Yup. That Carol. The one that turns little high school band and choir nerds into music snobs, to impart their vast musicological knowledge on an ignorant world…

“You’re pronouncing it WRONG – it’s Gloria in Ex-SHELL-CEASE-DAY-O.” (Say that like Hermione saying Wing-GARDIUM Levi-OH-sah, and you get the drift.) Ah, band and choir nerds. Terrifying little creatures. I know – I was  one of them. (And still am, in some respects…)

Then the nerds from French Class find out that the tune (Gloria) is a French carol, then they find the words to it, then they start talking smack to the band and choir nerds because they can’t pronounce the original FRENCH words from the tune, and you now have the inspiration for the plot of West Side Story. Sort of. If you look at it through somebody else’s glasses. Sideways. On a unicycle. In French and Latin. Not Latino or Latin-X, but Latin. Ex-SHELL-CEASE-DAY-O.

Day-O. Day-O. Daylight come and me want to go home.It had to be said – you all were thinking it. Admit it.

Let’s roll along. shall we? SEE-VOUUU-PLAAAYYYYZZZEEE? See – French is easy!!

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly swinging o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo

See within in a manger laid
Jesus Lord of heav’n and earth
Mary, Joseph lend your aid
With us sing our Savior’s birth
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo