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#296: What Child Is This
Feb. 24th, 2021 10:52 pmThis is the better-known hymn to the tune I mentioned here (which is originally from the 1500s English ballad "Greensleeves," where the speaker is disappointed because his girlfriend broke up with him. Some tropes never change.) It is also an example of "ox and ass, heehee, ass."
The Shannon density varies between versions; sometimes you'll have "this, this is Christ the king" every verse, because talking about how "nails, spear shall pierce him through" is kind of a downer. But this version has all three different lyrics.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, I feel like I have, but this also demonstrates a weird usage of the word "own" meaning "recognize, acknowledge." (I guess that's the source of "disown," which is more common.) "Come, peasant, [and] king, to own him" sounds like you either want the shepherds or wise men to take Jesus into their custody, and/or to pwn him like a noob, neither of which seem very Christmasy.
The Shannon density varies between versions; sometimes you'll have "this, this is Christ the king" every verse, because talking about how "nails, spear shall pierce him through" is kind of a downer. But this version has all three different lyrics.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, I feel like I have, but this also demonstrates a weird usage of the word "own" meaning "recognize, acknowledge." (I guess that's the source of "disown," which is more common.) "Come, peasant, [and] king, to own him" sounds like you either want the shepherds or wise men to take Jesus into their custody, and/or to pwn him like a noob, neither of which seem very Christmasy.
