Our eight favourite traditional Christmas carols… and what’s behind them
Our eight favourite traditional Christmas carols… and what’s behind them . 
The Jamaica Observer
There are many different aspects of Christmas that make the season wonderful: family, food, gifts, parties, decorations et al. But the most special part of the Yuletide, the true meaning of the period, is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, which is why Christmas carols have a special place in our hearts and evoke a feeling of nostalgia.

It’s against this backdrop that Observer Online shares with you, our eight favourite Christmas carols of all time. Here goes:

8. O Holy Night

This song about the night of Christ’s birth was written in 1843 by the French poet Placide Cappeau. It is a general favourite at Christmas time and has been covered often by popular artistes including the likes of Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.

7. The Little Drummer Boy

Written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941, the song was originally titled “Carol of the Drum” and tells the story of a poor boy who was summoned by the Three Wise Men to the birth of Christ. The boy didn’t have a gift for Jesus but played his drum to the approval of the child’s mother, Mary. The chorus of this Christmas classic is iconic and has been sampled many times including by secular musicians.

6. Joy to the World

Certainly one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, it is a must on any playlist at this time of the year. In fact, since the 20th century, ’Joy to the World’ has been the most published hymn associated with the Yuletide. But unknown to many is that in its original form, it had nothing to do with Christmas. Isaac Watts, credited as one of the great hymn writers in church history, wrote ‘Joy to the World’ in 1719 based on an interpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3 and the lyrics did not reflect the birth of Jesus, but rather as Christ’s second coming.

5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, unlike the aforementioned ‘Joy to the World’, was literally written by Charles Wesley as a ‘Hymn for Christmas Day’ in 1739. The carol, based on Luke 2:14, tells of an angelic chorus singing praises to God. It’s a favourite to belt out at Christmas.

4. The First Noel

One of the most beautiful Christmas carols, ‘The First Noel’ is of Cornish origin and dates back to as early as the 13th century. Its current form of melody and lyrics was first published in the 1823 edition of ‘Carols Ancient and Modern’, edited by Davies Gilbert. The carol makes reference to the events leading to the birth of Christ, from the appearance of the angels to the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

3. We Three Kings

It will probably come as a surprise to readers that this carol is ranked as high as it is, but we did tell you it is a list of our favourites! This song was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr in 1857 and the title is self-explanatory as it centres around the Three Wise Men who visited Jesus in the manger.

2. Silent Night

It was written by young Austrian priest Joseph Mohr in 1818 and refers to the calmness and brightness of the night in anticipation of the birth of Jesus. It was first performed on Christmas Eve in Austria, sending a message of peace during a time of war and devastation. Today, ‘Silent Night’ is the world’s most recorded Christmas song, with more than 137,000 known recordings, and translations in more than 300 languages and dialects.

1. O Come, All Ye Faithful

There’s absolutely no Christmas playlist without this ‘banger’ of a carol, the lyrics of which have been attributed to several authors including English hymnist John Francis Wade (1711 – 1786), English composer John Reading (1645-1692) and King John IV of Portugal (1604 – 1656). Wade’s name appears on the earliest printed versions of the song and the version we sing today. The song puts worshippers at the centre of the story, beckoning us to “come, all ye faithful . . . to Bethlehem”, to see Christ.

Share your thoughts on our list. What Christmas carol is your favourite of all time?
Jamaica
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2024-12-15
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Our eight favourite traditional Christmas carols… and what’s behind them