O! Holy Night...One Christmas in the 1960s
Good song for both baritone and tenors. One year, after completing a total immersion 9 months USAF Russian language school, I was home on leave between assignments. The choir director at my old church learned that I was in town and since it was close to Christmas, he asked if I would sing something at the service.
I agreed, for old time's sake, although I was no longer a church-goer. I suggested that I do O! Holy Night, in a bilingual version. The original language is French,which I also spoke. He said, "sure."
Then, I thought, why not translate the lyrics into Russian, and do it in all three? So, I did a good, poetic translation into Russian. A rehearsal with the organist went smoothly.
So, that Sunday I returned to my old church, where I had sung many times before, and sang the three-language version of that popular Christmas son. I was in my USAF dress uniform.
To my surprise, a couple of church members came up after the service and vehemently attacked me verbally for singing the Russian lyrics. This was in December, 1966. I was dumbfounded. I couldn't even respond to them.
Later, I realized that they were so brainwashed about the Soviet Union that it completely walked over the fact that I had sung a purely Christian Christmas song in a different language. It had nothing to do with political theories.
That was the last time I ever set foot in that church. Ignorance, prejudice, and hypocrisy was the order of the day there.
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And their dictator. Generally speaking though, the Russian people have probably always been pretty OK. It's always the moneyed evil greedheads that fuck everything up for everyone. So the language isn't the issue---it's the country's fucking epic corruption and evil leaders. Now our country has a puppet for their evil leader, so here we are 
But I love O Holy Night---saw Chris Allen in Wilmington DE last year (same tour as below). One of my favorite Christmas songs...often brings a tear to my eye.
I recounted a story from my life. What does that story mean? Decide for yourself. 