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Lyr Req: I Wonder as I Wander (John Jacob Niles)

01 Dec 97 - 12:16 AM (#16908)
Subject: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: jst_clair@sprynet.com

Hi,everyone, I'm hoping you can help me yet again.

I'm looking for the lyrics of the Christmas Carol "I Wonder as I Wander" Any different versions, too, if you have any. I can't find the book I saw it in. Of course.

Jen


01 Dec 97 - 02:48 PM (#16937)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Jen

It goes something like this, just in case that isn't the right title:

I wonder as I wander, Out under the sky, Why jesus our saviour Was Brought forth to die,

And, of course, that's all I know. Not quite enough to sing as a solo at Midnight Mass.

Jen


01 Dec 97 - 04:38 PM (#16944)
Subject: Lyr Add: I WONDER AS I WANDER (John Jacob Niles)
From: alison

HI
Here you go. This brings back memories of teaching it to a Sunday school choir years ago.

I WONDER AS I WANDER
John Jacob Niles

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior 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 heav'n for to sing
He surely could have it, 'cause He was the King

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

Taken from Jen's Christmas site. See the list of sites on your personal page.
Slainte.

Alison


01 Dec 97 - 06:06 PM (#16952)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Jen

Thank you. I'll look up that site.

Jen(but not the same one who has the Christmas song site)


01 Dec 97 - 08:24 PM (#16960)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Tim Jaques tjaques@netcom.ca

Joan Baez does a nice version on "Noel", which I am told is now out on CD but which I have been unable to find, along with the Louis Armstrong Christmas CD. Oh well, guess this means a trip to the malls in Detroit . . .


01 Dec 97 - 08:30 PM (#16962)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Jen

Yes, that's where I first heard it. My dad is a big fan of Joan Baez's earlier works.

Jen


29 Dec 97 - 09:16 PM (#18434)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: JoJo

Hi. If you could get ahold of a local Baptist church's hymnbook, music and lyrics would most likely be in there. Of course it's probably too late for this Christmas.

JoJo


30 Dec 97 - 05:41 PM (#18474)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Selene

Hm, I've sung that one so often the last couple of days, but I've only ever heard one version, the one that is above.

Selene


30 Dec 97 - 11:54 PM (#18487)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Sir

John Jacob Niles wrote a lot of nice folk-style Christmas songs. I don't remember the name of the song book he had out but it included nonholiday songs such "Lass from the Low Countree" and "Black is the Color" along with "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head" and other Christmas Songs as well. I've seen the book used often by high school vocal soloists at music festivals. Large music stores would probably have it in stock.


17 Dec 01 - 03:49 PM (#611802)
Subject: I wonder as I wander
From: Luke

I have been wondering as I wander if there are more two verses to the above mentioned song? I have searched the digitrad and no luck.

thanks, Luke


17 Dec 01 - 03:57 PM (#611813)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I wonder as I wander
From: Mary in Kentucky

I found this in the forum search. click here.


18 Dec 01 - 08:38 AM (#612272)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I wonder as I wander
From: Luke

Thank you Mary. I s'pose a Ky. person would know these Johnny Niles words. There lots of tales told on him. Do you know any?

Thanks again,

Luke


18 Dec 01 - 09:32 AM (#612304)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I wonder as I wander
From: Mary in Kentucky

Here's The John Jacob Niles Center for American Music at the University of Kentucky. Go Big Blue!

Also, do a forum search here about him. I think the concensus is to suspect his research and documentation, but he sure did write some good stuff.


26 Dec 03 - 02:26 PM (#1080344)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander song
From: GUEST,Yvonne

Hi -

Was wondering if you know any history about this song.
We are doing a service in church on Christmas Carols and
this was one we didn't know any history about.
thank you.


26 Dec 03 - 02:54 PM (#1080359)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

John Jacob Niles seems to have composed this song in the 1930s. Like several of his other compositions, he made up a story about its folk origin.
His tale can be found at Niles


27 Dec 03 - 05:54 PM (#1080638)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Jim Dixon

(1) Does "on'ry" stand for "ordinary" or "ornery"?
(2) Is there any dialect in the world in which "like I" would be considered normal speech?


27 Dec 03 - 06:31 PM (#1080663)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: McGrath of Harlow

Regardless of whether Niles made it up, and then made up a back story to authenticate it, or collected it in the way he said, or picked it up in some other way, the fact remains, it's a hell of a good song. Good enough for folk, even.


27 Dec 03 - 06:37 PM (#1080667)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Malcolm Douglas

(1) The former.

(2) East Anglia, to my certain knowledge; and I think parts of the West Country. Very likely parts of Newfoundland, too; wouldn't know about rural USA.


27 Dec 03 - 07:37 PM (#1080688)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: GUEST,Frank

"Ornery"....stubborn...I think that's what Niles meant.

Frank


27 Dec 03 - 10:09 PM (#1080749)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

'On'ry' very common for Ornery.Heard in many parts of the States and in western Canada.

Never heard 'like I' without a follower (am, do, etc.) in the States.


27 Dec 03 - 10:21 PM (#1080754)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Uncle_DaveO

And "on'ry" traces back to "ordinary" in another sense, so it's both, sort of.

Dave Oesterreich


28 Dec 03 - 02:24 PM (#1081031)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: Art Thieme

He meant it to be a better-scanning form or ordinary.

Also, the word proletariat was just too long completely.

Meant just plain folks.

Art Thieme


28 Dec 03 - 02:57 PM (#1081046)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: McGrath of Harlow

Why should the word have to have only the one meaning rather than both?

Ordinary people are stubborn.


28 Dec 03 - 03:36 PM (#1081067)
Subject: RE: I Wonder as I Wander Lyrics
From: SarahNash

My version came from "100 Carols for Choirs" which also has all the current "standard" harmonies for most well known carols, as arranged by David Wilcox/John Rutter. At least, these are the standard versions used in the UK - I'm loath to make a global sweeping statement on this one!