Mary's Boy Child

About the Carol

"Mary's Boy Child" is a relatively recent carol written by Jester Hairston (1901-2000) in 1956. When Harry Belafonte (born 1927) heard the song, he recorded it and released it as a single. It was the first single to sell over a million copies in the United Kingdom alone.

Lyrics ^{Back to Top ↑}

Analysis of Carol ^{Back to Top ↑}

While the Bible does not say that Jesus was born on Christmas Day, it tells the tale of Jesus's birth. That tale is where the holiday of Christmas comes from. So this stanza is technically incorrect, but spiritually correct.

An allusion to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-20.

The shepherds did not see the star, rather they learned about Jesus's whereabouts from the angel who said, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger… And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.^{Luke 2:12, 15}

We do not know if there was music when the angelic choir sang, all we know is what this verse gives us: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.^{Luke 2:13}

This is not what the choir sang. All they said was, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). Now, the singular angel who spoke to the shepherds did say "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.^{Luke 2:11} They said nothing regarding everlasting life.

Mary and Joseph were already in Bethlehem, they did not come to Bethlehem specifically for Mary to give birth to Jesus. Furthermore, Mary gave birth before the angels sang to the shepherds.

True. Luke records, And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.^{Luke 2:7}

Since we do not know if Jesus was born during the day or during the night, or during the warm months or during the cold months, this stanza is speculative.