There is also a great economy of material in this song, the whole narrative is told in just four verses.Ĭan you tell us more about where it came from? I find this character of the ‘vengeful Jesus’ that appears occasionally in English folksongs (‘Bitter Withy’ is another great example) to be fascinating, perhaps giving a glimpse into the views that ordinary people had of Jesus and the Biblical stories in years past. The song tells the story of a farmer who is cursed by Jesus for going out to plough on Christmas day.
What’s interesting about ‘On Christmas Day’? The song has one of those tunes that can’t really decide what it wants to be – it doesn’t seem to conform to a single time signature and is fairly ambiguous modally as well, which gives the melody a real chilling quality, perfectly matching the song’s narrative. I first heard it performed by Spiers and Boden on their album ‘Songs’, and the first thing that struck me is the mysterious melody. On Christmas Day: chosen by Cohen Braithewaite-KilcoyneĪs someone that’s neither religious nor a particular fan of the Christmas festivities, there aren’t a huge number of Christmas songs that excite me, but this song is a real exception. Suggested recording: The Young Tradition/Shirley Collins/Dolly Collins – The Holly Bears The Crownįind out more about Angeline Morrison on her Bandcamp page.
It’s only thanks to Thomas Sharp, a Coventry antiquarian who had copied out Croo’s manuscript in 1817 and printed a few copies to sell, that we still have this hauntingly beautiful carol… Croo’s manuscript was destroyed, along with much other material relating to the Coventry plays. In an accident in 1879, involving a workman trying to thaw some frozen gas pipes and setting fire to a pile of wood shavings instead, the library was engulfed by flames. Croo’s precious manuscript was stored in Birmingham Central Library.
The version we know is thought to have been composed around 1530, and noted down by Robert Croo. Interestingly, some believe that this song would have been the only part of the Mystery Plays performed by women. There’s also a Brummie connection (more about that in a moment), which of course appeals to me… This was one of three songs in the Nativity section, performed by the Guild of Shearmen and Tailors. Originally, the song was part of the Coventry Mystery or Miracle Plays for the Feast of Corpus Christi (which took place in midsummer). The song has a fascinating history it was very nearly lost forever.
The song tells the story of the Massacre of the Innocents, a particularly dark part of the Nativity narrative where King Herod of Judea orders the massacre of all boys aged two and under in Bethlehem (Gospel of Matthew 2:16-18). It is a lullaby sung to a baby whose life is in danger, and the lyrics and melody are so eloquent about the collective agony of the mothers. I love the ‘Coventry Carol’ for its mysterious beauty and melancholy. Why have you chosen the ‘Coventry Carol’? Keep reading to find out more about their choices – they’ve even pointed you in the direction of one or two recordings of each song (you can find most of these in a handy Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page too), but other than that, we’ll leave it to our singers to tell you what’s so special about their favourite Christmas song.Ĭoventry Carol: chosen by Angeline Morrison We’re not really suggesting that this is list of the actual best traditional Christmas songs ever, but instead a chance to dig deeper into what gets a song to the top of someone’s list. However, they totally called our bluff by choosing an amazing variety of songs and carols that celebrate, honour and explore the stories and customs of Christmas. Of the myriad traditional Christmas songs, do you think you could choose just one favourite? Really…? We asked 10 traditional singers to do just that – a clear winner, shining like a star, merrily on high above all others – because who doesn’t enjoy being a little bit of a Scrooge during the season of goodwill? Not us.
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