Variations In Lyrics to 'Good King Wenceslas'?

Cafe Society
1

I’ve actually noticed this phenomenon in several songs. They were allegedly written by one artist, but the lyrics are sometimes markedly different (don’t get me started on Battle Hymn of the Republic :wink: ). But you’d ask for examples. So I’ll give you just one.

Good King Wenceslas.

According to Wikipedia the song was written in 1853 by John Mason Neale. Yet there seems to be disagreement about one lyric.

In the most commonly used version, the second stanza goes 'bring me meat and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither’.

Interestingly enough, I found this very old book of children’s Christmas activities that apparently belonged to my father when he was a little boy. And the second stanza goes 'bring the choicest food of mine, bring me pine logs hither…

Why such a great difference? And is this obscure version ever used anymore? It’s my favorite version, at least. I even copied it and often share it with people around yuletide.

Explanations? Opinions? :slight_smile:

2

Maybe it’s a bowdlerization of the original to remove the reference to an alcohol drink?

The version I learned was “bring me flesh and bring me wine”.

3

Good King Sauerkraut, look out! On your feets uneven.

In a similar vein, is there a canon version of Twelve Days of Christmas? Our Perry Como Xmas album had a few of the gifts out of order compared to other recordings.

4

The only one I know is:

“Good King Octopus looked down
On his feets uneven.”

5

EVERYBODY SING!!! Ohhhhhhhhh… .

6

This is the only version I’ve ever heard.

7

That’s the only version I’ve ever seen.

8

Good King Kong looked out on his feet, and he saw that they were large…

Also available in sound form…

9

Nice!! Pass that nog around! :wink:

10

Good King Wences’ car backed out
On the feet of Stephen.
"Watch out, king, I’ll get you yet;
Yes, I will get even."
Later on that very day
Stephen kept his wo-ord:
He shot Wences with a bang,
And that’s the last I hea-a-rd.

11

Bowdlerization is always a possibility. My Mom, ever a religious teetotaler, was quite upset by the line in the Cinderella musical, “I want the wine of my country! The wine of my country is beer!” Mom thought that should never be played to a kid, and wanted to edit it out, even though it was only a fairy tale story.

12

I also might as well include, in the most common version, King Wenceslas says Hither, page, and stand by me If though knowst it telling. In my version he says Higher, page and stand by me, If though knowst it telling.

I actually like my version on this one too. The common version had too many hithers IMHO. :slight_smile:

13

Good King Wencelsas looked out,
On the Feast of Stephen,
Caught a snowball in the snout,
Now his face’s uneven!

14

When I was in Primary School:

Good King Wenceslas looked out
Eating bad bananas
Where’d you think he put the skins?
Down his dad’s pyjamas