Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" is a Christmas song that originated with a poem by Emily Huntington Miller (1833–1913), published as "Lilly's Secret" in The Little Corporal Magazine in December 1865. The song's lyrics have also been attributed to Benjamin Hanby, who wrote a similar song in the 1860s, Up on the Housetop. However, the lyrics now in common use closely resemble Miller's 1865 poem.[1][2][3][4] Some people have also attributed the lyrics to John Piersol McCaskey[5][6]—a song editor and publisher, among other things, at the time.[5][7] His great-great grandson said McCaskey wrote the song in 1867, and that the "Johnny" mentioned in the song who wants a pair of skates was McCaskey's late son, John, who died as a child.[5] However, there is no known evidence for this. McCaskey's own published 1881 book, Franklin Square Song Collection No. 1, a book in which proper attribution is given to songs' lyricists and composers, does not list himself as having had anything to do with the song.[8]
The music is generally believed to have been written by
Notable recordings include those by Ray Smith in 1949, Chet Atkins in 1961, Eddy Arnold in 1962, Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1963, Andy Williams in 1995, Anne Murray in 2001, and Carole King in 2017.
The Ray Smith 1949 version was revised and rearranged by, and had additional lyrics credited to, songwriter Vaughn Horton.[10] This version was also used for a single release by the Ames Brothers in 1951 and by Wilf Carter for his 1965 Christmas in Canada album.
Lyrics
This is the original published song in 1881:
- Jolly old Saint Nicholas
- Lean your ear this way;
- Don't you tell a single soul
- What I'm going to say,
- Christmas Eve is coming soon;
- Now you dear old man,
- Whisper what you'll bring to me;
- Tell me if you can.
- When the clock is striking twelve,
- When I'm fast asleep,
- Down the chimney broad and black
- With your pack you'll creep;
- All the stockings you will find
- Hanging in a row;
- Mine will be the shortest one;
- You'll be sure to know.
- Johnny wants a pair of skates;
- Susy wants a dolly
- Nellie wants a story book,
- She thinks dolls are folly
- As for me, my little brain
- Isn't very bright;
- Choose for me, dear Santa Claus,
- What you think is right.
In the Ray Conniff version as part of a medley with
Some versions change Coniff's last line to "Nellie wants a story book, one she hans't read," to counter accusations that Coniff made her illiterate.
See also
- Santa Claus
- Christmas gift-bringers around the world
- List of Christmas carols
References
- ^ Mrs. Alfred Gatty, ed. (March 1869). Aunt Judy's May-Day Volume For Young People. Vol. 6. Bell and Daldy, London. p. 316.
- ^ a b Anderson, Douglas D. "Jolly Old St. Nicholas". Hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Jolly Old St. Nicholas". Band Music Library. Tuxedo Union Free School District. Retrieved January 27, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Fa-la-la-la facts". USPS.com. United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
The lyrics were adapted from the 1865 poem "Lilly's Secret" by author and poet Emily Huntington Miller.
- ^ a b c McCaskey, Patrick (2013-05-05). "J.P. McCaskey remembered on anniversary". LNP. Archived from the original on 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
- Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
- ^ McCaskey, John Piersol (1881). Franklin Square Song Collection No. 1. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: American Book Company. p. 0. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ a b McCaskey, John Piersol (1881). Franklin Square Song Collection No. 1. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: American Book Company. p. 80. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ School Chimes, A New School Music Book. Cleveland: S. Brainard's Sons. 1874. p. 43. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/9912702/The+Ames+Brothers/Jolly+Old+St.+Nicholas lyrics.com, lyrics to Ames Brothers' version of the song
- ^ (No author.) "Musician Ray Conniff dead at 85," UPI NewsTrack, 14 October 2002.
- ^ "Christmas Album of the Week". South Pasadena Review.