I Wonder As I Wander
Year: 1933
Written By: John Jacob Niles
Written by John Jacob Niles on July 16, 1933, 'I Wonder as I
Wander' is a popular Christmas carol. Niles' composition was done
in the folk style. The composition confused many of the public who
heard this song, the confusion arose as many believed that the song
had an anonymous origin. However, Niles disagreed and took steps to
resolve this, undertaking lawsuits to establish who has the
authorship of the Christmas carol, and in turn Niles demanded
royalties from other versions of this carol which had been
performed by other performers.
In Jacob Niles' autobiography which is unpublished, he claims
that he heard the song while he was in the town of Murphy which is
in the Appalachian North Carolina. It occurred while Jacob Niles
was attending a fundraising meeting which had been held by
evangelicals who had just been ordered out of town by the police.
On hearing the song, Jacob Niles claims that he heard the song come
from the mouth of a little girl who had just stepped out on to the
edge of a little platform which was attached to an automobile. Of
which, when this incident occurred, the little girl begun to sing.
The child's clothes were of an unbelievably dirty and ragged state,
and too add to this, she, too, was in a dirty and unwashed manner.
The girl had noticeably long ash blonde hair which hung down in
long skeins. Despite the appalling state of which the girl was said
to be in, it is rumoured that it was still clear to the naked eye
that she was a beautiful girl with a stunning voice which had not
been finely tuned by any tutor before this event. When singing, the
child's smile glowed, despite her smile being one of a sad
nature.
A recent notable choral version, came from Carl Rütti, he is a
well renowned Swiss composer. Carl Rütti performed the rendition at
the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which was at King's
College Chapel, in Cambridge. Luciano Berio also produced a
setting, this one, gained much interest and fascination, this
setting was designed for both soprano and orchestra. It was from
the Folk Songs of 1964, the whole of the songs cycle was both
composed and recorded by Cathy Berberian.
I Wonder As I Wander Lyrics
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall.
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King
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