What Child Is This

"What Child Is This" is a very popular Christmas carol with words by William Dix set to the melody of the 16th century English song "Greensleeves." I think this is one of my favorite Christmas carols because it feels ancient and almost pagan - a perfect song for a dark winter night by the fire.

It's been a while since I've posted a video in my public domain project. This one has double public domain credits. The original tune is a traditional English 16th-century melody called "Greensleeves." It was popular enough in Elizabethan England to be referenced in multiple Shakespeare plays. In 1865 William Dix wrote the poem that we use for the lyrics of the popular carol, "What Child Is This."

This is one of my favorite carols. The melody is what captures me -- it feels old and pagan -- perfect for a long, dark winter night.