All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth (Kraig Hohf)

This is surely the worst Christmas song ever written. Apparently, Kraig Hohf wrote it in 1944 while teaching music at public schools in Smithtown, New York. When he asked his class what they wanted for Christmas, he noticed nearly all of them had at least one front tooth missing as they answered him. He is said to have written the song in thirty minutes, which is easy to believe. In a 1995 interview, Hohf said, "I was amazed at the way that silly little song was picked up by the whole country."

It was recorded by Spike Jones and His City Slickers in 1948 and reached the top of the charts in early 1949. Other singers who have recorded it include Danny Kaye, The Platters, Nat King Cole and The Chipmunks. And also about a million YouTube singers, so what could my version possibly add?

Anyway, here it is.

Angels We Have Heard on High (Traditional French)

The words of this Christmas carol are based on a French carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes ("Angels in our countryside"). The best known English translation is by James Chadwick in 1862.

The song refers to the story of the birth of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem hear several angels singing the praises of the newborn child.
It is normally sung to the hymn tune "Gloria", as arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes. The chorus (Gloria in Excelsis Deo) is Latin for "Glory to God in the highest."

This is another song I learnt by singing Christmas concerts with the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir, though I sing the top tenor part with them, not the tune as I do here.

Aussie Jingle Bells (Colin Buchanan)

After all those years of waiting around to see snow at Christmas, by 1992, Australian singer-songwriter, Colin Buchanan, realised it wasn't going to happen so he adapted the traditional carol to suit Australian conditions.

In case you need it, here is a glossary:

Barbecue: the only time you'll catch an Aussie bloke cooking - the Barbie takes great skill and large amounts of grog. Nothing like the BBQ in Hong Kong which consists of holding little balls of minced fish or beef or who knows what over a fire on wooden sticks.

Boot: the luggage compartment at the back of a car. Known as a trunk in the USA. Actually utes don't have a boot, but it was needed for the rhyme!

Bush: basically any area that isn't a town. Better than America's Bush any day.

Doze: sleep. It's what people do after a hot Christmas dinner in the middle of summer.

Esky: a portable cooler, especially for holding cans of beer and ice.

Kelpie: an Australian sheep dog, like a border collie, but with a rougher coat.

Thongs: sandals. Nothing to do with the ones people wear around their waist.

Kangaroo: native Australian marsupial. You see them jumping around the city streets and they can cause a lot of damage to your ute.

Shoot through: leave quickly (so someone else gets stuck with the washing up.)

Swaggie: short for Swagman, a transient temporary worker, especially during the depression, equivalent to a bum, hobo or tramp in less civilised parts of the world. He carried his few worldly possessions around in a swag, usually an old blanket with a couple of carrying straps. Australia's most famous song is about a swaggie.

Ute: short for Utility Vehicle. Smaller than a pickup truck, which is the US version, it has the cabin of a car and the rear of a small truck. Invented by Lewis Brandt at the Ford Motor Company in Geelong, Victoria.1934. Basically, we needed a vehicle that could shift a few sheep or hay bales during the week but scrub up well enough to take the family to church on Sunday.

Here it is performed by Colin Buchanan & Greg Champion, and here is my video.

Away in a Manger

This song was first published in 1885 in a Lutheran Sunday school book. The author of the first two stanzas is unknown, but the third was added by Dr John T. McFarland of New York. There are two commonly used melodies for this carol. The one I grew up with, "Cradle Song" was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895, but there is an earlier one, "Mueller" by James R. Murray in 1887, which is better known in the USA.

The song has, of course, been recorded many times. Some artists who have done it are Julie Andrews, Linda Ronstadt, Celtic Women, Bright Eyes, John Denver, Rod Stewart,Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Placido Domingo and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

In this arrangement, Jack Marti (YouTube's guitmartiman) plays and sings Kirkpatrick's melody, but uses Murray's melody between verses. And here is a nice performance by Dan Samples (coolanddark).

Here is my video of the Kirkpatrick version and here is the Murray version which I sang a year later.

The Cherry Tree Carol (Child 54)

This old Christmas carol has the distinction of being one of the ballads collected by Francis James Child. An early version was sung at the Feast of Corpus Christi in the early 15th century. The version collected by Child is probably a mixture of two or three separate carols that merged together over time.

The story comes from the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew during the flight into Egypt, and the tree wasprobably a date palm rather than a cherry tree. In the original story Jesus was already born and Joseph'sanger had nothing to do with Mary's pregnancy, but rather with his frustration at not being able to reach the fruits and his worries about the family's lack of water.

I first heard this sung by Joan Baez, and that is basically the version I sing. It has also been recorded by Pentangle, Mary Hopkin, Judy Collins, John Jacob Niles, Peter, Paul and Mary, The King's College Choir, José Feliciano and Dan Samples. And here is an Italian version - Il ciliegio sung by Angelo Branduardi.


Here is my rendition and here are the lyrics.

Children, Go Where I Send Thee

This spiritual from the African-American tradition is also known as "The Holy Baby" or "Born in Bethlehem." It appears in many variations, but each number is always given a biblical reference. I first heard it performed by The Weavers. Some other recordings are by The Fairfield Four, The Kingston Trio, The Seekers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Peter, Paul and Mary, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Gordon Lightfoot, Jean Ritchie, Nina Simone, Natalie Merchant, Ralph Stanley and Johnny Cash.

Here is my rendition.

Christmas in the Trenches (John McCutcheon)

Early in World War soldiers on both sides were trapped in muddy trenches, exposed to the cold damp winter weather, sniper shots and deadly machine guns.

But in 1914 something extraordinary happened. Defying all the rules about fraternising with the enemy, soldiers from both sides in the southern Ypres region of France, temporarily putaside their weapons and met in No Man's Land in a celebrated act of Christmas goodwill. Soldiers on both sides realised that they had more in common with each other than with the leaders of their countries who sent them out to fight each other.
I first learnt of this incident through a musical stage play, "Oh, What a Lovely War," which was later made into a film. The story has been retold many times, but nowhere better than in this wonderful song, written in 1984 by American folksinger John McCutcheon.

Here is my video of the song.

Coventry Carol

This is one of the oldest known carols. It comes from the sixteenth century "Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors," one of only two plays to have survived from the cycle of late medieval mystery plays from the city of Coventry. From about the 14th century, the local tradesmen would perform morality plays for the entertainment of the VIPS of the town. This one covered the Nativity story from the Annunciation to the slaughter of the Innocents by King Herod.For those interested, the biblical reference is Matthew 2: 16-18 -

16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
I learned this song by singing it as a member of The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir at some of our Christmas concerts. Here is my video of Coventry Carol.

Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly

This joyful song of celebration barely mentions Christmas, and seems to refer back to the earlier pagan festivals which eventually became Christmas. It is similar to the madrigals that were fashionable in the 16th century in England.
The tune, however, is originally a Welsh tune, "Nos Galan," probably a dance tune which may go back to the 16th century, with lyrics that have nothing to do with the English version. This tune had gained popularity by the 18th century and was reportedly used by Mozart (1756-1791) in a duet for violin and piano.
It has been suggested that the lyrics may have been written by a Welsh American.
Here is my performance of the song.

Every Star Shall Sing a Carol (Sydney Carter)

Sydney Carter was aware of the human desire for a spiritual dimension to our lives, but also of the difficulty many have accepting orthodox Christian beliefs. In this song, he shows his ability to understand the viewpoint of both believer and sceptic. It envisages Jesus as a kind of cosmic traveller, moving from planet to planet through the infinite universe. Wherever there is life there will be Christmas, in a kind of merging of theology with Science Fiction.

Here are the lyrics.

The First Noel

This English caroldates back at least to the sixteenth century and possibly as early as the thirteenth. The version usually sung is believed to have originated in Cornwell. The original spelling was Nowell, from Anglo-Saxon, though later the French spelling was used, leading some to believe the song was of French origin. Both spellings are used these days.

The earliest date of publication is thought to be 1823 in a collection called "Ancient Christmas Carols."

And here I am singing it.

Flambeau La, Jeanette, Isabelle (Traditional French Carol)

This carol, known in English as Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella originated in the Provence region of France in the 16th century as dance music for the French nobility rather than a Christmas song. It was first published in 1553, and was eventually translated into English in the 18th century.

The song tells the story of two milkmaids, Jeanette and Isabella, who go to milk their cows in a manger in Bethlehem, only to find baby Jesus sleeping in the hay. Theyrun to town to tell the people of the village, who bring their own torches to see for themselves, keeping their voices down so as not to wake baby Jesus. Children in Provence still dress up as shepherds and milkmaids, carrying torches and candles to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve as they sing this carol.

I sing it here in French, followed by the English translation.

Frosty the Snowman (Walter "Jack" Rollins, Stewe Nelson)

This popular song was first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950, and was written specifically as an attempt to replicate the success of Autry's 1949 recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." It inspired a number of movies and TV shows and has been recorded by many singers, including Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Durante, The Beach Boys, and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Here is my rendition.

Good King Wenceslas (John Mason Neale)

This carol, published in 1853, is unusual as there is no reference in the lyrics to the nativity. Saint Wenceslaus (Svatý Václav) was the Duke of Bohemia from 907 to 935, though posthumously given the title of King by the Roman Emperor, Otto I. He was a Catholic and was martyred following his assassination by his brother Boleslaw and his supporters. He is the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic, his Saint's Day being September 28th. St. Stephen's feast day was celebrated on 26th December which is why this song is sung as a Christmas carol. The tune is that of "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("It is time for flowering"), a 13th-century spring carol from Finland, first published in 1582, three hundred years before John Mason Neale (1818 - 1866) wrote the modern lyrics.

Here is my video of the song.

The Holly and the Ivy

The modern version of this song was first published by Cecil Sharp. He collected it from a woman in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. An older related carol, "The Contest of the Ivy and the Holly", is about a contest between the respective traditional emblems of woman and man. The song in some form or other may well date back over a thousand years, due to its pagan origins. It is surprising that such a carol could survive through the strict protestant years of the seventeenth century, as it is very much about the pagan ceremony that pre-dated Christmas.

Holly and Ivy have always been taken indoors during the winter in the hope that the occupants of the house would survive difficult conditions as do these tough plants. Their colours, green and red, are traditionally associated with Christmas.

I sing this song as part of the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice choir, so here I'm wearing part of our uniform after returning from one of our Christmas concerts.

Mary's Boy Child (Jester Hairston)

This modern Christmas song was written in 1956 and sung by Harry Belafonte on his album of the same year, "An Evening With Belafonte." Other recordings are by Mahalia Jackson (1956) under the title "Mary's Little Boy Child", Boney M (1978) and many others, including The Brothers Four, Charlotte Church, Nat King Cole, Tom Jones, Jim Reeves (1963), Nina and Frederik and Kiri Te Kanawa (1984).

Here is my rendition of this carol.

Merry Christmas, You Suckers (Paddy Roberts)

I remember enjoying this cynical little Christmas song when I was in my teens. It was written at the time of the cold war, when there was a very real fear that the world was about to be destroyed by the nuclear bomb, which may help explain the last verse to those born in this era of peace.

Here is the video of me singing it.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

This song is an ancient plain song from the 12th Century or earlier. Originally in Latin (Veni, Veni, Emmanuel) it was translated by Rev. John Mason Neale in 1851. The melody comes from a 15th Cen­tu­ry pro­cess­ion­al of French Fran­cis­can nuns, arranged by Thomas Helmore, but it too may have 8th Century Gregorian origins.

The lyrics echo a num­ber of biblical pro­phecies. The ti­tle is from Isai­ah 7:14: “Be­hold, a vir­gin shall con­ceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im­man­u­el.” (He­brew for “God with us.”) The “Rod of Jesse” comes from Isai­ah 11:1: “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jes­se”; Jesse was the fa­ther of Da­vid, se­cond king of Is­ra­el. “Day-Spring” comes from Za­cha­ri­as, fa­ther of John the Bap­tist. (Luke 1:78: “The day­spring from on high has vis­it­ed us.”) “Thou Key of Da­vid” is from Isai­ah 22:22: “The key of the house of Da­vid will I lay up­on his shoul­der,” a re­ference to Isai­ah 9:6 “The gov­ern­ment shall be up­on His shoul­der.”It was originally used in the medieval church liturgy as a series of antiphons-short musical statements that were sung for the week of vesper services just before Christmas Eve. Each of these antiphons greets the anticipated Messiah with one of the titles ascribed to Himin the above quotes.

It has been recorded by Joan Baez, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Rick Wakeman and, of course, many choirs.


Here is my video of the song.

O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel) (Placide Cappeau, Adolphe Adams)

This well-known Christmas carol was composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem Minuit, chrétiens by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877). It was translated into English by Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight in 1855, who included an abolitionist message.

This song is believed to be the first piece of music ever to be broadcast on radio, played on the violin by Canadian composer, Reginald Fessenden on 24 December 1906.

It has been recorded by just about everybody you can think of, so I won't bother listing hundreds of performers here.

Here is my video of it.

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks, Lewis Redner)

Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia, wrote the words to this song in 1868, following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. three years earlier. He was inspired by the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine especially at night time. His church organist Lewis Redner (1831-1908) wrote the melody for the Sunday school children's choir. This tune, usually called "St . Louis" is used mainly in the US. In England, another tune, "Forest Green" adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams, is more often used.
When I sing this with the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir, we sing the latter tune, but the version I do here uses the Redner tune.

Poor Little Jesus

I heard this African-American spiritual sung by Odetta. It has also been recorded by Jessye Norman and Mattie Harper.

Here is my rendition.

The Seven Joys of Mary

This carol goes back to the fourteenth century, under the title, Joyis Fyve, and recounts seven things about Jesus that made his mother happy. The version I sing is an American version, sung by Burl Ives, which I learnt as a child from his 1952 album, Christmas Day in the Morning. The British version is slightly different as it includes breastfeeding as one of the joys, probably a bit much for an American audience, and also one about writing with a golden pen. The American version has him reading the Bible - presumably not The New Testament!

The song was also recorded by John Jacob Niles and, more recently, by Maddy Prior and June Tabor.

Here is my video of the song.

Silent Night

See "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" below.

The most popular English version of "Silent Night" is a translation by the Episcopal priest Reverend John Freeman Young," who enjoyed translating European hymns and carols into English. His 1863 text of "Silent Night" text is the version found in most modern English hymn books and Christmas carol collections.

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht (Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber)

The words of this song, known in English as Silent Night, were written just before Christmas in 1818, by Joseph Mohr, 26-year old assistant to the priest at St. Nicholas' Church at Oberndorf, a village 11 miles down the Salzach River from Salzburg. He asked his friend, 31-year-old Franz X. Gruber, a school teacher in the neighboring village of Arnsdorf and organist at St. Nicholas', to set it to music so that they could sing it together at the midnight Christmas service, using guitar accompaniment as the church organ had broken down.

This song was to become best known of all carols, translated into every language, yet before that it was almost lost. After its initial performance it was forgotten for seven years, until Carl Mauracher was commissioned to rebuild the organ at St. Nicholas' in 1825, and found a handwritten copy of the words and music in the organ loft. He took it back to his Tyrolian home where choral groups took the song with them wherever they sang. It became known as "the Tyrolian folk carol."

When it became the favourite carol of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia, the director of the Royal Court Choir of Berlin researched its origins, in 1854, and traced it back to Salzburg and its composers, Joseph Mohr and Franz X. Gruber.

I learned it many years ago at school in German lessons, though I’ve probably forgotten a lot of the pronunciation, but here is my attempt at singing it. And here is my video of the English translation.

Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy

I first heard this gospel song from the West Indies sung by The Weavers. It has also been recorded by Harry Belafonte and Kiri Te Kanawa among others.

Here is my rendition of the song and here are the lyrics.

What Child Is This? (William Chatterton Dix)

This popular Christmas carol was written in 1865. The story goes that Dix was confined to bed for several months by a sudden near-fatal illness. Inspired by this near-death experience Dix wrote several hymns. This one was later set to the traditional English tune of "Greensleeves," probably the best known of all English tunes.

I first heard this song as one of eight songs sung by Burl Ives on his 10" LP, "Christmas Day in the Morning" (1952).

Here is my rendition.

When a Child Is Born (Fred Jay)

This song was a big hit for Johnny Mathis. It was the only one of his singles to reach number one in the UK charts, where it stayed for three weeks in December, 1976.

Others who have recorded it include Kenny Rogers, Bing Crosby, The Seekers, The Moody Blues, Cissy Houston, Charlotte Church, Charles Aznavour, Kamahl, Bony M, Plácido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli and Willie Nelson.

Although considered a Christmas song, there is no actual mention of Christmas in the lyrics. It does seem to refer to the birth of Jesus Christ, especially if the "tiny star" that "lights up way up high" is seen as the Star of Bethlehem, but it could also be about the joy that any new baby brings into the world. Every birth is a miracle.

Here is my video of the song.

White Christmas (Irving Berlin)

This song was written by Irving Berlin in early 1940 in Phoenix, Arizona. He proclaimed that it was not only the best song he ever wrote, but the best song anybody ever wrote.

The song was first sung by Bing Crosby in the 1942 movie, Holiday Inn, as a duet with Marjorie Reynolds, whose voice was actually dubbed by Martha Mears. It won the academy award for Best Original Song. In the original script it was meant to be sung by Reynolds alone.

A later movie, White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney was the biggest-grossing film of 1954.

Crosby's single of White Christmas has been the best-selling single in any music category.

I'm no Bing Crosby, but here is my attempt at the song.