We Three Kings
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We Three Kings of Orient Are is a Christmas carol (technically an Epiphany carol) written in 1857 by Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr., who wrote both the words and the music as part of a Christmas pageant for the General Theological Seminary in New York City. It first appeared in his Carols, Hymns and Song in 1863.
Hopkins was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1820, and died in Hudson, New York in 1891. He was a clergyman, author, book illustrator, stained glass window designer, and editor of the Church Journal out of New York.
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[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics (now in the public domain) are as follows:
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
CHORUS:
- O Star of wonder, star of night
- Star with royal beauty bright
- Westward leading, still proceeding
- Guide us to thy Perfect Light
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign
CHORUS
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Pray'r and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high
CHORUS
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
CHORUS
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav'n replies
CHORUS
[edit] Parodies
In the United Kingdom, it is common for school children to sing the song with alternative lyrics, such as :
We Three Kings of Orient Are,
One in a taxi, one in a car,
One on a scooter, beeping his hooter,
Smoking a fat cigar.
In Liverpool, there is (or used to be) a version which went:
We Three Kings of Hamilton Square,
Selling knickers, two pence a pair,
So fantastic, no elastic,
Not very safe to wear!
This version is also used elsewhere in the country with alternate lyrics such as "Leicester Square" and "Buy your granny a pair".
We Three Kings of Orient are
Tried to Smoke a Rubber cigar
It was loaded and exploded . . .
We two Kings or orient are
An American version sometimes popular amongst elementary school children goes thus:
We Three Kings of Orient are
Riding on a rubber cigar
It was loaded, and exploded,
Now we're on yonder star!
[edit] Other versions / Covers
In 2004 English pop singer Nicolas [1] used the melody for his song "daffodil", included as a b-side-only track on his single "From here".
The Roches have a version of this song in which all but the final verse are sung.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
The Book of World Famous Music Classical, Popular and Folk by James Fuld (1966)
[edit] External links
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