Peace to you
Artist unknown
For many of us this is a special time of the year. Merry Christmas celebrates the first coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in the form of a human baby.
For others, Happy Holidays expresses a joyous time of being with family and friends and exchanging gifts.
You can find a combination of the two holidays in numerous forms and traditions.
Artist unknown
I fall in the first category, with traditions that overlap with the second. I keep the Christ in Christmas, with my main focus on the incredible gift that God sent us. Was it on December 25, so long ago? Probably not!
But since we don’t know an exact date, Dec 25 is as good as any other for me. What’s important is my thankful attitude and actions.
Those actions include, for me, singing favorite songs about Jesus’ birth - like Away in the Manger.
Artist Unknown
Long believed to be written by theologian Martin Luther for his children, the sweet lullaby has been sung hundreds of times each Christmas season.
Just like the origins of The 12 Days of Christmas fact and fable are two very different things. (See my past blog on The 12 Days of Christmas origins).
‘Behold the Child’ by Artist Lynn Bywaters
The first published version of Away in a Manger was in a book of songs, 1885, titled ‘Luther’s Cradle Hymn’. It had 2 verses and was written anonymously, with original credit given to Martin Luther.
Away in the manger, no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His wee head.
The stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep in the hay.
Animals at Crib Nativity Scene, Carolyn’s Treasures
Since that first version there have been MANY revisions, changes both large and small, and a 3rd verse added. Do the lyrics seem a bit off? That’s because those are not the words we sing today!
Let’s try again-
Away in a manger, no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky look down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
Possibly by muian
Hmmm, still not what I’m used to…
How about
‘The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,’
Some revisions seem to do with rhythm and meter. Some seem to be correcting a bit of grammar, or just trying to make the words have a clearer meaning.
Artist possibly Antonio Licciardi
The earliest versions say, in almost identical words, that this is a cradle song written by Martin Luther.
1882 Childrens’ Corner of The Christian Cynosure
1883 Little Pilgrim Songs
1887 Cradle Song
Problem:
Away in the Manger is first found in the German language in 1934, 50 years after the first publication in English. Martin Luther spoke German, quite a few years before that. The 1934 text is also rather stilted and appears to be a translation, not an original language, and definitely not in the writing style of Martin Luther. That kind of kicks him out as the author, along with several more reasons.
The theory goes, and it is just a theory, not fact, that the original author wanted to lend some authenticity to the lullaby, and was most likely a church person. So, they attributed it to Luther, even going so far as naming it
‘Luther’s Cradle Song’.
It worked!
Spanish artist Juan Fernandiz (1918-1997)
By the end of the 1800’s Away in a Manger was being performed in churches in Nashville, TN every Christmas. From there it spread all across the United States. Only a matter of time for it to reach across the ocean to Great Britain, Ireland, and north to Canada.
Yet, slightly different.
The first melody was written by James R. Murray, about 1887. This is the tune that most Americans sing. However Mr. Murray made 2 mistakes. He named it “Luther’s Cradle Hymn” and said that Luther had composed the hymn. Then he put his own initials in the spot for composer. People thought that meant Luther wrote and composed it, and Murray just arranged the accompaniment.
Big difference. Several companies then published the song, not giving Mr. Murray any credit at all.
By 1914 the story was going around that a Carl Mueller actually wrote the tune. (No one knows who Carl Mueller is.) Several publications picked that up, and it became known as ‘Mueller’s Melody’.
Oops.
Eight years later William J. Kirkpatrick wrote a tune to go with the words and it was published in Around the World at Christmas in 1895. It was listed as ‘Luther’s Cradle Hymn’ and was placed in ‘A hymn for the German Fatherland’ section, still perpetuating the story of Martin Luther having written it.
Mr. Kirk Patrick’s tune was published in many hymn books and is the familiar melody in Britain, and other countries outside of the USA.
“Behold the Child” by Lynn Bywaters
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.
In 1892 Charles H. Gabriel published ‘Gabriel’s Vineyard Songs’.
He wrote a 3rd verse to go with a tune that he also wrote, yet credited Martin Luther as the author and still titled it ‘Luther’s Cradle Song’.
‘Nativity with animals’, artist unknown
There is another variation that changes the last line to
‘And take us to heaven to live with Thee there’.
Mr. Gabriel is also known for having written more variations of the melody than anyone else!
Artist D Rodger or Radyer
In spite of the fact that Martin Luther did not write the lullaby, and the many variations in lyrics, and either of the melodies you choose to use - it remains a favorite song traditionally sung during the Christmas season.
Artist (possibly)Willy or Wally Schramm
My wish for you is that you know the peace and calm that only God can give as we celebrate His most incredible gift to us.
‘Til next time,
inkspired
A few websites I visited while writing this blog, in no particular order:
Wordpress.com
thelittlemusicbazaar.com
Wikipedia.org
lawleyeverdale-pc.gov.uk
www.goodandbeautiful.com
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