Dec 082011
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
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