Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

About Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" is a Christmas song that originated with a poem by Emily Huntington Miller (1833-1913), published as "Lilly's Secret" in The Little Corporal Magazine in December of 1865. The song's lyrics have also been attributed to Benjamin Hanby, who wrote a similar song in the 1860s, Up on the Housetop. However, the lyrics now in common use closely resemble Miller's 1865 poem. Some people have also attributed the lyrics to John Piersol McCaskey -a song editor and publisher, among other things, at the time. His great great grandson has said he wrote the song in 1867, and that the "Johnny" mentioned in the song who wants a pair of skates, is McCaskey's late son, John, who died as a child. However, there is no known evidence for this. McCaskey's own published 1881 book, Franklin Square Song Collection No. 1, a book in which proper attribution is given to songs' lyricists and composers, does not list himself as having had anything to do with the song. The music is generally believed to have been written by James R. Murray. The first publication of the music was in 1874 in School Chimes, A New School Music Book by S. Brainard's Sons, and attributes the music to him. The 1881 publication by McCaskey gives attribution to the S. Brainard's Sons publication, which would mean Murray. Some notable recordings were by Ray Smith in 1949, Chet Atkins in 1961, Eddy Arnold in 1962, The Chipmunks in 1963, Andy Williams in 1995, Anne Murray in 2001, and Carole King in 2017. more »

Year:

1961

2:18

7,880 Views

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#14

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Jolly old Saint Nicholas lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon now you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me, tell me if you can

When the clock is striking twelve, when I'm fast asleep
Down the chimney broad and black with your pack you'll creep
All the stockings you will find hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one you'll be sure to know

Johnny wants a pair of skates Susie wants a dolly
Nelly wants a storybook, she thinks dolls are folly
As for me my little brain isn't very bright
Choose for me old Santa Claus what you think is right

Jolly old Saint Nicholas lean your ear this way
Tell me if you can
(Jolly, Jolly, Jolly, Jolly old Saint Nick)

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Eddy Arnold

Richard Edward "Eddy" Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more than 85 million records. A member of the Grand Ole Opry (beginning 1943) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (beginning 1966), Arnold ranked 22nd on Country Music Television's 2003 list of "The 40 Greatest Men of Country Music." He co-wrote the country and pop standard "You Don't Know Me". more »

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