The Rocking Carol

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The Rocking Carol
by Percy Dearmer
GenreChristmas carol
LanguageEnglish
Based onTraditional Czech carol
Published1928

"The Rocking Carol",[1] also known as "Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep"[2] and "Rocking",[3] is an English Christmas carol by Percy Dearmer. It was translated from Czech in 1928 and is performed as a lullaby to the baby Jesus.

History[]

Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst

The carol was first published in an anthology in 1920 in Czechoslovakia, where it was described as a traditional Czech carol.[1] It was loosely translated into English by Percy Dearmer,[1] as part of his effort of resurrecting hymns that had fallen into disuse and introducing European hymns into the Church of England.[1][self-published source] The carol is sung in the form of a lullaby to Jesus while rocking the manger as if it were a more modern cradle,[4] as noted by the repetitive chorus of "We will rock you".[5][6] It was first published in The Oxford Book of Carols, which Dearmer had edited alongside Martin Shaw and Ralph Vaughan Williams, in 1928.[1]

After initial publication, the carol gradually decreased in popularity until the 1960s when the English actress Julie Andrews performed a commercially released version of it.[7] Following this, it was published in Carols for Choirs by David Willcocks and John Rutter.[3]

Description[]

"The Rocking Carol" consists of two verses with eight lines each.[8] It is performed with a 10.7.8.8.7.7 metre.[2] The hymn continues to be published within Church of England and Anglican hymnals.[6] The hymn has been described as the quintessential lullaby carol compared with similar wording lullaby Christmas carols of "Silent Night" and "Away in a Manger" as hymnologists opine that the lyrics and melody both strongly suggest the rocking of a cradle.[4]

Criticism[]

After publication, the final line of the carol met with dissatisfaction, with a number of hymnal editors altering it from "Darling, darling little man" to "Son of God and Son of Man".[1] Critics of "The Rocking Carol" have argued that it has only minor Biblical references and is written without theological context and historical precision.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Garden, John (2002). The Christmas Carol Dance Book. Lulu.com. p. 51. ISBN 1445264447.
  2. ^ a b "Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  3. ^ a b "Carols For Choirs 1". Yamaha Music London. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  4. ^ a b Studwell, William (2012). The Christmas Carol Reader. Routledge. p. 30. ISBN 978-1136591457.
  5. ^ Crump, William (2013). The Christmas Carol Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). McFarland. p. 346. ISBN 978-1476605739.
  6. ^ a b Day, David (2003). Emmaus Bible Resources Christ Our Life: Colossians. Church House Publishing. pp. 19–20, 98. ISBN 0715149873.
  7. ^ Jones, Aled (2010). Aled Jones' Favourite Christmas Carols. Random House. p. 133. ISBN 978-1409051107.
  8. ^ "Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep music". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  9. ^ Whiteley, Shelia (2008). Christmas, Ideology and Culture. Edinburgh University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0748631872.
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