Today is Christmas, a day that is celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, but did you know, that the actual date has also been suggested as January 6? The reason being that according to Christian scriptures, prophets such as Jesus died either on their death or their birth anniversaries.
And the deciphering has been that Jesus died on the anniversary of his birth. So if one calculated nine months after Good Friday (April 3, 33 AD), the date would pop up as January 6, or close. But the Roman church wanted a date to coincide against the pagan holiday of ‘Sol Invictus’ or ‘the return of the sun’, which fell on the first day after the shortest day of the year, which becomes December 25. Hence the holy holiday of the birth of Christ (but actually, the shortest day is December 21, now go figure).
One of the most inseparable things about Christmas is the carols or the traditional songs that are about either the birth of Christ, the legend of Santa Claus or the celebration of the week that begins with Christmas eve. Some are just simply about the season. The songs, as we know, are instant heart-warmers and have been sung by all of us, every season, at some point in our lives. Let me pull out some of the general favorites.
1. O come all ye faithful — Allegedly written in the 13th century, its origins are still unclear, but a manuscript dated 1751, in the name of John Francis Wade, is the earliest existing proof of the song. And suspicions exist that the carol was actually written for Bonnie Prince Charlie, an exiled prince, who was a claimant to the throne of England and Ireland in the 1700s. But history aside, it remains one of the most regularly sung carols every Christmas, having been covered by artists like Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Weezer, Enya, Faith Hill and Bob Dylan.
{{/usCountry}}1. O come all ye faithful — Allegedly written in the 13th century, its origins are still unclear, but a manuscript dated 1751, in the name of John Francis Wade, is the earliest existing proof of the song. And suspicions exist that the carol was actually written for Bonnie Prince Charlie, an exiled prince, who was a claimant to the throne of England and Ireland in the 1700s. But history aside, it remains one of the most regularly sung carols every Christmas, having been covered by artists like Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Weezer, Enya, Faith Hill and Bob Dylan.
{{/usCountry}}2. Hark! The Herald angles sing — another 18th century hymn written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, who was the brother of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in Christianity. Its original title is Hark! How all the Welkin Rings, Welkin meaning the heavens or the sky. But various alterations through the ages have given us this version we know today. Check out versions by Mahalia Jackson, Jewel, Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant and er…Bob Dylan.
3. Winter Wonderland – one of my favorite seasonal songs, this one really evokes the spirit of winter, even in Mumbai. Written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard Smith, this song never mentions Christmas, although it does talk of sleigh-bells, which makes it relative. One of the most covered songs with versions by Elvis Presley, George Strait, Perry Como, Cyndi Lauper, Ozzy Osbourne (seriously), Eurythmics, Johnny Mathis and yes, Bob Dylan.
4. Little drummer boy — Katherine K Davis adapted this from a traditional Czech carol in 1941. Many
versions were recorded but the 1958 Harry Simeone version became the most popular, staying on the U S charts from then right up to 1962. It is another often-covered song with versions by Rosemary Clooney, Marlene Dietrich, Nana Mouskouri, Bob Seger, Johnny Cash, Destiny’s Child, Alicia Keys , Sean Kingston, Faith Hill and of course, Bob Dylan.
5. Silent night — originally a German hymn written in 1816 by Austrian priest Josef Mohr and headmaster Franz Gruber, this remains one of the most ethereal and sublime carols ever written. The English translation, as we know today, was published in 1859 by one John Freeman Young. Boyz II Men, Stevie Nicks, Enya’s Irish version and the legendary Simon and Garfunkel version remain the
popular covers among many others (no Bob Dylan, heh).
6. Jingle bells – The most popular Christmas song that is nowhere near or about Christmas. The original title is actually, ‘One horse open sleigh’, written in 1857 by a James Lord Pierpont and was the first song ever to have been broadcast from space aboard the Gemini 6 in 1965. The song talks about taking the girls out on a ride in a ‘one horse open sleigh’ in the snow, and has many verses that reflect this. And nowhere is Santa Claus mentioned!
The song has also been parodied in popular media over the decades, to much hilarity. And as always, it has been covered by stalwarts like, Duke Ellington, Louie Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Boney M, Diana Krall and Kimberley Locke (Jeez, where’s Bob Dylan when you need him?)
But religious connotations aside, it is the perennial season of eternal goodwill and peace towards one and all, and I don’t really need a Christmas to wish you all of that… if I may say so.
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