Next to "O Holy Night," "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is perhaps the most dramatic of all the non-secular Christmas carols! But, did you know, girls, it is, essentially, a Sixties protest song??????
The song was first written, back in October of 1962, by a husband and wife team. Gloria Shayne Baker wrote the haunting music, and hubby Noel Regeney wrote the powerful lyrics.
It was actually written as a response to the Cuban Missile Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regeney's opening lyric, "Said the night wind to the little lamb, 'Do you see what I see?', as well as the later "Pray for peace, people everywhere," was written directly in response to the greed of parents in NYC, pushing their children in strollers, while shopping for material goods!
The husband and wife never recorded the song. They felt they were unable to, because of the emotions it generated, over the threat of nuclear war by the Cuban Missile Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, others covered it. Hell, just about everybody!!!!!!!! The Harry Simeone Chorale, who helped define "The Little Drummer Boy," was the first to record this song. I will try and include it, on here,
Bing Crosby did a solo recording, that became a big hit, the following year, in 1963. The song has also been sung by Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Andy Williams, Mahalia Jackson.....just about everybody who could sing, but BARBRA!
Even I, darlings! In one of my choral performances in junior or senior high, I know we did it. I also caroled it, with others, in my neighborhood, one year, and I have sung it on my own, countless times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Imagine, Bing Crosby???? Did he realize he was singing a Sixties protest song??????? He should have paired with Joan Baez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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