Mary's Boy Child

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"Mary's Boy Child" is a 1956 Christmas song, written by Jester Hairston.

It was first recorded by Harry Belafonte in 1956, for his album An Evening with Belafonte. An edited version was subsequently released as a single on RCA Victor 20-6735 (78rpm) / 47-6735 (45rpm), reaching #1 on the UK charts in 1957. In 1962 the full-length version was added to a reissue of Belafonte's previously-released album To Wish You a Merry Christmas. The song was also recorded by Mahalia Jackson in 1956 but titled as "Mary's Little Boy Child" on Columbia 40777 (78rpm) / 4-40777 (45rpm).

[edit] Covers

The most famous cover of the song is from the disco-group Boney M. from 1978. This version returned the song to the top of the UK charts. It has also been recorded by The Brothers Four, Charlotte Church, Greg MacDonald, Nat King Cole, The Merrymen, Jim Reeves (1963), Kiri Te Kanawa (1984), Harry Connick Jr,Roger Whittaker, The Little River Band, The Three Degrees, The Pete King Chorale, Nina & Frederik, Carola, Jan Malmsjö (as Varje människa har ett ljus), Kikki Danielsson (as Det hände sig för länge sen), Stefan Borsch (as Det hände sig för länge sen), Tommy Körberg (as Himlens hemlighet), Vikingarna and Schytts (as Du är som en sommardag, where the Schytts version was at Svensktoppen for 10 weeks in 1979, where it peaked at #1), Bryn Terfel, S.K.Y. and many others. It has also been included on the live concert DVD, A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert, featuring Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade and Wynton Marsalis, with André Previn as musical director.

Preceded by "That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly and The Crickets	UK number one single (Harry Belafonte version) November 22, 1957	Succeeded by "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis
Preceded by "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart	UK number one single (Boney M version) December 9, 1978	Succeeded by "Y.M.C.A." by Village People
Preceded by Wings Mull of Kintyre	UK Christmas Number One single Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord (Boney M. version) 1978	Succeeded by Pink Floyd Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)

v • d • e UK Christmas number-one singles in the 1950s "Here in My Heart" (Al Martino, 1952) · "Answer Me" (Frankie Laine, 1953) · "Let's Have Another Party" (Winifred Atwell, 1954) · "Christmas Alphabet" (Dickie Valentine, 1955) · "Just Walkin' in the Rain" (Johnnie Ray, 1956) · "Mary's Boy Child" (Harry Belafonte, 1957) · "It's Only Make Believe" (Conway Twitty, 1958) · "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" (Emile Ford & The Checkmates, 1959) Complete list · 1950s · 1960s · 1970s · 1980s · 1990s · 2000s

v • d • e UK Christmas number-one singles in the 1970s "I Hear You Knocking" (Dave Edmunds, 1970) · "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" (Benny Hill, 1971) · "Long Haired Lover from Liverpool" (Jimmy Osmond, 1972) · "Merry Xmas Everybody" (Slade, 1973) · "Lonely This Christmas" (Mud, 1974) · "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen, 1975) · "When a Child Is Born" (Johnny Mathis, 1976) · "Mull of Kintyre" (Wings, 1977) · "Mary's Boy Child" (Boney M., 1978) · "Another Brick in the Wall" (Pink Floyd, 1979) Complete list · 1950s · 1960s · 1970s · 1980s · 1990s · 2000s