Melodies and Motifs: Christmas Carols Again Quiz

Answer: Deck the Halls

"Deck the Halls" started as a Welsh song in the 1500s called "Nos Galan." The English lyrics were written in the 1800s.

Answer: We Three Kings Of Orient Are

"We Three Kings Of Orient Are" is a more modern carol, tracing back to John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857 in Pennsylvania. This carol is the only one in this quiz that uses compound time (in this case, 6/8), which is where beats are sub-divided into 3 eighth notes instead of 2.

Answer: 12 Days of Christmas

The twelve Days of Christmas start with Christmas Day, and continue for the next eleven. There have been many variations of the lyrics of this song, published by different people, in different times and places. For example, you might have eight Maids a milking, Ladies dancing, or Hares a running.

Answer: The Little Drummer Boy

"The Little Drummer Boy" is a newer carol, being written in 1941 in the United States. The first recording was by the von Trapp family (the family depicted in "The Sound of Music") in 1951.

Answer: O Tannenbaum / O Christmas Tree

"O Tannenbaum" (Oh Fir Tree) started as German song in the mid 1800s, not associated with Christmas. The song became associated with Christmas as Christmas Trees became more popular. Many contemporary viewers probably associate the song with "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965).

Answer: Do You Hear What I Hear?

The youngest song in this quiz, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" was written in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It sold well its first Christmas, but Bing Crosby's rendition in 1963 cemented it as a classic.

Answer: Good King Wenceslas

The melody of "Good King Wenceslas" goes back to the 1200s, and tells the story that happened in the 900s. The English lyrics were written in the 1800s.

Answer: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" started as hymn in in the 800s (ish), and, like so many of our modern Christmas carols, was given English lyrics in the 1800s. And like carols that gained lyrics in the 1800s, there were a few variations between publishers and continents, until they settled into our modern standard.

Answer: Angels We Have Heard On High

"Angels We Have Heard On High" has a melody of a French song, with (again) English lyrics penned in the 1800s. The hymn tune is called "Gloria in excelsis Deo," (sometimes just "Gloria") which is a lyric in "Angels We Have Heard On High." It means, "Glory to God in the highest."

Answer: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

The origins of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" are unclear, but it was popularized in the 1900s in England by Arthur Warrell. This song is written in 3/4 instead of common time (4/4), meaning you could dance a waltz to this tune (though it would be a bit fast).