My blog is all decorated for the holidays. It's time to add a new (for me) tradition - Blog Caroling! as presented by footnoteMaven. She writes "Blog Caroling is posting the lyrics, youtube video, etc. of your favorite Christmas carol on your blog." Since this is a new tradition for me, I decided to over-do it this year. Here are the background, the words, and two YouTube videos (one vocal, one instrumental) for my favorite carol:
"I Wonder As I Wander' grew out of three lines of music sung for me by a girl who called herself Annie Morgan.
The place was Murphy, North Carolina, and the time was July, 1933. ... Annie Morgan came out--a tousled, unwashed blond, and very lovely. She sang the first three lines of the verse of 'I Wonder As I Wander'. At twenty-five cents a performance, I tried to get her to sing all the song. After eight tries, all of which are carefully recorded in my notes, I had only three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material--and a magnificent idea. With the writing of additional verses and the development of the original melodic material, 'I Wonder As I Wander' came into being." --John Jacob Niles
The place was Murphy, North Carolina, and the time was July, 1933. ... Annie Morgan came out--a tousled, unwashed blond, and very lovely. She sang the first three lines of the verse of 'I Wonder As I Wander'. At twenty-five cents a performance, I tried to get her to sing all the song. After eight tries, all of which are carefully recorded in my notes, I had only three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material--and a magnificent idea. With the writing of additional verses and the development of the original melodic material, 'I Wonder As I Wander' came into being." --John Jacob Niles
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall.
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King
5 comments:
this is one of my favorite Christmas songs too.
I love this Christmas song and clicked on the video expecting a somewhat traditional version. I was surprised, and delighted, to hear this version -- and the accompanying pictures were beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
This is one you don't hear that often. Thanks for reminding me how beautiful it is.
This is a beautiful Christmas song that I have not heard in years. Both versions you have posted here are WONDERFUL!
I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I, too, have not heard this one in years, delighted to hear it.
Merry Christmas
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