Julia Wade And Friends – Part 2: What Child Is This

Original Melody: Greensleeves

Lyrics by William C. Dix

Additional Music & Lyrics by Peter Link

The earliest reference to the original melody, Greensleeves, that I could find was to one Richard Jones in London way back in 1580.  It is purported that he wrote the melody as an ode to his lady who wore green sleeves.  I’ll let you dig into this further if you wish in Wikipedia.  It’s a bit of a ribald tale.

Years later, in 1865, William Chatterton Dix wrote the lyrics to the version of this beautiful ancient melody passed down through the ages to us today.

In working with the arrangement and orchestration for Julia’s very fine interpretation of the song I decided to meld the ancient and spare with a couple of ancient instruments and a modern-day Fender Rhodes piano which resulted in what I might term Ancient/Funk.  I smile at this meeting of the ages every time I hear the song.  It came out so good that we decided to open the album with it.   It provided us with a musically thematic root from which to work on the album.

 

We wanted to do an album of both Jesus and Santa songs and meld those two wondrous spirits of Christmas together into a whole.  Why?  Because that’s what Christmas means to me. When I was a kid, my parents wisely limited Christmas Eve to Jesus and his birth and Christmas day to Santa and his gifts.  Both days were always at the root of my own personal longing.

While working, an additional melody, or spin-off came to me as a celebration of the moment.  My apologies go out to Richard Jones for the reinterpretation of his original melody.  But I’m sure that I’m not the only composer who has done such over the years …

Here are Mr. Dix’s time-honored lyrics:

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

What Child is this whom angels greet

This is the Christ, the king

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

What Child is this whom angels greet

This is the Christ, the king

What child is this

On Mary’s lap lay sleeping