Happy Christmas Lyrics

Holmdel Dad is the Music Man, Jotting Down Song Lyrics at Stoplights

A dimly lit recording studio where Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band once stood looked a little intimidating. But Indian Hill School fourth grader Jess D'Agostino and four of her friends were there to do something pretty cool. They came with their parents to Shorefire Recording Studio in Long Branch to record a song. Not just any song. A song written by Jess's dad, Jon.

By day, a successful attorney with his own firm. But on his own time, Jon D'Agostino, 46, of Holmdel, is all about making music.

“I've been writing all my life,” said D'Agostino. “As a kid I wrote poems, then short stories, then I started songwriting 22 years ago when my wife was pregnant with our son, Jonathan, so I could sing it to her.”

More songs led to a demo recording in a small New York City studio, followed by encouragement from friends and family to keep writing.

“Then my wife took me to Nashville for my 40th birthday,” said D'Agostino. “After that trip I got very serious about writing better songs that I could pitch to the commercial country music market.” Now, he says, he writes every day and records in Nashville every four to six weeks.

“I write at every stop light,” he says with a laugh.

His songs have been recorded by independent artists across the country. He's won the Nashville Songwriter's Association International Holiday contest and an International Holiday song competition in England. Two songs are slated for a movie currently in production called "Summer of Dreams," and another two songs have been picked to appear in an upcoming reality show. In 2011, seven songs were signed to publishing deals and are being pitched to major music labels.

At Shorefire studio, the children were gathered to record one of D'Agostino's latest tunes, “Christmas Traditions” a lively holiday melody that captures the joy and comforting rituals of Christmas time. Jess and her parents invited chorus friends Jordan Gilbert, my son Theo Modla, Abbie Sadler and third grader Sarah Coleman to join the project. Everyone was given a CD of the melody and a sheet of lyrics to learn ahead of time.

Now, the kids were standing around waiting in a nervous, excited flutter as the sound engineer checked volume levels.

As a patient father, D'Agostino reassured his singers, telling them not to worry about ruining or what they looked like. Relax and go with the flow. Have fun.

_classicr0ck: Happy Christmas (War Is Over) Lyrics

"Bearing in mind that this isn't a Christmas song at all, it's an anti-war song that uses Christmas as a reference point to say "What the hell have we actually acheived in this last year, or are we as nuts as ever?" The idea of one of Lennon's most poignant songs being performed at Christmas carols, and being sung with contrived gusto and smiling faces is faintly disgusting, but that's what happens every year.

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