps the last "civilized" conflict of the modern era, in that the battles were mostly fought with "conventional" weapons and tactics (save for the use of poison gas), the number of civilian casualties was "relatively" small, and most of the battles were frontal assaults against uniformed opposing forces. At the end of the song, the most poignant lyric points out that "on each end of the rifle, we're the same" - a reference to the shared culture and religious beliefs of the two sides. This performance will bring a tear to the eyes of any veteran or family of a soldier.
"JOHN CHARLES McDERMOTT is a Canadian tenor best known for his rendition of "Danny Boy." Born the ninth of twelve children to Irish parents in Glasgow Scotland in 1955, John and his family moved to Canada in 1965. Growing up in a musical family, his only formal musical training was at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto, Ontario in 1971 and 1972." 
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I can’t listen to this without tears.
Me too
Yup! Happens every time!
RIP to the brave young soldiers who died on both sides in that terrible war :(
A great singer and a wonderful story!It is of those who fight wars and don’t make policies. The leaders force the young men of their respective countries to deal with the carnage and death.
God Bless the soldiers who go off to fight for the politicians. Thank you Mr McDermott for a wonderful song of man’s caring of his fellow man for a short while during “Hell on Earth”!
My wife had me listen to this song. O cried.
Our minister sang this in the Christmas Eve service yesterday. What could be more appropriate to celebrate the ‘prince of peace’?
A true Christmas song showing that even the best of people can come out at the worst of times. Unfortunately, those who are power hungry will never realize what is really important in life.
God Bless the world.
Merry Christmas
Peace on Earth
Many in my family are serving or have served in the US Military. I want to thank you for reminding us of this bit of history. The soldiers, sailors, and airmen are the people who suffer the greatest losses when countries choose to war with each other.
If a song were made of the sinking of the LEOPOLDVILLE SHIP, there would be many tears.
My Grandfather was on the Western Front in 1914. What a wonderful Song.
O, dear God, this song broght stream of tears from my eyes.......
Made me remember my great uncle, Albert Henry Standing, an apprentice brickmaker, from Fittleworth, West Sussex...disappeared 33 days before Christmas, 1917, on the battlefield of Cambrai...Merry Christmas, Albert....
Beautiful! Not enough people like that today! He who hesitates is NOT always lost. He may just make a friend instead of an enemy!
Took my breath away. What an emotional song. War how sad
My father (1897-1970) was an infantry NCO in WWI and a commissioned officer in WWII. Wounded 3 times in each war.
I spent 32 years in the US Army, first 8 years as an enlisted Airborne Infantry/ Ranger; the rest as an Airborne Infantry/ Special Forces officer. 5 years, 8 months total time in close combat. Wounded about a dozen times.
ANYWAY. I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1960s, when music and fabulous musicians were everywhere. I've been playing guitar and singing since I was 5 years old. BUT. This song? I've played it many times, but I've never been able to sing it because I fall to pieces. I can play with a big knot in my throat, but not sing.
Every person in touch with his/ her heart should be deeply moved by it. We combat vets? I don't believe I've ever seen ANY of us -- from ANY Christian country -- without tears running.
But I come back to it every year. Thank you, John McCutcheon, for this magnificent song.
The first time I learned about this bit of history was watching the Doctor Who special with Peter Capaldi and now I've discovered the song. It's one of my favorite pieces of history to learn of and now the song has to be my most favorite.
Their a quote From Black Beauty that I always have in mind "If we got to decide thing maybe there would be no war." That a solder to anther solder. If I'm remembering that correctly.
I am listening to this on Christmas Eve, thinking of the soldiers of both sides who died bravely for their respective countries. What a terribly needless tragedy was WWI. May God cradle the fallen forever in His Loving Arms. Merry Christmas to all this night.
John McDermott is amazing.
goos bumps every time. God bless our troops
I am one of the boots on the ground I enjoy this song thanks for posting this...
Wow, peace...
Thank you
When I was a Child I wanted to Join up, but Illness forced me not to. As well, when I was a child I heard that the word "War" Was acutely an acronym. It meant "We. Are. Right" and everyone that commits war is trying to prove that. In the end, It always saddened me that we never want to commit "Wats" ..."We. Are. The. Same"
Beautiful.
truly haunting song. bravo john.
cheers from sunny San Diego
A wonderful performance with a true heartfelt message.
I love John McDermott's version of this song, and what a great live staging of it. Thanks very much for posting.
My 10 year old and I just finished a novel, "In the Trenches" that included that scene. My son will love this video!
Awesome, that you’re sharing this song and history, with a 10 year old.
You’re wonderful.
Was there every a better time to sing this most moving song?
So very touching and heartbreaking. Peace on Earth ,goodwill toward men
I just love John, and his music / voice.
This is such a fantastic and beautiful masterpiece.
I just got through listening to “My Old Man”, twice, tears and all.
I find the strains of 'Minstrel Boy' (at 5.16) a very poignant addition to this song.
Coming from someone who lost loved ones during a much more recent conflict, this song will aways bring a tear to my eye.
What's hapeend to civilisation in the last 90 years that we've gone from this (The christmas truce) to suicide bombings of civilians and non military targets???
May God forgive us our trespasses...
Thank you for posting this macrosent.
5*'s
GC88.
This sounds like soldiers of a reluctant war, which WWI should have been. I can't imagine this ever happening in the wars of the 21st century, sad to say. We should sing Silent Night just to remember what peace is like.
Chills every time. Thank you for posting this!
The fact that there is one dislike proves that some people will dislike ANYTHING. This was beautiful.
i love his voice
I wish this is what they meant by "the war to end all wars".
Beautiful. It seems all wars can be traced to family feuds and the history gets covered up.
Thank you for your comments. -Mac
@SW28fan Did he take part in the Christmas Truce?
@TheJSarge I don't know, he died before I was born. I just know when he was called up and that he served on the Western Front.
Adolph Hitler was there at that time. He didn't approve of the truce but didn't break it.