Some of the most popular Christmas carols we hear all throughout December has its origins long before we were born. Here are just some of those most popular Christmas songs and how it started.
Joy to the World - Written in 1719 by English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts, "Joy to the World" is a Christmas carol and hymn. It is typically sung to a tune attributed to George Frideric Handel, which was arranged by American composer Lowell Mason in 1848. The lyrics of the hymn are a Christian interpretation of Genesis 3 and Psalm 98.
Despite not being initially linked with Christmas, "Joy to the World" has become the most-published Christmas song in North America since the 20th century, appearing in 1,387 hymnals as of December 2009, according to the Dictionary of North American Hymnology.
Isaac Watts, an English hymn writer and pastor, wrote "Joy to the World" using a Christian interpretation of Genesis 3 and Psalm 98. The song was first used in reference to the Christian State and Worship in Watts' 1719 compilation The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. Watts' Christological view is the paraphrase. As a result, he does not give each of Psalm 98's themes equal weight. Watts describes heaven and earth celebrating the arrival of the King in the first and second stanzas. Since the lyrics of this hymn speak of Christ's Second Coming rather than the Virgin birth of Jesus, Watts did not write it as a Christmas song. Christ's benefits triumphantly extend across the world of sin in stanza three, an interlude that refers to Genesis 3:17–19 rather than the psalm text. Because the line "far as the curse is found" is repeated so cheerfully, several hymnals have left this stanza off. However, when viewed through the lens of the New Testament, as Watts does when interpreting the psalm, the passage makes joyful sense. "The nations are called to celebrate because God's faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world," says stanza four, which celebrates Christ's rule over the nations.
The First Noel - The First Nowell, also known as Nowel, is a classic English Christmas carol with Cornish origins that most certainly dates from the early modern era, though it may have been earlier. It has been modernized as "The First Noel" or Noël. According to the Roud Folk Song Index, it is number 682.
The current version of "The First Nowell" was originally published in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Carols (1833), both edited by William Sandys. Davies Gilbert, who also composed additional lyrics, arranged and revised the song for Hymns and Carols of God.
Nowell is an Early Modern English synonym for "Christmas" that comes from the Latin natalis [dies] (day of birth) and the French noël (the Christmas season). The phrases "Nowell sing we now all and some" (Trinity Carol Roll), "Nowel – out of youre slepe arise and wake" (Selden Carol Book), and Sir Christèmas (Ritson Manuscript) are examples of carols that frequently utilized the word from the Middle Ages to the early modern era. Consequently, the term also became associated with a carol or Christmas tune.
Unlike other English folk tunes, the melody is composed of a single melodic phrase that is played twice, followed by a refrain that is a variant of the same phrase. The third of the scale marks the end of each of the three sentences. According to Anne Gilchrist's 1915 article in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society, it had not been documented before Sandys' release. She hypothesized that the tune might have originated as a treble part to another carol, "Hark, hark what news the angels bring," based on a set of church gallery parts found in Westmorland. She suggested that the treble part was passed down orally and was later remembered as the melody rather than a harmony. The New Oxford Book of Carols contains a speculative reconstruction of this previous form.
The English composer John Stainer originally published "The First Nowell" in his 1871 book Carols, New and Old. Today, it is typically played in a four-part hymn arrangement. Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony contains variations on its theme.
The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library has audio recordings of various traditional renditions of the song that were made in Cornwall in the early 1930s by American folklorist James Madison Carpenter.
Good King, Wenceslas - On the Feast of St. Stephen in 1853, English hymn composer John Mason Neale composed the lyrics to the song "Good King Wenceslas" in remembrance of the Bohemian duke St. Wenceslaus from the tenth century. "Tempus adest floridum" (The time is approaching for flowering), a 13th-century Finnish spring hymn that had appeared in the 1582 collection Piae Cantiones, used as the accompaniment for the lyrics. In keeping with the custom of the Feast of St. Stephen (Boxing Day), the carol's tale honors kindness and altruism.
The song tells the story of Wenceslaus I, a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia, known for his piety and charity. The song is set on December 26th, the Feast of St. Stephen, a day that has historically been connected to deeds of kindness for the underprivileged. The tune was discovered in a collection of late medieval Finnish songs from the 16th century.
In spite of the severe weather, the carol portrays St. Wenceslas venturing out on a chilly winter's night to deliver food and firewood to a needy man. He is joined by his page, who struggles in the deep snow, but Wenceslas literally and figuratively guides him by following in his footsteps.
The Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas" (Roud number 24754) narrates the tale of a monarch of Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) in the eleventh century who braves the bitter cold to deliver alms to a needy peasant on the Feast of Stephen. His page is about to give up the fight against the freezing weather during the voyage, but he is able to keep going by tracing the king's tracks through the heavy snow, step by step.
Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935), is the subject of a legend.
Together with his music editor Thomas Helmore, English hymnwriter John Mason Neale composed the lyrics in 1853 to match the tune of the spring carol "Tempus adest floridum" ("The Blooming Time Is Here") from the 13th century, which they discovered in the Finnish song collection Piae Cantiones from 1582. In the same year, Novello & Co. released Carols for Christmas-Tide, which featured the carol for the first time.
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Together with his music editor Thomas Helmore, English hymnwriter John Mason Neale composed the lyrics in 1853 to match the tune of the spring carol "Tempus adest floridum" ("The Blooming Time Is Here") from the 13th century, which they discovered in the Finnish song collection Piae Cantiones from 1582. In the same year, Novello & Co. released Carols for Christmas-Tide, which featured the carol for the first time.
Brooks experienced a strong connection to the narrative of Christ's birth when he traveled to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1865. He later referred to the experience as "singing in my soul" as he rode across the meadows outside the village and went to services at the Church of the Nativity.
Three years later, Brooks felt moved to compose the poem for the youngsters of his Philadelphia congregation. He wished to convey to them the depth of his experience.
For the next Christmas Sunday school session, he asked Lewis Redner, the organist at his church, to compose a piece of music based on his poetry. According to A Frank Voice, Redner battled to write the song's melody before having an epiphany the night before the show, which allowed the song to be performed as scheduled.
The carol was sung for the first time by several Sunday school teachers and children during the Christmas program. Although Brooks and Redner did not anticipate the hymn's longevity, its straightforward yet impactful message has made it a favorite Christmas carol for more than a century.
The carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is dedicated to Christmas. The carol, which is based on a text by Phillips Brooks from 1868, is well-known on both sides of the Atlantic, but to different tunes: "Forest Green," a tune compiled by Ralph Vaughan Williams and originally included in the 1906 English Hymnal, is popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland, while "St. Louis," a song by Brooks' collaborator Lewis Redner, is popular in the United States and Canada.
The author of the text was Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest who served as rector of Trinity Church in Boston and the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia. His 1865 visit to the town of Bethlehem in the Sanjak of Jerusalem served as inspiration. He composed the poetry for his church three years later, and Lewis Redner (1831–1908), his organist, supplied the music.
The Sunday School Committee of the Diocese of Ohio organized the carol's text into five stanzas of eight lines, which were then published in The Sunday School Service and Hymn Book. Most hymn and carol books remove the original fourth verse.
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - A folk song from the 16th century, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" probably originated in the West Country, when on Christmas Eve, carol singers would demand sweets like "figgy pudding" from affluent homes. Arthur Warrell's 1935 arrangement, which helped the song become well recognized, was the first written score, albeit the composer is unknown.
Sung by individuals, particularly children, as they went door-to-door delivering Christmas presents, the song began as a secular folk carol. The request for "figgy pudding," a dish made with dried fruit that resembles contemporary Christmas pudding, is a crucial line. The song highlighted a vibrant exchange between the rich and the needy over the Christmas season and was a sly way for carol singers to request treats.
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" was a popular way to end caroling sessions since, in contrast to many other traditional carols, it was comical and acted as a kind request for gifts.
It is still unclear who the original composer and writer were. After composer Arthur Warrell composed a choir arrangement and the Oxford University Press published it in 1935, the song gained widespread recognition. Warrell's arrangement helped the song's positive message reach throughout the world and cemented its place in popular culture.
Winter Wonderland - Inspired by the snow-covered Central Park in Honesdale, lyricist Richard B. Smith composed the lyrics to the song "Winter Wonderland" in 1934 when he was in a hospital recuperating from TB. Richard Himber was the first to record the song, while Felix Bernard composed the music. Despite not being a Christmas song at first, Guy Lombardo's rendition of the song became a huge hit in its first year of publication thanks to its romantic, winter-themed lyrics and the addition of a snowman named Parson Brown.
Richard B. Smith wrote the words to "Winter Wonderland" after being influenced by the icy surroundings of his hometown of Honesdale, Pennsylvania. When Smith wrote the song's lyrics, he was receiving treatment for tuberculosis at the West Mountain Sanitarium in Scranton. Smith's lyrics were set to a melody written by Felix Bernard.
Richard Himber and His Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra recorded the song for the first time in 1934, adding extra time at the conclusion of another recording session. One of the greatest hits of 1934 was the orchestral version of "Winter Wonderland" by Guy Lombardo.
The song's central plot is around a couple who construct a snowman in a meadow and pose as Parson Brown, a clergyman.
The song gained popularity over the holiday season because of its winter mood and references to sleigh bells. With the lyrics of the snowman's phrase being read to hint at marriage or "tying the knot," "Winter Wonderland" became a pop standard over time, further connecting it to the Christmas season.
Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith wrote the song "Winter Wonderland" in 1934. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is frequently considered a Christmas song because of its seasonal subject. More than 200 different artists have covered it since Richard Himber recorded it first. The winter romance of a couple is the subject of its lyrics.
"Winter Wonderland" was changed "from a romantic winter interlude to a seasonal song about playing in the snow" by adding a "new children's lyric" in a later edition (issued in 1947). The couple's vows in the last verse were replaced with lyrics about having fun, and the snowman mentioned in the song's bridge was renamed from Parson Brown to a circus clown. By including a verse and chorus, singers such as Johnny Mathis linked the two versions.
According to reports, Smith, a native of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was moved to pen the lyrics after witnessing the snow-covered Central Park in his hometown. While receiving treatment for tuberculosis at the West Mountain Sanitarium in Scranton, he composed the song's lyrics.
The song was first recorded by RCA Victor in 1934. With extra time to spare after Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra finished a different recording session, RCA Victor proposed arranging and recording "Winter Wonderland" with a few more members of its own orchestra, including Artie Shaw and other well-known studio musicians from New York City.
One of the greatest hits of 1934 would be Guy Lombardo's rendition from the same year.
The song was covered by Perry Como for his 1946 album, Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music.
Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians covered the song with the Andrews Sisters in 1946 as well.
The introduction is sung in between the first and second refrains of Johnny Mathis' rendition, which can be heard on his 1958 LP Merry Christmas.
The song's jazz arrangement was recorded by Ella Fitzgerald for her Verve album Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas in 1960.
Using his signature Wall of Sound production method, Phil Spector recorded a fast-paced version of the song for the A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector album in 1963. The primary vocalist was Darlene Love.
The song was covered by Tony Bennett for his 1968 album Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album. In 2014, he recorded it once more in a duet with Lady Gaga.
The song was sung by Elvis Presley for his album Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas in 1971.
The song was covered by Ringo Starr for his 1999 album I Wanna Be Santa Claus.
As part of Amazon Music's Amazon Original Music series, Chlöe performed a cover of the song in 2023. Her rendition of the song became the first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 87.
Laufey performed the song's cover on Spotify as part of their Spotify Singles Holiday series in 2023. With the exception of the US, the cover became the song's highest-charting version in the Core Anglosphere.
Twelve Days of Christmas - Though a disproved myth connects it to Catholic catechism, the "Twelve Days of Christmas" was first published in England in 1780 as a children's book. It most likely started out as a memory game rather than a secret religious code. The lyrics are a cumulative song, with each verse building on the one before it. The tune was added by English composer Frederic Austin in 1909 and was based on a popular folk melody.
The lyrics were first recorded in 1780 as part of a compilation of stories and poems titled Mirth Without Mischief.
Children probably played a cumulative game in which each player added a line to the song; the winner was the last person to accurately recite the full sequence.
There was no music in the 1780 edition. Based on a traditional folk tune, English musician Frederic Austin composed the well-known melody we sing today in 1909.
There is a widely held belief that the song was used as a code for Catholics in England when they were persecuted for their faith. This theory's proponents propose symbols such as the "partridge in a pear tree" to symbolize Christ and the "five golden rings" to represent the first five books of the Bible. Because it is unsupported by evidence and has logical flaws, historians generally reject this idea. Singing Christmas carols in public would not have been possible if Christians were as persecuted as the hypothesis implies.
Beginning on Christmas Day and ending on Epiphany (January 6), the "twelve days of Christmas" are a time of festivity. An order from the Council of Tours in 567 CE and old traditions both had an impact on this cultural legacy.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a nursery rhyme and Christmas carol in English. The words of this well-known cumulative song describe a string of ever-increasing presents that the speaker's "true love" gives them on each of the twelve days of Christmas (the twelve days that comprise the Christmas season, beginning with Christmas Day). With a Roud Folk Song Index number of 68, the carol was originally published in England in the late eighteenth century. The song has been linked to many distinct tunes, the most well-known of which is based on an arrangement of a popular folk tune by English composer Frederic Austin from 1909.
We Three Kings - The lyrics and music for the song "We Three Kings" were composed by American hymnodist and clergyman John Henry Hopkins Jr. for a Christmas pageant in 1857. Originally named "Three Kings of Orient," the tune became the first widely recognized Christmas carol composed in America when it was included in Hopkins' book Carols, Hymns, and Songs in 1863.
This song is the most well-known work by Episcopal preacher, musician, and author John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1820–1891). He composed the words and melody for the carol in 1857.
The song was written for a New York City Christmas pageant.
Additionally, it was written for a trio of male singers, which was unusual for a hymnwriter at the time. "The Three Kings of Orient," or "The Quest of the Magi," was the initial title, alluding to the biblical wise men mentioned in Matthew's Gospel.
Hopkins initially told his loved ones and friends about the carol. It appeared in his collection Carols, Hymns, and Songs in 1863. "We Three Kings" was the first Christmas carol penned in America to become enormously popular.
John Henry Hopkins Jr. wrote the Christmas carol "We Three Kings" in 1857. It was originally titled "Three Kings of Orient" and is also referred to as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi." The carol was written for a Christmas pageant in New York City by Hopkins, who was the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, at the time. It was the first American Christmas carol to achieve widespread popularity.
Angels We Have Heard on High - Before Roman Catholic bishop James Chadwick translated it into English in 1862, "Angels We Have Heard on High" was the traditional French carol "Les anges dans nos campagnes" from the 18th century. Chadwick's paraphrased English lyrics were first published in the Crown of Jesus Music hymnal in 1862, but the song's structure and melody, known as "Gloria," were initially published in French in 1842. The shepherds' happy meeting with the angels who proclaim the birth of Christ is recounted in the hymn.
The 18th-century French carol "Les anges dans nos campagnes" (The Angels in Our Countryside), which may have originated in the Languedoc region, was the song's original form.
Eight stanzas of the original French language were published in the Choix de cantiques sur les airs nouveaux in 1842. The verse was translated and adapted into English for the hymnal Crown of Jesus Music in 1862 by English Catholic Bishop James Chadwick. The well-known "Gloria, in Excelsis Deo!" (Glory to God in the Highest!) chorus is featured in the "Gloria" song, which originally initially debuted with the French text.
The narrative of Jesus' birth, particularly the shepherds' encounter with the angels (Luke 2:6–20), serves as the inspiration for the song's lyrics. Shepherds and Bethlehem women sang back and forth before joining in on a chorus in the original French version, which was organized as a conversation. The joyful news of Christ's birth and the ensuing harmony and goodwill on Earth are conveyed in the song.
James Chadwick translated the English lyrics of the old French song "Les Anges dans nos campagnes" to create the Christmas carol "Angels We Have Heard on High" to the hymn music "Gloria." The story of Jesus Christ's birth as told in the Gospel of Luke is the topic of the hymn, particularly the moment outside Bethlehem where shepherds come across a throng of angels singing and praising the infant.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful - The 18th century saw the creation of the Christmas carol "O Come All Ye Faithful," or "Adeste Fideles" in Latin, by composer John Francis Wade. Wade is credited with writing the initial four Latin verses in the mid-1740s, however the exact provenance of the melody is up for question. His signature appears on the oldest known copy. Samuel Webbe's earlier, less well-known translation from the 1760s was followed by Frederick Oakeley's popular English translation in 1841.
The provenance of the tune has been disputed, but the words and music are now usually attributed to John Francis Wade (1711–1786).
"Adeste Fideles" is the title of the original Latin song. Stonyhurst College is home to the oldest surviving manuscripts, which are signed by Wade and date to approximately 1743–1751. Due to religious persecution, Wade, a Roman Catholic, left England and relocated to France, where he sold and copied music.
Samuel Webbe translated "Ye Faithful Approach Ye," the first recorded English translation, in the 1760s. Frederick Oakeley wrote "O Come, All Ye Faithful," the most popular English translation, in 1841. Former Anglican minister Oakeley became a member of the "Oxford Movement" after converting to Roman Catholicism.
Other authors added the additional verses, bringing Wade's original four stanzas to a total of eight.
The hymn's status as a traditional Christmas carol was cemented as it became widely known and translated into numerous languages.
The Christmas carol "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (also called "Adeste Fideles") has been credited to a number of writers, including King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656), John Francis Wade (1711–1786), John Reading (1645–1692), and unidentified Cistercian monks. Wade released a book with the first printed copy. Wade's 1751 manuscript is kept at Lancashire's Stonyhurst College.
Eight verses were added to the hymn's initial four, and these have been translated into several languages. The song, which was translated into English as "O Come All Ye Faithful" by English Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley in 1841, gained popularity in English-speaking nations.
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - During a scorching heatwave in Hollywood, California, in July 1945, lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne wrote the song "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" with the hope of cooler weather. Despite lacking any overt Christmas overtones in its lyrics, it became a winter classic after being recorded by Vaughn Monroe and published the same year.
One of the hottest days ever recorded in Hollywood, California, inspired the famous winter song. In contrast to the oppressive heat they were feeling, Cahn and Styne wanted to write a song that would make people feel warm and cozy. The song, which reflected a general yearning for calm and contentment, was written during the post-World War II recovery period.
Despite not mentioning Christmas in its lyrics, the song's winter theme made it synonymous with the holiday season and has since become a mainstay of Christmas music. The song's 1959 recording by Dean Martin for his album A Winter Romance is regarded as one of its most cherished and timeless renditions. "Let It Snow!" was originally written as a romantic song with a summertime feel, but it has endured for decades as a staple of the American Christmas songbook, with innumerable musicians recording it in a variety of genres.
The song "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (or just "Let It Snow") was composed in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, amid a heat wave by songwriter Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne, who were envisioning colder weather. That October, Vaughn Monroe recorded the song for the first time. It was published just after Thanksgiving and became popular by Christmas.
Other recordings made in the United States during the winter of 1945–46 were by Bob Crosby (ARA), Woody Herman (Columbia), Connee Boswell (Decca), and Danny O’Neil (Majestic).
No holiday is mentioned in the song. The song's lyrics are about enjoying popcorn and a fireplace while spending time with a loved one during a snowstorm. Love will keep the singer warm when he is forced to leave and is out in the cold. Because of its winter theme, the song has become a global Christmas favorite and is frequently played on radio stations throughout the Christmas and holiday season. Several artists have covered it on albums with a Christmas theme.
Jingle Bell Rock - Although American songwriters Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe wrote "Jingle Bell Rock" in 1957, Bobby Helms' 1957 release is regarded as the first major rock and roll Christmas song. It features a well-known guitar riff by Hank Garland and a bridge (memorable lines) that Helms is said to have added. The song has been the subject of authorship disputes; both Helms and Garland have disputed the version that was originally given to them and asserted that they made substantial contributions to the final, popular version.
The composition of "Jingle Bell Rock" is attributed to advertising and public relations specialists James Ross Boothe and Joseph Carleton Beal. The song's rock and roll vibe made country singer Bobby Helms first hesitant to record it. His company, Decca Records, persuaded him to record it. In 1957, Helms' rendition of the song was made public.
The unique guitar riff in the song was created by session guitarist Hank Garland, who combined rock and country influences. "What a bright time/It's the right time/To rock the night away" is the bridge, which Bobby Helms claimed to have added.
Bobby Helms originally published the American Christmas song "Jingle Bell Rock" in 1957. Since then, it has been played frequently during every Christmas season in the US and is widely regarded as Helms' signature song. Helms and Hank Garland, the song's session guitarist, both denied that Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe wrote "Jingle Bell Rock" (see Authorship issue section below). Boothe was an American writer in the advertising industry, and Beal was a public relations specialist from Massachusetts who had lived on South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for a long period.
It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - George Wyle and Eddie Pola wrote "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in 1963 especially for Andy Williams' Christmas television program. That same year, it was included on his debut Christmas album. The song became a holiday tradition after Wyle, a vocal director for Williams' show, penned it for the show's 1962–1963 Christmas special and Williams played it every year on his show.
Eddie Pola and George Wyle wrote the tune. The song was written by Wyle, the vocal director of The Andy Williams Show, and was featured on the show's 1962–1963 Christmas special. The song was recorded by Williams in 1963 for The Andy Williams Christmas Album, his debut Christmas album. Williams' performance of the song on his annual Christmas specials rapidly made it a holiday tradition.
Now a timeless favorite, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is played during the Christmas season on radio stations and at malls. The song solidified Williams' moniker as "Mr. Christmas," and many other musicians have covered it.
Edward Pola and George Wyle wrote the well-known Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in 1963. Pop singer Andy Williams recorded and released it that year as part of his debut Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album. However, Williams' record label, Columbia Records, chose to push his cover of "White Christmas" as the official promo single from the album that year, rather than releasing the song as a promotional single. Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" has appeared on pop singles charts all around the world.
It peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart in 2021 and number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 2020.
