Julie Andrews got her big break when her stepfather introduced her to Val Parnell, whose Moss Empires controlled prominent venues in London. Andrews made her professional solo debut at the London Hippodrome singing the difficult aria "Je Suis Titania" from Mignon as part of a musical revue called "Starlight Roof" on 22 October 1947.
Andrews gained fame at a young age in 1950s Britain by acting and singing on light entertainment radio programmes such as "Educating Archie". She rose to international prominence after starring in Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, as well as musical films like Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Andrews had a major revival of her film career in the 2000s, in children's films such as The Princess Diaries (2001), its sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), and the Shrek animated films (2004-2007). In 2005, Andrews made her debut as a stage director with a revival of The Boy Friend, in which she also made her Broadway acting debut in 1954.
She was married with Blake Edwards in 1965 until his death in 2010.
What Child Is This
Julie Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
the King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sing her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
The song "What Child Is This" is a traditional Christmas hymn that was based on the English folk song "Greensleeves" with lyrics written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865. The song tells the story of the birth of Jesus, as described in the Christian faith. The first verse sets the scene of the newborn baby Jesus laying on Mary's lap while angels sing sweet anthems and shepherds keep watch, identifying him as Christ the King. The second verse, however, takes a darker tone, questioning why this king lies in a manger where animals feed, and reminding Christians that this silent Word is pleading for sinners as he will soon be crucified. The third verse reiterates the joyous message of salvation the birth of Jesus brings and calls on all to worship him, with incense, gold, and myrrh, recognizing him as the King of Kings.
The use of "Greensleeves" as the melody of "What Child Is This" highlights the influence of secular music in religious hymns in the 17th and 18th centuries. Additionally, the lyrics reflect the Victorian understanding of the Nativity story as the ultimate fusion of humanity and divinity. The hymn's use of archaic language and vivid biblical imagery, such as "nails, spear shall pierce Him through" and "raise, raise the song on high," has helped make it a beloved classic for decades.
Line by Line Meaning
What child is this, who, laid to rest
Who is this child that is lying down?
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Why is this child asleep on Mary’s lap?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
Why are the angels singing sweet songs to him?
While shepherds watch are keeping?
Why are the shepherds keeping watch over him?
This, this is Christ the King,
This is Jesus, the King of kings,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
The shepherds are guarding him while the angels are singing,
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
Let us hurry to give him praise,
The babe, the son of Mary.
He is a baby and the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate
Why is he lying in such a lowly place?
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Why is he lying where the ox and ass are eating?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
Christians, be aware that sinners are present,
The silent Word is pleading.
He is silently pleading with us to be forgiven.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
He will be pierced by nails and a spear,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
He will carry the cross for our sins,
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
Praise the Word who became flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
He is a baby and the son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Offer him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
All people, whether rich or poor, should worship him.
the King of kings salvation brings,
He, the King of kings, brings salvation,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Let us enthrone him in our loving hearts.
Raise, raise the song on high,
Let us sing a joyful song,
The virgin sing her lullaby:
Let the virgin Mary sing her lullaby to him,
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
We should have joy because Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
He is a baby and the son of Mary.
Lyrics © DistroKid, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOUGLAS E WAGNER, WILLIAM C DIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind