John Rutter (born September 24, 1945) is an English composer, choral conduc… Read Full Bio ↴John Rutter (born September 24, 1945) is an English composer, choral conductor, editor, arranger and record producer.

Born in London, he was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He then studied music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was organ scholar and then director of music from 1975 to 1979. In 1981 he founded his own choir, the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts and with which he has made many recordings of sacred choral repertoire (including his own works), particularly under his own label Collegium Records. He still lives near Cambridge, but frequently conducts other choirs and orchestras around the world.

In 1980 he was made an honorary Fellow of Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and in 1988 a Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. In 1996 the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred a Lambeth Doctorate of Music upon him in recognition of his contribution to church music.

He also works as an arranger and editor, most notably (in his youth) of the extraordinarily successful Carols for Choirs anthology series in collaboration with Sir David Willcocks.

I Wonder As I Wander
John Rutter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall,

And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,

Or all of God's angels in heaven for to sing,
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King.

Overall Meaning

The song "I Wonder as I Wander" by John Rutter is a beautiful contemplative piece performed in both secular and religious contexts. The lyrics begin with the singer expressing a sense of wonder as they gaze up at the sky, pondering the significance of Jesus' death. The second stanza describes the specific circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth, and how a star's light fell from the heavens as a reminder of the promise of ages. The final stanza asserts the power of Jesus as the king of all, capable of summoning the entire choir of angels or any other creature he might desire.

The song's simple yet profound lyrics showcase themes of wonder, contemplation, and faith. The opening line, "I wonder as I wander", is a poetic representation of the human condition - constantly searching for meaning and making sense of our existence. Through the use of nature imagery, the song connects the celestial realm with our earthly experience, suggesting that even in our humble state, we have access to the divine.

The song's historical context is also relevant and adds to its impact. "I Wonder as I Wander" was originally a folk hymn collected by American composer John Jacob Niles during the Great Depression era. Inspired by a girl singing the tune in a small Appalachian town, Niles later transcribed and arranged the melody into a fully-realized composition. Rutter's arrangement of the song builds on this rich history, highlighting the melody's simplicity and poignancy.

Line by Line Meaning

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
As I wander around in nature, I ponder on the reasons behind Jesus' sacrifice.

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
Why did Jesus come to earth and sacrifice his life to save humanity?

For poor on'ry people like you and like I
Jesus' sacrifice was for all people, including those who are poor and unworthy.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.
As I continue to ponder on the meaning of Jesus' sacrifice while wandering in nature.

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall,
Jesus' birth occurred in a humble setting, a stable for animals rather than a grand palace.

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
Despite his humble birth, Jesus' arrival was celebrated by a diverse group of people, including both educated and working-class individuals.

But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall,
God's promise of salvation was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus and announced by a star shining brightly from the heavens.

And the promise of ages it then did recall.
Jesus' arrival reminded people of God's promise of salvation that was made ages ago.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
Jesus, being the Son of God, could have had anything he desired.

A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Jesus could have commanded a star or bird with just a word, such was his power.

Or all of God's angels in heaven for to sing,
Jesus could have enlisted the angels to sing his praises, but he chose to humbly serve humanity instead.

He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King.
Jesus had limitless power and influence as the King of Heaven, but he chose to forgo it to serve humanity.

Contributed by Ella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing
He surely could have had it, 'cause he was the King

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky