What is the history behind the Christmas classic, ” Deck the Halls “?”
During the holidays, people enjoy traditional songs that they do not listen to during the rest of the year. Many of these songs have long and interesting histories. Here are the “biographies” of a few favorite Christmas songs: History of “I’ll be Home for Christmas” This song was first made popular by Bing Crosby in 1943. It touched a nerve for families and servicemen in the United States, England, Canada and other English-speaking nations who were fighting in World War two, and the song was one of the most-requested at U.S.O. shows. It has since been recorded by numerous artists, including Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash and Toby Keith. It was made into a 1998 movie starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas. History of “Silent Night” The words to this very popular Christmas song were first written in 1816 by an Austrian Priest, Josef Mohr. Naturally, the words were in German and the song was titled “Stille Nacht,” or “Silent Night.” The music was added in 1818 and the song was first pe
Has an old Welsh air, found in a musical manuscript by Welsh harpist John Ddall (c. 1710–1782). The composition is still popular as a dance tune in Wales, and was published in the 1784 edition of the harpist Edward Jones’s Musical Relics of the Welsh Bards. Poet John Hughes wrote the first published lyrics for the piece in Welsh, titling it “Nos Galan”. A middle verse was added by folk singers. In the eighteenth century the tune spread, with Mozart using it in a piano and violin concerto and, later, Haydn in the song “New Year’s Night.” During the Victorian re-invention of Christmas it was turned into a traditional English Christmas song. The first English version appeared in The Franklin Square Song Collection in 1881.
