Away in a Manger is one of Your Correspondent’s
favorite carols, probably because it is the only one he can sing in
(approximate) key… It also presents
something of a Christmas carol mystery.
Though many
have attributed Away in a Manger to Martin
Luther (1483-1546), there are no documents in any way connecting it to
him. Indeed, there are no German
manuscript documents of that vintage that make reference to the carol, at all. (There are no German texts, in fact, prior to
1934 that reference the tune.)
Most
scholars now believe that this lovely carol is entirely American in
origin. The first two verses of the
lyrics were published under the title Luther’s
Cradle Song in the November 1883 issue of The Sailors Magazine and Seamen’s Friend (claiming authorship to
Luther); with another article in the May 1884 issue of The Myrtle, with the same lyrics and the same claim. Prior to that … no trace of it exists.
The
first known musical setting was published in the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday
School collection, Little Children’s
Book for Schools and Families, in 1885, under the title Away in a Manger. The third verse was written some time later,
by Dr. John T. McFarland, secretary
of the New York Board of Sunday Schools, between 1904-1908. It has been in use ever since.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his
sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked
down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the
hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby
awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he
makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! look down
from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning
is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee
to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I
pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy
tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with
thee there.
A particularly
lovely recording by the late John Denver can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9SZKjOJrgg
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