Nov 2025 Challenge – Cloughie

[cloughie]

Away In A Manger has two distinct melodies, one tends to be played in the US and the other in the Commonwealth including Aotearoa New Zealand. So my video has both.

Xmas is a hot sunny beach sorta place for us so welcome to my new favorite music place under a tree I planted in 2016 when we moved in and which now provides me with a sweet shady spot in the corner of my garden.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Be kind to yourself (especially when you're trying to play this instrument!)
Brian Clough

“Got a lotta sinful ideas but they seem kinda sensible” Jim Casy the ex-preacher in The Grapes Of Wrath

[AndréM]

I was expecting a more jazzy tune from you Brian.
But this version is beautiful.
Well played under the shade and with backup singers, lol

AndréM

Merry Christmas

AndréM

[sunjamr]

Yeh, you’re right. I had not thought about that before, but there are definitely two different versions out there. I caught a few blues licks in there, which was a nice treat. I’m still waiting to hear the funk version.

Sunjamr Steve

[JoLa]

How nice it must be to sit out and chill in your garden on a Christmas day, playing guitar with the birds! Love the arrangement, it sounded lovely with the ambience around. Your playing was so nice and relaxed, what better way to spend a hot day in NZ? Merry Christmas!

🎸JoLa

[Dieter]

Very soulful playing, sounds great.

Dieter

[Alan L]

Great arrangement. Love the lilting country waltz feeling.

[JoeD1]

That was really nice. I like your shady spot too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Joe

The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
--Graeme Edge

[Guido]

Is there anything better than playing guitar in a beautiful garden, under the tree with birds chirping in a sunny summer day? Very nice arrangement and rendition of both versions (of course I barely knew one before) , very relaxed and melodic with a nice waltz rhythm!

Guido

[Manfred M]

A Christmas song played in a place where you don’t need mulled wine, but instead hear birds chirping. A special Christmas experience for an European. But very welcome!

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be at the beginning of next year 2026

A detailed announcement will be posted here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Martin W]

Nice take on this melodic Christmas classic , and a beautiful setting to play it from .
, my wife just said ,that sounds nice , I agree with her .
Happy sunny Christmas to you .

Martin

[James B]

Great tunes and scenery, Cloughie. Your Takamine sounds great.

James

[Bill]

Making the most of the shade tree! Nice place to pick a lovely tune. Happy Holidays!

[Author]

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