The origins of this Christmas Carol, sometimes known
as "Christmas Day in the Morning" are sketchy in that a marked similarity
to lines from a song from the 16th century are printed in the
Introduction to Scottish Songs, Vol.1 by Joseph Ritson.It has also been likened to the
carol "As I Sat on a Sunny Bank" and under the title "The Sunny Bank",
which is often printed as another version of this carol.This version hails from either the
English county of Warwickshire or Staffordshire, but it was also known in
other counties throughout the length and breadth of England such as Kent
and Gloucestershire.There is
another thought that the carol evolved in England during the 15th
century from the legend where the relics belonging to the three wise men
were shipped into Koln, Germany, in the 12th century.It is known that the tune for the
carol has changed over the years since its first recognised publication in
1666, but it still remains ever popular in today's Christmas celebrations.Many composers have used it in
arrangements such as Leroy Anderson in his Suite of Carols for Brass
Choir, David Overton in his "Fantasia on I Saw Three Ships", and Sir
Philip Ledger has arranged it to be sung at the Festival of Nine Lessons
and Carols by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.It has been sung on recordings by
artists such as Sting, Barenaked Ladies and Jon Anderson and has appeared
as in the 1935 movie version of David Copperfield.On the television it has been
heard on South Park, Weebl and Bob and an instrumental version in
the style of Baroque was regularly heard on The Weather Channel over the
holiday season.
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra recordings
Decca B0003552-02 (CD: A Leroy Anderson Christmas)
