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'Twas the Night Before Christmas

by Tim Gill

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about

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" is Tim Gill & the Tim Gill All-Stars' most ambitious recording to date. The 2016 Christmas season single sets the classic poem to a wild and wacky score that shifts gears from Dragnet-esque film noir, to Warner Bros. cartoon madness, to psychadelic 70's funk. The original score, penned by Gill, stretches the tonal depths and shadings of the 10-piece ensemble; a true showcase for the musicianship and abilities of the band. Tim's over-the-top narration recalls comedic helpings of Shatner and Stan Freberg. A truly unique, hilarious Christmas ride.

lyrics

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

credits

released November 25, 2016
Tim Gill - Narrator, Composer
Dan Kaneyuki - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Morgan Jones - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Phil More - Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet
Walter Simonsen - Trumpet, Shouting
Brian Mantz - Trumpet
Ben Devitt - Trombone
Adam Bravo - Piano, Keyboards
Karl Kerfoot - Electric Guitar
Nick Schaadt - String Bass, Electric Bass
Jimmy Ford - Drums, Percussion, Noises

Recorded at The Woodshed, Hawaiian Gardens CA
Engineered by Nic Chaffee
Mixed at 206 Studios, Van Nuys CA
Mixed by Ben Burget
Mastered at Master Recording, Tustin CA
Mastering by Rob Robinson

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about

Tim Gill Los Angeles, California

Tim Gill is a dynamic, award-winning vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and tongue-in-cheek comedian who combines timeless love songs, wry knee-slapping humor, and inventive original material; he wraps them in high-octane, hard-swinging arrangements to create a dynamic show that puts an exciting 21st century twist on the Great American Songbook. ... more

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