Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song

Subject: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From:
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 12:28 AM

The CBC came to my church and performed the readings of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. One thing I had forgotten, was mention in it of a song.

Since Mudcatters are good a puzzles like this.....

they had a song, about a lost child travelling in the snow, from Tiny Tim; who had a plaintive little voice, and sang it very well indeed.

This was found in the section by the Ghost of Christmas Present. It had taken Ebenezeer Scrooge to the house of Bob Cratchit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 12:50 AM

Please....check the ORIGINAL text...what is the PRECISE ...phrase that you connect to within the play/novel?

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

If you are concise

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From:
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:41 AM

I did. That's what I posted up above. See above text.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 09:32 AM

A longer quotation from HERE:

After it had passed away, they were ten times merrier than before, from the mere relief of Scrooge the Baleful being done with. Bob Cratchit told them how he had a situation in his eye for Master Peter, which would bring in, if obtained, full five-and-sixpence weekly. The two young Cratchits laughed tremendously at the idea of Peter's being a man of business; and Peter himself looked thoughtfully at the fire from between his collars, as if he were deliberating what particular investments he should favour when he came into the receipt of that bewildering income. Martha, who was a poor apprentice at a milliner's, then told them what kind of work she had to do, and how many hours she worked at a stretch, and how she meant to lie abed tomorrow morning for a good long rest; tomorrow being a holiday she passed at home. Also how she had seen a countess and a lord some days before, and how the lord was much about as tall as Peter;' at which Peter pulled up his collars so high that you couldn't have seen his head if you had been there. All this time the chestnuts and the jug went round and round; and by-and-bye they had a song, about a lost child travelling in the snow, from Tiny Tim, who had a plaintive little voice, and sang it very well indeed.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: Hollowfox
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 09:54 AM

Well done, Masato-san.
My library does not have a copy of the Annotated Christmas Carol (I got the book once on interlibrary loan, so I know it exists), but that is where I would look for the answer. Good luck, George; please let us know if you get the answer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From:
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 12:14 PM

I put the quote in, just the part needed.

Subject: Lyr Add: OUT IN THE SNOW and POOR LITTLE JOE
From: nutty
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 01:55 PM

The Victorians seemed to enjoy this type a song and a trawl of the Bodliean library unearthed a fair number. Here are snippets of what I think may be the three most likely contenders ...............


OUT IN THE SNOW
Composed and written by C. E. Howells

'Tis Christmas night the snow falls fast
And clothes the earth in white
The moon being hid no light can cast
Upon this winter's night
The wind it sighs and moans aloud
As if it knew the woe
Of one who walks with sad head bowed
Alas, out in the snow

Chorus
Out in the snow, out in the snow
No one to help her, no where to go
She battles with hunger, she battles with woe
Alone she is wandering out in the snow




POOR LITTLE JOE (1)

While strolling one night through London's gay throng
I met a poor boy he was singing a song
I could see by his face that he wanted for bread
Although he was singing, he wished himself dead
I spoke to that poor boy out in the snow
He'd no place of shelter and no place to go
No mother to guide him, in the grave she lies low
Cast on the wide world was poor little Joe

Chorus
In the street he will wander, forgot by the gay
With a tear in his eye he will kneel down and pray
He'd no friend but his maker his parents were dead
Poor Joe he was dying by inches for bread



POOR LITTLE JOE (2)

Cold, cold was the night the snow had been falling
The wind it was whistling so shrill through the street
When on a doorstep a poor lad was lying
No cap on his head, no shoes on his feet
The poor little fellow so sadly was crying
Pitifully sobbing, really as tho'
His little heart nearly was breaking
Who wouldn't pity him, poor little Joe

Chorus
A poor little fellow sadly was crying
The tears from his eyes sank deep in the snow
Alas, there was no one to sooth him when dying
No one to pity him, poor little Joe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From:
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 09:05 PM

Thanks, Nutty. Looks interesting.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BEGGAR CHILD'S DREAM
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 03:38 PM

A "trawl" through the Bodleian is always sure to get me going off in all directions, as songs on every subject take my attention.
Here is one about a beggar child at Christmas time.

THE BEGGAR CHILD'S DREAM

The snow had robed the earth in white,
The streets were chill and drear,
But windows were ablaze with light,
For Christmas tide was near,
And one poor child with naked feet
Peered through a pane to see,
Some happy children at their treat,
Around a Christmas tree.

They clapp'd their hands, and, child-like, told
Their pleasure in a shout,
The watcher too forgot the cold,
And laugh'd with joy without.
But heavy grew the little eyes,
And sleep upon him crept,
And as the winner took the prize,
He crouch'd him down and slept.

He slept and in his dreaming, lo!
He saw a figure stand
Within a bright and happy glow,
And hold to him its hand,
He clasp'd it tight and pass'd away
Beyond the realms of night,
And with the dawning of the day
Awoke to perfect light.

Sniff! Sniff! Echos of the Little Match Girl.
Bodelian Library, Firth b.28(7a/b), 1877-1884, H. Beresford, 99 New Street, Birmingham.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 09:03 AM

Without going too far off topic, why did the "poor man" in Good King Wenceslas travel a league, when a wood supply was so handy ? (he lives "right against the forest fence")
No, I'm not suggesting he chop down the fence, but enter the forest.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 09:08 AM

Everything in the Forest belonged to the king, and they were pretty strict with thieves in old Bohenny, so he had to make do with oddments just lying around in public (non-royal) places.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 09:14 AM

Snuffy: but the king seemed such a nice man! or was the song an early example of 'spin-doctoring' ?

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: IanC
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 11:35 AM

Nigel

A forest doesn't necessarily have trees. Also, the Forest Fence would have been to keep out the wolves!

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: nutty
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 11:37 AM

It may also be that the wolves kept the people out of the forest ..... we are talking Transylvania here (well somewhere like that anyway)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 01:15 PM

An excellent online "A Christmas Carol," at Christmas Carol
Click on the book cover to get to the story.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: CapriUni
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 03:21 PM

Besides, just because you have lots of trees about doesn't necessarily mean you have lots of firewood... first you have to cut the trees down, then you have to cut them into pieces small enough to carry, then you have to let the wood season...

If the poor man didn't have an axe, all of that would be rather diffecult. Would be much more practical to just gather up the loose bits.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 08:02 PM

The king might be nice, but his underlings were probably officious jobsworths who got a kick out of oppressing the poor, and had the royal authority to back them up. I mean, did Reagan have any idea what North & Poindexter were doing in his name?

Subject: Lyr Add: EXCELSIOR (Longfellow)
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 05:59 AM

Perhaps the popular Victorian Parlour ballad setting of Longfellow's "EXCELSIOR" would also be a suitable contender:

The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!

In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said:
"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!

"Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!"
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!"
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!

At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

There in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!

On the Wenceslas topic, I once read a story which was written from the old man's perspective. By the time that king and page arrived they were half dead and had dropped the meat and wine on the way - all they had were the logs. The old man said "What do I want with logs ? - me, a charcoal burner !".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dickens' Christmas Carol song
From: greg stephens
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 06:55 AM

If youre old and feeble, chopping firewoods no joke. Wandering about picking up little fragments soon exhausts the supplies near your house and you have to try further afield. It wont take long before you have to go a league to get some good bits. or then again, maybe he liked walking in the country. Or maybe he ws a bit ga-ga and walked a bit, made a pile, wandered on, made another pile, and so it goes.
   You're in good compamy, by the way, Nigel. The footnote to "Good King Wenceslas" in the Oxford Book of Carols refers to " this rather confused narrative".