Sing Books with Emily, the Blog

I’m not sure how I acquired “Stories of Santa” for my Singable Picture Book Collection, but this book illustrates two Christmas favorites, “Up on the Housetop,” and “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.”

*

Stories of Santa (Up on the Housetop, Jolly Old St. Nicholas)
Words and Music by (or attributed to), Benjamin Russell Hanby
Illustrated by “Hallmark Archives and Design Collection”

**********************
Up on the Housetop

Sing “Up on the Housetop” with Gene Autry:
http://www.amazon.com/Up-on-the-Housetop/dp/B000YOEX6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292588805&sr=8-1

A “Singable Picture Book Video” of Gene Autry’s “Up on the Housetop”:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm7t6jl7qY0

An instrumental sing-along of “Up on the Housetop,” here:
http://www.amazon.com/Up-on-the-Housetop-Instrumental/dp/B002HFLY0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1292588971&sr=1-1

A brief, but informative wiki article about “Up on the Housetop,” here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_on_the_House_Top

***********
UP ON THE HOUSETOP
Words and Music by Benjamin Hanby

Up on the housetop reindeer pause
Out jumps good old Santa Claus
Down thru the chimney with lots of toys
All for the little ones, Christmas joys

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down thru the chimney with good Saint Nick

First comes the stocking of little Nell
Oh, dear Santa fill it well
Give her a dolly that laughs and cries
One that will open and shut her eyes

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Upon on the housetop, click, click, click
Down thru the chimney with good Saint Nick

Look in the stocking of little Will
Oh, just see what a glorious fill!
Here is a hammer and lots of tacks
Whistle and ball and a whip that cracks

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down thru the chimney with good Saint Nick

***********
Other Illustrations of “Up on the Housetop”

*

Up on the Housetop
Words and Music by Benjamin Hanby
Illustrated by Robert Snyder

**********************
Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Sing “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” along with Eloise G.:
http://soundcloud.com/singbookswithemily/weezie-jolly-113009

Sing “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” along with Chet Atkins:
http://www.amazon.com/Jolly-Old-St-Nicholas/dp/B0013AWDA6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1292589629&sr=1-8

Sing “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” with this YouTube karaoke video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OtM-4x22pE
(I love the dramatic interlude!)

Read a wiki article about “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolly_Old_Saint_Nicholas

This article suggests that the authorship is in question, but that it is possible that Benjamin Hanby also wrote the lyrics for this song.  The article suggests also (and one must be wary of wiki article assertions) that James Lord Pierpont (who wrote “Jingle Bells“) wrote the music and based it on Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D Major.”  Fun exercise, if you listen to the YouTube of “Canon in D Major” below, you can easily hear the melody and even sing part of the song with it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wpPk8qk3uQ

***********

There is some discussion about the attributions of the lyrics and variation on the lyrics, but this is a good set (you can always make up your own):

JOLLY OLD ST NICHOLAS
Words Attributed to Benjamin Hanby
Music by James Lord Pierpont 

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 sled;
Nelly wants a picture book –
Yellow, blue and red.
Now I think I’ll leave to you
What to give the rest.
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
You will know the best.

***********
Other Illustrations of “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”

*

Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Traditional Tune
Words by Anonymous
Illustrations by Andrea Gabriel

**********************
Related Posts

*
JINGLE BELLS IN THE HISTORY OF SPACE AND SINGABLE PICTURE BOOKS
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/jingle-bells-in-the-history-of-space-and-singable-picture-books/

*
CHRISTMAS
A Collection of Singable Picture Books that celebrate CHRISTMAS!
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/singable-picture-books-for-christmas/

*
SANTA SONGS
For a post dedicated to Singable Picture Books about Santa (with sing-along track suggestions and YouTubes), click here:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/may-i-suggest-sing-about-santa/