Christmas Carols

Every year at schools around the UK children are taught to sing traditional Christmas carols.

We all have our own particular favourites but do you know where these popular songs came from? Or who wrote them?

Below you will find a selection of the most popular and a little about their history.

'O Come All Ye Faithful'

Lyrics:

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

This popular Christmas hymn is also known in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis," and is attributed to John Francis Wade (1711 – 1786) and appeared in his collection called Canus Diversi. It was later translated into English and was published in Murray’s Hymnal in 1852

'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'

Lyrics:

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

This popular Christmas hymn was written by Charles Wesley and first appeared in 1739 in a book called“Hymns and Sacred Poems” under the topic “Hymn for Christmas Day”

'Silent Night'

English Lyrics:

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
Sleep in heavenly peace

German Lyrics:

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar.
Holder Knab im lockigten Haar,

The Christmas song we know and love as Silent Night, was originally written in German by Josef Mohr (1792-1848) and known as Stille Nacht.

Franz X Gruber (1787-1863) a school teacher and an organist composed the tune and it was first performed at the Church of St Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Day 1818.

Originally written in German as Stille Nacht by Josef Mohr (1792-1848), an Austrian priest. The tune was composed by Franz X. Gruber (1787-1863), an organist and school teacher. This Christmas carol was first performed at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas day 1818.

The version that is most often sung today was published in 1819 by John Freeman Young (second Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Florida).
Interesting Fact: In 1995 a manuscript written by hand by Josef Mohr was discovered. The said manuscript is believed to date back to 1820 and it reveals that the lyrics were written in 1816 by Mohr but the music was composed two years later by Gruber

'O Little Town of Bethlehem'

Lyrics:

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

In 1865 after a visit to the little town of Bethlehem, Philip Brooks (1835-1893) and Episcopal priest was so inspired that 3 years later he wrote the poem for his church. Organist Lewis Redner added the music titled “St. Louis” and this is the tune most often used in the USA for this carol.
However, in the UK the English tune “Forest Green” is most often used for ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’

'Santa Clause is Comin’ To Town'

Lyrics:

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Clause is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Clause is coming to town

This carol was written in 1932 by musician John Frederick Coots and lyricist Haven Gillespies.
It was first performed by Eddie Cantor on his radio show in November 1934. So popular was it that orders of 100,000 copies of sheet music were made the next day and by Christmas more than 400,000 copies were sold.

Often used to tell children that Santa knows when they’ve been bad or good and that they should be good.

' Jingle Bells'

Lyrics:

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Jingle Bells" is one of the best known and most commonly sung winter song in the world.

Written by James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893) and copyrighted under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" on September 16, 1857.

Jingle Bells was meant for a Thanksgiving program at a church in Savannah, Georgia where Pierpont was organist. The song was so well accepted that it was again sung on Christmas day and since then became one of the most popular Christmas carols.

Interesting Fact: On December 16, 1965, astronauts aboard Gemini 6, Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford, played a prank on Mission Control. They said they saw some kind of UFO stating that the pilot was "wearing a red suit." They then played "Jingle Bells" on a harmonica (Hohner's Little Lady model) backed by sleigh bells. Both instruments are now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and considered the first musical instruments played in space.

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