Back in the 19th century, it seems like they recycled melodies a lot.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Deck the Halls” are two examples of music that was composed before the 1800s and lyrics crafted to fit those melodies.
Such is true of “Greensleeves,” although there’s a slight difference.
The melody is believed to date back to Britain in 1580 – when Shakespeare was a teenager. It has been used for folk tunes, love songs, operatic arias and what the ice cream truck plays as it rolls down the street.
In 1865, William Chatterton Dix took the tune and put Christmas-themed words to it. It was given the alternate title of “What Child Is This?” and apparently caught on.
The best arrangement is the Vince Guaraldi interpretation that is part of the epic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” soundtrack. But the version I’m linking to is that of a great singer who passed in 2025: Roberta Flack. I hope you enjoy it.
SUBJECTISM 