Lyr/Chords Add: Virgin Mary (from Carolyn Hester)

Subject: Variations: Virgin Mary / Pretty Little Baby
From: Genie
Date: 12 Dec 11 - 05:49 PM

Thanks, 999.
In case the link gets broken, that website is "Hymns And Carols Of Christmas: What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby?

And it is an African-American spiritual, with several different versions and titles:

Mary, What You Gonna Name that Pretty Little Baby?
Mary, Mary (What You Gonna Name That Baby?)
Glory To That Newborn King

Various versions have been recorded by Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, Carolyn Hester, Peggy Seeger and John Jacob Niles

The sheet music for several of these versions is available on-line, e.g.: http://www.musicnotes.com and www.sheetmusicplus.com.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Virgin Mary (from Carolyn Hester)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 10:29 PM

Scroll down.

More here.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Virgin Mary (from Carolyn Hester)
From: Genie
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 10:01 PM

I'm wondering if anyone knows the origin of this song.   Is it Appalachian? Is it one of the African-American spirituals?    Does it have a known composer?

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: VIRGIN MARY (from Carolyn Hester)
From: Genie
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 11:37 PM

One of my favorite Christmas folk songs is this one I learned from a Carolyn Hester album back in 1961.  There is a slightly different (shorter) version in the DT under the title "Pretty Little Baby."  The song is also sometimes called "The Virgin Mary Had One Son."

Here is the way I sing it (very close to Hester's version):

VIRGIN MARY
(trad.)

  Em
Virgin Mary had a little baby,
       Am                   Dm
Oo-ooh, pretty little baby,
          Em                 
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
 G                     B7         Em
Glory be to the newborn King!

Mary, whatcha gonna name that pretty little baby?
Oo-ooh, pretty little baby,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!

Some call him one thing; think I'll call him 'manuel,
Oo-ooh, think I'll call him 'manuel,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!

Mary, whatcha gonna name that pretty little baby?
Oo-ooh, pretty little baby,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!

Some call him one thing; think I'll call him David,
Oo-ooh, he's the son of David,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!

Mary, whatcha gonna name that pretty little baby?
Oo-ooh, pretty little baby,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!
 

Some call him one thing; think I'll call him Jesus,
Oo-ooh, think I'll call him Savior,
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory be to the newborn King!

  Em
Virgin Mary had-a one Son,
       Am                   Dm
Oo-ooh, pretty little baby,
          Em                 
Oo-oo-oh, glory hallelujah!
 G                     B7         E
Glory be to the newborn King!