"The Holly and the Ivy" is a traditional British folk Christmas carol. The song is catalogued as Roud Folk Song Index No. 514
The words of the carol occur in two broadsides published in Birmingham in the early nineteenth century.
See Bodleian Library: Ballads Online
And here's an anonymous broadside published by H. Wadsworth, Birmingham, 1814-1818.
Note the repetition of "the sun".
The words of the carol were also included in Sylvester's 1861 collection "A Garland of Christmas Carols", where it is claimed to originate from "an old broadside, printed a century and a half since" (i.e. around 1711).
The usual melody for the carol was first published in Cecil Sharp's 1911 collection "English Folk-Carols".
Sharp states that he heard the tune sung by 64 year old "Mrs. Mary Clayton, at Chipping Campden".
Sharp's manuscript transcription of Clayton's singing of the third verse, dated "Jan 13th 1909", is archived in the Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection at Clare College, Cambridge and viewable online.
The melody is notable in being confined to the notes of the hexachord.
In 1915 Rutland Boughton incorporated "The Holly and the Ivy" in his Music-Drama "Bethlehem".
The Choir of H.M. Chapels Royal was probably first to record "The Holly and the Ivy" in 1926.
(c) Choir of H.M. Chapels Royal (1926) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp version)
Conducted by Stanley Roper, Organist and Composer at H.M. Chapels Royal.
Recorded at Chapel Royal, St. James Palace, London
Released on HMV E 443
The version above is still on my wish-list !
The first recorded version I could find:
(o) The English Singers (1928) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Rutland Boughton version)
Recorded circa 1927
Matrix 3009
Released as part of 12 record album on the Roycroft-label (Roycroft # 157)
Listen here: The Holly and The Ivy - The English Singers.mp3
It's also the title of a 1952 Yuletide drama.
See here:
(c) Petula Clark (1958) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Listen here:
(c) Bing Crosby (1962) (medley: "What Child Is This? / The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Listen here:
(c) Joan Sutherland (1965) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp version)
Listen here:
(c) Ivy League (1965) (part of the "Holly and Ivy League")
Listen here:
(c) Cliff Richard (1967) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Recorded September 10, 1967
Released in 1991 on the next EP
Listen here:
The tune which most people in the folk world sing seems to derive from the version collected in 1952 by Maud Karpeles and Pat Shaw from 81 year old Peter Jones from Bromsash, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.
(c) Peter Jones (1952)
Recorded August 18, 1952
Listen here:
In 1969 the Young Tradition recorded a version, which was derived from the 1952 Percy Jones version. But shortly after the recording the Young Tradition broke up and the record was never released until 1995.
(c) The Young Tradition (with Shirley and Dolly Collins) (1969) (as "The Holly Bears The Crown")
Recorded July 1969 at Decca Studios #3
Listen here:
Or here:
The 1972 version by Steeleye Span also follows the 1952 Percy Jones version.
(c) Steeleye Span (1972) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Percy Jones-version)
Steeleye Span recorded "The Holly and the Ivy" in 1972 as the B-side of their hit single "Gaudete".
It was re-released (with added Christmas Greetings) in November 1973, and the A-side Gaudete reached #14 as Steeleye's first outstanding chart success.
This 1973 version starts with special Christmas greetings from the band members.
This version with the greetings was reissued in 1981 on the Australian-only LP Recollections and in 1999 on the CD A Rare Collection 1972-1996.
Listen here:
(c) George Winston (1982) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Released on the millionselling album "Winter"
Listen here:
(c) Jon Anderson (1985) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Listen here:
(c) Natalie Cole (1994) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp version)
Title-song of Natalie's Christmas album.
Listen here:
(c) Judy Collins (1997) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
Recorded live at the Biltmore Estate.
Listen here:
(c) Mediæval Bæbes (2003) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp version)
Listen here:
(c) Irish Rovers (2002) (as "The Holly Bears The Crown") (Percy Jones version)
Listen here:
(c) Kate Rusby (2008) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Percy Jones version)
Listen here:
(c) Annie Lennox (2010) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (Cecil Sharp-version)
In 2008 Loreena McKennitt wrote a new musical setting for "The Holly and the Ivy", which is on her 2008 album "A Midwinter Night's Dream"
(c) Loreena McKennitt (2008) (as "The Holly and the Ivy") (music by Loreena McKennitt)
Listen here:
More cover-versions here:
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