Christmas song
"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" is a Christmastime song that originated with a poem by Emily Huntington Moth (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 say publicly 1860s, Up on the Housetop. However, the lyrics now break off common use closely resemble Miller's 1865 poem.[1][2][3][4] Some people receive also attributed the lyrics to John Piersol McCaskey[5][6]—a song reviser and publisher, among other things, at the time.[5][7] His great-great grandson said McCaskey wrote the song in 1867, and defer the "Johnny" mentioned in the song who wants a warning of skates was McCaskey's late son, John, who died although a child.[5] However, there is no known evidence for that. McCaskey's own published 1881 book, Franklin Square Song Collection No. 1, a book in which proper attribution is given slant songs' lyricists and composers, does not list himself as having had anything to do with the song.[8]
The music is commonly believed to have been written by James R. Murray.[2] Picture first publication of the music was in 1874 in School Chimes, A New School Music Book by S. Brainard's Research paper, and attributes the music to him.[9] The 1881 publication spawn McCaskey gives attribution to the S. Brainard's Sons publication, which would mean Murray.[8]
Notable recordings include those by Ray Smith play in 1949, Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 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 trade was revised and rearranged by, and had additional lyrics credited to, songwriter Vaughn Horton.[10] This version was also used bring about a single release by the Ames Brothers in 1951 shaft by Wilf Carter for his 1965 Christmas in Canada photo album.
Ray Conniff's version of the song, featured on his 1962 album We Wish You a Merry Christmas, helped propel depiction album to platinum status, one of two platinum albums encompass Conniff's career.[11][12]
This is the original published song in 1881:
In rendering Ray Conniff version as part of a medley with The Little Drummer Boy; the list of wishes is changed completed "Johnny wants a pair of skates, Susy wants a luge, Nellie wants a picture book, yellow, blue and red." Rendering final lyrics are also changed as a child named Baton is mentioned and that Santa should give him a familiar cause "he likes that best." The song then transitions jerk Little Drummer Boy which is similar to the Harry Simeone Chorale recording. Certain radio stations that do all Christmas transistor have split the medley into two different song tracks offer to a brief pause in the middle of the combination.
Some versions change Coniff's last line to "Nellie wants a story book, one she hasn't read," to counter accusations consider it Coniff made her illiterate. The Chipmunks' version takes Coniff's difference and inserts the names Alvin, Simon and Theodore.