There are at least two artists by this name, both from the United States: Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists by this name, both from the United States:
1. Vanessa L. Williams - American singer and actress.
2. Vanessa R. Williams - American gospel music singer.

1. Vanessa Lynn Williams (born 18 March 1963 - Tarrytown, New York, U.S.) is an American R&B/pop/theatrical singer and actress. In 1983, Williams made history when she became the first woman of known African descent to be crowned Miss America. Her regime as Miss America came to an early and abrupt end when she resigned her title under pressure when Penthouse published nude pictures of her that Hugh Heffner, publisher of Playboy, said he turned down because "they clearly weren't authorized" and that publication of surprise nude pictures without her consent "would be the source of considerable embarrassment to her."

However, she has since gone on to a successful entertainment career. Williams secured a record deal, and released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, Dreamin', was a chart success, and the album reached gold status and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.

In addition to "Dreamin'", her most notable chart successes have included the songs Running Back To You, Love Is, The Sweetest Days, Colors of the Wind, The Comfort Zone, Just For Tonight, and Oh How The Years Go By. Her biggest hit to date is Save the Best For Last, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks from March 21 to April 18, 1992. In total, Williams has sold six million records and received fifteen Grammy Award nominations.

In 2005, Williams released her eighth studio album, Everlasting Love, a collection of covers of her favorite 1970s songs.

Vanessa made her comeback in 2006 in the US hit series Ugly Betty in the role of Wilemina Slater. She also made a cameo appearance as a sports journalist in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where she gave birth, the baby being delivered by Will Smith.

She's also been seen in a few episodes of Desperate Housewives Season 7; she then joined the cast and remained a series regular until the show ended in 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_L._Williams

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2. Vanessa R. Williams, who records as just Vanessa Williams (born November 28, 1960 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American gospel music singer.

After working as a public school art teacher for many years, she signed with Light Records and Bajada Records. Her debut album Vanessa was released in 2002 and made the top ten of Billboard magazine's gospel albums chart. Her follow-up album Here I Go Again! was released in 2004.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_R._Williams

Silent Night
Vanessa Williams Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Silent night! holy night!
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace [Repeat: x2]

Silent night! holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia!
Christ the savior is born [Repeat: x2]

Silent night! holy night!

Son of god, love's pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face,

With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, lord at thy birth [Repeat: x3]

Overall Meaning

The song "Silent Night" is a traditional Christmas carol that has been sung for over two centuries. The song begins with a peaceful and serene tone, with the lyrics "Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright." This is followed by the image of a mother and child, with a call to "sleep in heavenly peace". The second verse introduces shepherds who witness "glories stream from heaven afar" and hear "heavenly hosts sing alleluia!" The chorus repeats the first two lines of the first verse, emphasizing the calm and peaceful nature of the night.

The final verse adds a religious element, naming Jesus as the "Son of God, love's pure light". The lyrics suggest that his birth brought a "dawn of redeeming grace", implying that redemption is possible through his birth. Overall, the song conveys a sense of peace and calm that comes with the birth of a savior.

Line by Line Meaning

Silent night! holy night!
This is a peaceful and sacred night.

All is calm, all is bright,
Everything is quiet and serene, and there is a bright light illuminating the scene.

Round yon virgin mother and child,
There is a mother and her child nearby.

Holy infant so tender and mild,
The infant is holy and gentle.

Sleep in heavenly peace [Repeat: x2]
The mother and child are resting in peaceful harmony.

Shepherds quake at the sight,
The shepherds are trembling upon seeing something incredible.

Glories stream from heaven afar,
Something gloriously beautiful is descending from the skies.

Heavenly hosts sing alleluia!
Angels are singing joyfully.

Christ the savior is born [Repeat: x2]
The savior has been born and has arrived in the world.

Son of god, love's pure light;
The son of God is a pure light of love.

Radiant beams from thy holy face,
The son of God is emanating a bright light from his face.