maandag 15 februari 2016

Twelve Days Of Christmas (1780 / 1909)



"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol that enumerates in the manner of a cumulative song a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas (the twelve days after Christmas).


On January 7, 1869 a version of the song was printed in Philadelphia, PA in that day's issue of the Evening Telegraph.


The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, January 07, 1869, FIFTH EDITION, Page 6, Image 6 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress


The song was published in England in 1780 without music as a chant or rhyme in a children's book "Mirth Without Mischief", as a Twelfth Night "memories-and-forfeits" game, in which a leader recited a verse, each of the players repeated the verse, the leader added another verse, and so on until one of the players made a mistake, with the player who erred having to pay a penalty, such as offering up a kiss or a sweet
It was printed in London by J. Davenport, George's Court. For C. Sheppard No 8 Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell.

Mirth Without Mischief : Anonymous : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

The title page on "Mirth Without Mischief" says “Sung at King Pepin’s ball”, so this could mean the origin of the song is French.



There is no English King Pepin, but Pepin the Short was the father of Charlemagne. Pepin was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. Another piece of evidence for French origin is that the partridge was unknown in England until 1770s when it was introduced from France. And the song has that light, dancing feel of a French carol.

https://historymyths.wordpress.com/tag/twelve-days-of-christmas-song/


"Les Douze Mois" ("The Twelve Months") (also known as "La Perdriole" ("The Partridge") is such a similar cumulative verse from France that has been likened to The Twelve Days of Christmas. 
This version was published in de Coussemaker's "Chants Populaires des Flamands de France" (1856)


Here are the lyrics and in parentheses [the English translation]

Le premier jour d'l'année , [the first day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le deuxième jour d'l'année , [the second day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le troisième jour d'l'année , [the third day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le quatrièm' jour d'l'année , [the fourth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le cinquièm' jour d'l'année , [the fifth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le sixièm' jour d'l'année , [the sixth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le septièm' jour d'l'année , [the seventh day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le huitième jour d'l'année , [the eighth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Huit vaches mordants, [eight biting cows]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le neuvièm' jour d'l'année , [the ninth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Neuf bœufs cornus, [nine horned oxen]
Huit vaches mordants, [eight biting cows]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le dixièm' jour d'l'année , [the tenth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Dix pigeons blancs, [ten white pigeons]
Neuf bœufs cornus, [nine horned oxen]
Huit vaches mordants, [eight biting cows]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le onzièm' jour d'l'année , [the eleventh day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Onze plats d'argent, [eleven silver dishes]
Dix pigeons blancs, [ten white pigeons]
Neuf bœufs cornus, [nine horned oxen]
Huit vaches mordants, [eight biting cows]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

Le douzièm' jour d'l'année , [the twelfth day of the year]
Que me donn'rez vous ma mie? [what will you give me, my love?]
Douze coqs chantants, [twelve singing cockerels]
Onze plats d'argent, [eleven silver dishes]
Neuf bœufs cornus, [nine horned oxen]
Huit vaches mordants, [eight biting cows]
Sept moulins à vent, [seven windmills]
Six chiens courants, [six running dogs]
Cinq lapins courant par terre, [five rabbits running along the ground]
Quat' canards volant en l'air, [four ducks flying in the air]
Trois rameaux de bois, [three wooden branches]
Deux tourterelles, [two turtle doves]
Un' perdrix sole, [one lone partridge]
Qui va, qui vient, qui vole, [who goes, who comes, who flies]
Qui vole dans les bois. [who flies in the woods]

According to de Coussemaker, the song was recorded "in the part of [French] Flanders that borders on the Pas-de-Calais.


In the earliest English versions, the word "On" is not present at the beginning of each verse—for example, the first verse begins simply "The first day of Christmas".
"On" was added in Frederic Austin's 1909 version, and became very popular thereafter.


The Twelve Days of Christmas : Frederic Austin : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

In the earliest known book printing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas", Mirth Without Mischief (ca. 1780), we have these lyrics;

The first day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

The second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The fourth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The fifth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The sixth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The seventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The eighth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eight maids a milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The ninth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Nine drummers drumming, Eight maids a milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The tenth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The eleventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,  Eight maids a milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Twelve lords a leaping,
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming, 
Eight maids a milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six geese a laying,
Five gold rings.
Four colley birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree.

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/twelve_days_of_christmas-1.htm

It was also published as an anonymous broadside, Angus, Newcastle, 1774–1825:


http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/static/images/sheets/10000/09435.gif

http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/roud/68

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 68.

http://www.vwml.org/record/RoudBS/B218490

https://mainlynorfolk.info/john.kirkpatrick/songs/thetwelvedaysofchristmas.html

The tunes of collected versions vary. The standard tune now associated with it is derived from the 1909 arrangement of this traditional folk melody by English composer Frederic Austin. 

Frederic Austin - Wikipedia

The Twelve Days of Christmas (song) - Wikipedia



More versions here: The Originals © by Arnold Rypens - TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, THE

And here: http://secondhandsongs.com/work/124809/versions#nav-entity



The song was sung by Mrs. Susie Morrison (recorded by Alton Chester Morris for the Library Of Congress in 1937). This recording was never officially released.

http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.afc.afc9999005.5216/enlarge.html?from=default



On page 144 of the Index to the Field Recordings in the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury College Middlebury, Vermont, a 1930 Field Recording by Ora Knapp from Dummerston, Vermont is mentioned.

http://sites.middlebury.edu/flanders/files/2013/09/Index_to_the_Field_recordings_in_the_Flanders_Ballad_Collection_at_Middlebury_College_Middlebury_Vermont_OCR1.pdf

http://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S254563

That 1930 field recording can be listened to at 25 min and 33 sec on the next link:

C05A - archival cassette dub : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive



The first officially released recording I could find:

(o) Tom Glazer (1943) (as "Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Released on the album "Tom Glazer Sings Olden Ballads"
Released on Keynote album 131





Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Nelson Eddy (1946) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")

http://www.discogs.com/Nelson-Eddy-With-Robert-Armbruster-And-His-Orchestra-The-Twelve-Days-Of-Christmas/release/7872679

http://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/651

Listen here:





(c) Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians (1947) (as "Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Recorded December 16, 1947 in New York City

Or here:





(c) Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters (1949) (as "Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Recorded May 10, 1949 in Los Angeles

http://www.discogs.com/Bing-Crosby-Andrews-SistersWith-Vic-Schoen-And-His-Orchestra-Twelve-Days-Of-Christmas-Here-Comes-San/release/5987463

Listen here:





(c) Ames Brothers (1950) (as "Twelve Days Of Christmas")

45cat - Ames Brothers - Sing A Song Of Christmas - Coral - USA

Listen here:





(c) Burl Ives (1951) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")

http://www.45cat.com/record/mjv4124

Listen here:  THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - BURL IVES.mp3






(c) Perry Como (1953) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Recorded May 26, 1953 in New York City

( The ) Twelve Days of Christmas

http://www.45cat.com/record/wby43

Listen here:





(c) Bob and Ron Copper (1955) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Bob and Ron Copper sang it in a Peter Kennedy recording 
Released on the album "Folk Song Today"(HMV DLP 1143)

https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/folksongtoday.html

Listen here:



Or listen here: http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Reg-Hall-Archive/025M-C0903X0198XX-1700V0

Or here: http://footstompinrecords.bandcamp.com/track/the-twelve-days-of-christmas-bob-and-ron-copper-sussex

In his song book of 1936 Jim Copper called this song "Christmas Presents", and this title has been used for the reissue of Bob and Ron Copper's 1950s recording on the 2007 CD Coppers at Christmas.

https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/copperfamily.html#coppersatchristmas



(c) Springfields (1962) (as "Twelve Days Of Christmas")

http://www.45cat.com/record/p125

Listen here:





On October 26, 1964 The Beatles recorded a parody on "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" to be released as a Christmas record, but it was never released officially

(c) The Beatles (1964) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")

http://www.discogs.com/Beatles-The-Seven-Years-Of-Christmas/release/5059998

Listen here (it starts around 5 minutes in the next YT)





(c) The Sinatra Family (1968) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Frank Sinatra and his children, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Nancy Sinatra, and Tina Sinatra, included their own version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on their 1968 album, The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas

Listen here:





(c) John Denver and The Muppets (1979) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
The Muppets and singer-songwriter John Denver performed "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on the 1979 television special "John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together".
It was featured on the album of the same name. The song has been recorded by the Muppets five different times, featuring different Muppets in different roles each time

Listen here:





(c) Swingles (=Swingle Singers) (1986) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Released on the album "Christmas" (Polydor 5206)

http://www.discogs.com/The-Swingles-Christmas/release/5725344

http://www.jazzhistoryonline.com/Swingle_Discography_2.html

Listen here:





(c) Cliff Richard (1991) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")

http://www.45cat.com/record/xmas91

Listen here:





(c) Roger McGuinn (2000) (as "The Twelve Days Of Christmas")
Recorded in 2000 for his Folk Den Project.

http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden-wp/?p=6918

Listen here: http://ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden/php/music/12days.mp3



In 2001 Destiny's Child only needed 8 days in stead of 12 to reach the US charts

8 Days of Christmas (song) - Wikipedia

Destiny's Child – 8 Days Of Christmas (2001, CD) - Discogs

8 Days of Christmas - Wikipedia

Listen here:





A special Creature Comforts orchestral arrangement of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was made by British animator Nick Park and Aardman Animations. Featuring different animals discussing or trying to remember the lyrics of the song, it was released on Christmas Day 2005

See this animated clip here:







Geen opmerkingen:

Een reactie posten