Christmas Song Story: Calypso Carol
The Calypso Carol is often known by it’s opening line “See him lying on a bed of straw”. Some announcers have introduced the song as a traditional folk carol of the West Indies. However, it was…
Behind the Christmas Song: We Three Kings
In honor of Epiphany, which we just celebrated, I thought We Three Kings would be a great song to take a closer look at. We Three Kings describes the journey of the Wise Men to…
Behind the Christmas Song: Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Sweet Little Jesus Boy finds it’s roots in the African-American spirituals. The song was written by Robert MacGimsey. According to legend, MacGimsey left the midnight Christmas Eve service he’d been attending that cold night in…
Behind the Christmas Song: O Come O Come Emmanuel
The words and music of “O Come O Come Emmanuel” developed separately. The original text, which was in Latin, was first documented in 1710 in Germany. The tune has it’s origins in 15th Century France.…
Behind the Christmas Song: What Child Is This?
What Child is This? was written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865 in England. Dix worked as a manager for an insurance company before being afflicted with a severe illness that left him bedridden and…