Mary's Boy Child

Mary 's Boy Child by Jester Joseph Hairston is in 1956 composed, often gecovertes Christmas song, which was the only one in two versions for the million-seller. The first successful version is by Harry Belafonte (1956 ), the second of Boney M. (1978).

Genesis

Jester Joseph Hairston (* 1901, † 2000) was a versatile African- American artist who has worked as a composer, choral conductor, arranger and film actor. Since 1936 he was involved in feature films, formed his first own choir in 1943, from August 1949, he served as choir director, since 1951, he took over roles on television. He had studied music at the Juilliard School. Since then, he wrote more than 300 spirituals, including Mary 's Boy Child.

Original

Mary 's Boy Child was not Hairston's first composition. The original text was written partly in a black dialect, he convinced by simplicity in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, even as this came in the crib. The literature comes mainly from the fact that the original of the song Harry Belafonte is due. The first studio recording of the Christmas song - and the original - came, however, from Mahalia Jackson, whose music was created under the title Mary's Little Boy Chile in October 1954. The Gospel recording, however, was only brought as Columbia # 40777 in December 1956 on the market. Mahalia Jackson was at that time, although at the height of their popularity, but missed the original Christmas song the charts. For their LP Mahalia Sings Songs of Christmas has once again taken the title on June 14, 1956 so still earlier than the first known cover version.

First hit

The first cover version was from the "Calypso King" Harry Belafonte. The religious content has been backed up with a calypso rhythm and produced by Henri René and Dennis Farnon. It was intended to record the song for the LP Belafonte An Evening With Belafonte. For the entire LP radio recorder recording studio was booked in Hollywood between 20 and 26 July 1956. Harry Belafonte took Mary 's Boy Child directly on July 20, 1956 the first day of admission, as the first song on. His orchestral accompaniment directed by William Lorin, all photographs remained until December 1956 Release date in the archive. The single release reached in the U.S. in December 1956 only rank 12 on the pop charts.

Within just eight weeks after publication date October 1957 the single has already exceeded the one million mark in the UK in the sale, a total of 1.175 million copies were here implemented with the single. She reached on 22 November 1957 first place and stayed there for seven weeks, Belafonte was the first black males with a number one in the UK. Below there came two more seasonal reissues Belafonte in the charts, namely 1958 ( # 10) and 1959 (# 30). At the same time the title was the first single, which sold exclusively in the UK over a million copies.

Other cover versions

After Belafonte's version appeared on a number of other versions of the song during the Christmas season, but could not reach the charts. When ASCAP 56 cover versions are listed, Hairston has made 87 mostly gospel -oriented compositions register with ASCAP copyright. Lys Assia sang the first in December 1958, the German version ... because it 's Christmas time with an essay by Heinz grain, Margot Eskens followed with the date June 23, 1963; both hereby missed the German singles chart. The Danish pair Nina & Frederick took the title in 1958 out as part of an EP with four Christmas songs, in December 1959, the song for a single in the UK was from this decoupled, which could penetrate up to rank 26 of the charts.

Boney M.

Boney M. had just delivered on August 28, 1978 Hit Rasputin, as their version of Mary 's Boy Child / Oh My Lord came on 27 November 1978 to the market. From the group sings only included Liz Mitchell, in the Union Studios in Munich. After publishing more than 220,000 copies went on a day in the UK over the counter, after 3 weeks, 1 million copies were there were delivered, total 1.79 million singles were sold. In Germany, sales rose to 1 million after 3 weeks. Here, 17 pressing plants tried in 4 countries, to meet the demand Lord. Was With over 3 million copies worldwide Mary 's Boy Child is the second largest success of the group. Thus, 1978 was the most successful year in the history of Boney M. In England the single on December 9, 1978 reached the first place and stayed there for four weeks in Germany on January 8, 1979 for 1 week on the top position. Because of the medley supplement Oh My Lord additionally Fred Jay and producer Frank Farian be mentioned as a fellow composer.