Children Go Where I Send Thee" Christmas Song Performed By A British Children's Choir

BritishGospelArts, Feb 16, 2012

2020 perform Children Go where I send thee - The Stables, Milton Keynes, 26 Nov 2011 in concert with London Community Gospel Choir.  Conducted by Andrea Encinas, Abe Hampton on Keys, Ma'el Ekpitini on African drum.
-snip-
I think the name of this children choir is the "London Community Gospel Choir". I don't know what "2020" refers to since this concert was held in 2011 and this video was published in 2012. If you have any information about this choir please share it in the discussion thread below. Thanks!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a 2011 YouTube video of a British children's choir singing the African American Christmas song "Children Go Where I Send Thee".

This post also presents the lyrics for "Children Go Where I Send Thee as well as explanations for that song's lyrics.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who are associated with this choir.
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The remainder of this 2025 post was first published in this 2022 pancocojams post:
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/12/african-american-christmas-song.html for a pancocojams post of Spelman University's Choir (Atlanta, Georgia) singing "Children Go Where I Send Thee".

**** "COMMONLY FOUND" LYRICS FOR "CHILDREN, GO WHERE I SEND THEE" [composers unknown; traditional African American song]

Children go where I send thee, 
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
One by one
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.*

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Two by two
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Three by three
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Four by four
Four for the four that stood at the door.
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Five by five
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Six by six
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Seven by seven
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Eight by eight
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Nine by nine
Nine for the nine that dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Ten by ten
Ten for the ten that never got in
Nine for the nine that dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Eleven by eleven
Eleven for the eleven deriders
Ten for the ten that never got in
Nine for the nine that dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee
Twelve by twelve
Twelve for the Twelve Apostles
Eleven for the eleven deriders
Ten for the ten that never got in
Nine for the nine that dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the Gospel preacher
Four the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little, bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Online source: https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5018
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*In my experience, these word are usually as "who was born, born, born in Bethlehem".

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SOME EXPLANATIONS FOR "COMMONLY FOUND" LYRICS AND OTHER LYRICS FOR THIS SONG
[I gleaned these explanations from several offline and online sources.]

One for the little bitty baby (meaning Jesus).
Two for Paul and Silas. (or "two for Mary and Joseph")
Three for the three men riding (meaning the three Kings/Magi); or "three for the Hebrew children")
Four for the four knocking on the door (meaning the Four Evangelists).
Five for the Five that came back alive (or "five for the Gospel preachers")
Six for the six that never got fixed. 
Seven for the seven that all went to Heaven
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate.
Nine for the nine that stood in the line.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Eleven for the eleven deriders.
Twelve for the Twelve Apostles (or the twelve Disciples)

In the line "eleven deriders", "deriders" means people who deride (ridicule) the Bible. Because of folk processing (accidental mishearing, misremembering etc.) that line is also given as "eleven is the (or for the) Gospel riders (or Gospel writers).

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

"O Kwanzaa" by Teresa Jennings (sung by United States school children)

 Annie Smith, November 5, 2020

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube sound file of "O Kwanzaa" by Teresa Jennings.

Additional YouTube videos of "O Kwanzaa" are also included in this post along with the lyrics to "O Kwanzaa" are included in this post along with the meaning of the Swahili words

The Addendum to this post provides information about the Kwanzaa holiday and information about KiSwahili ("Swahili") language.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Teresa Jennings, the composer of this song. and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Happy Kwanzaa! (Kwanzaa Faraha!) ❤️🖤💚
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This post is a complete reprint of a December 2017 and replaces the December 2024 pancocojams post that featured two videos that are no longer available.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/kwanzaa-childrens-song-o-kwanzaa.html for that 2017 post whose title is "Children's Song "O Kwanzaa" (information, lyrics, videos, & instrumental song file)" . 

The 2017 post has six comments in its discussion thread. I wrote most of those comments about my memories of celebrating Kwanzaa in the late 1960s along with some information about that holiday's customs. 
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/12/hyperlinks-to-pancocojams-posts-about.html 
for the pancocojams post "Hyperlinks For Pancocojams Posts About Christmas, Kwanzaa, Or Junkanoo (2012-2025)."

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ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE EXAMPLES

Example # 2: O Kwanzaa



jennsahy, Published on Dec 22, 2008

2008 Prairie Hill School Holiday Program - 2nd Grade, Song 3

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Example #3: O, Kwanzaa - Teresa Jennings



Louise Welbig, December 14, 2015

Harrisburg South Middle School - 6th Grade Choir conducted by Louise Perrion

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Example #4- Singing o kwanza



poodinker, Published on Dec 14, 2012

Xmas concert

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Example #5: Oh Kwanzaa 



Jonathan Perrin, Published on Dec 16, 2014

My son Rylen and his third grade class performing kwanzaa in there Christmas concert. 2014

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INFORMATION ABOUT TERESA JENNINGS' SONG "O KWANZAA"
Judging from the number of videos of this song on YouTube, and the comments in those videos' discussion threads, Teresa Jennings' 2002 composition "O Kwanzaa" is by far the most widely sung Kwanzaa song (for children, and perhaps also for adults) in the United States.

As demonstrated in these videos, in the United States the song "O Kwanzaa" is sung in elementary schools by young children of all races/ethnicities during these school's Christmas or winter holiday programs.

Here's information about that song from https://www.musick8.com/html/mk8_fullimage.php?volumeid=V13_2 Music K-8,
The Resource Magazine For Elementary And Middle School Music Teachers (Volume 13, Number 2, Plank Road Publishing, November 2002)
" O Kwanzaa by Teresa Jennings

To help you bring Kwanzaa to your students, consider using the song in this issue, "O Kwanzaa." It is a unique blend of hip hop, gospel, and African styles which students will enjoy. A pronunciation guide is included on the music for the Swahili words. The division of part 2 is optional (as is part 2 itself), but it adds distinctly to the flavor of the piece. Be sure students emphasize the crescendo/descresendo for the best results in all parts. Have them listen to the recording for reference. Also let them play along on their own Orff/percussion instruments using our suggested rhythms (see page 64) or creating their own. See if they can identify the African percussion used on the recording."
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Click https://www.musick8.com/html/tjbio.php for biographical information about Teresa Jennings. Please share any additional information that you know about this composer. Thanks!

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LYRICS: O KWANZAA
(Teresa Jennings)

O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa!

O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa!

O-o o
Seven days of celebration
Nguzo Saba
Seven days of celebration
Habari gani

Seven days of celebration
Nguzo Saba
Seven days of celebration
Habari gani
Harambee!

[repeat the entire song again]
-snip-
The second and third "o" in this song are elongated].

**** 
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE TO THE KISWAHILI WORDS (AND THE MODIFIED KISWAHILI WORDS) IN THIS AFRICAN AMERICAN SONG

Kwanzaa:
pronounced KWAN-zah

Kwanzaa is an annual winter holiday that occurs December 6 - January 1. Each day of Kwanzaa showcases one "principle" for good living. These seven principles are collectively called "the Nguza Saba". [phonetically pronounced N-goo-sah SA-bah]

The Kwanzaa holiday was created in 1966 by African American activist Maulana Karenga. (The Arabic word "Maulana" is pronounced mawl-LAH-nah) and means "religious teacher". However, Kwanzaa isn't a religious holiday and Maulana Karenga wasn't the leader of a religious organization.)

The word "Kwanzaa" is based on the KiSwahili (Swahili) word "kwanza" which means "first". The longer name for this holiday is "Kwanzaa ya Matunda" (mah-TOON-dah) meaning "First Fruits". Kwanzaa is a partly patterned after African harvest festivals. (Notice the symbols of corn and other fall vegetables that are traditionally laid on the Kwanzaa mat representing "crops".)

Singing songs about Kwanzaa helps reinforce awareness of and appreciation of multiculturalism by presenting additional opportunities to learn about and celebrate African American culture. African cultures, and other Black cultures throughout the world.

Additional comments about incorporating information and songs about Kwanzaa in schools' curriculum are found in the Addendum below.

**
Habari gani:
(pronounced hah-BAH-ree GAH-nee)

A lot of articles about Kwanzaa give the English translation of the Swahili words "Habari gani" as "What's the news?"*. However, the English translation for the Swahili words "Habari gani" actually is "How are you?" Among African Americans (and, by extension, other people in the United States) an informal way of asking "How are you?" are "What's happening"*. A somewhat more formal way of saying "What's happening?" is "What's the news?" Other  informal African American greetings that have the same meaning are "What's up?", "What's going on" and "How [are] you doing?"

*In the late 1960s and the 1970s the African American Vernacular (informal) English greeting "What's happening?" was relatively widely used among African Americans. For example, that phrase was the title of a nationally televised sit-com (situation comedy) series about an African American family. That sit com aired on ABC (one of the three major television channels ABC, CBS, & NBC, given in no particular order) from August 5, 1976, until April 28, 1979. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_Happening!! for information about that series.

Among African Americans (if not people who speak Swahili in East Africa and Central Africa), the response to "Habari gani" is the Swahili word "Njema" (meaning "good".) However, during  the week of Kwanzaa, people are "supposed"* to use another greeting strategy- a person is "supposed to" greet other people with the words "Kwanzaa Furaka" (KWAN-zah foo-RAH-hah) meaning "Happy Kwanzaa". In response, people are supposed to respond with the name of the particular Kwanzaa (Nguza Saba) day. For instance, on the first day of Kwanzaa, when someone says "Kwanzaa Furaha" to another person, that person responds by saying "Umoja". This pattern continues throughout the week and on the last day of Kwanzaa, when someone says "Kwanzaa Furaha" to another person, that person replies "Imani".

*I recall using this greeting custom in the late 1960s shortly after (African American) Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa. However, I'm not sure if Maulana Karenga was the one who created this Kwanzaa greeting custom. Kwanzaa was celebrated by very few African Americans people in the 1960s and 1970s and very few African Americans actually celebrate Kwanzaa now (in 2022).

Furthermore, in my experience, very few people who actually celebrate/d Kwanzaa are/were aware of and/or use/d this greeting custom that I've described above. This description is based on my affiliation in 1967-1969 with the Newark, New Jersey cultural nationalist organization Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN).CFUN was the first cultural origination in the east coast of the United States to celebrate Kwanzaa.(in 1967 or 1968). Maulana Karenga's Oakland, California Black nationalist organization "US" was the first organization to celebrate Kwanzaa (in 1966).

In my adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania there are some people who still use these Kwanzaa greetings. However, I often forget to use the "Kwanzaa Faraha"/ Nguza Saba day response.

. 

**
Nguzo Saba [pronounced n-GOO-zah SAH-bah]
Swahili words which are given the English meaning "seven principles" [refers to the principle (such as "unity" and "purpose") that is celebrated each day of the Kwanzaa holiday.

**
Harambee:
[pronounced hah=RAH-bay], usually with the last syllable elongated]

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE KISWAHILI WORD "HARAMBEE"

From http://www.dictionary.com/browse/harambee
harambee
"Harambee
noun
1.
a work chant used on the E African coast

2.
a rallying cry used in Kenya
interjection

3.
a cry of harambee

Word Origin
Swahili: pull together"
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Among culturally afrocentric African Americans (meaning: African Americans who are interested in the the cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora and incorporate some of those cultural indices into their lives), "Harambee" is considered and used as an exclamation meaning "All pull together!" (Work together. Be unified.)

The motion that is "traditionally" used for "the Harambee! salute" is:
"...the elder leads the guests in the Harambee (ha-RAM-bee) salute. Each person raises their right fist about as high as their shoulder, then pulls down forcefully until the elbow is next to next to their torso, saying “Harambee!” This is done seven times in unison." http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/7days.htm

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I57I2Vhag20 [at around 1:21] for a clip of this motion.

-snip-
I recall chanting "Harambee! All pull together!" (repeated one or more times and then ending in "Harambeeee!") when I was a member of the Black cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark in the late 1960s.

While chanting "all pull together" we imitated pulling a rope toward our body like in the "tug of war" game.

***
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday Kwanzaa."

**
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harambee
"Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, e.g. fundraising or development activities. Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili, and is also the official motto of Kenya and appears on its coat of arms.

Harambee events may range from informal affairs lasting a few hours, in which invitations are spread by word of mouth, to formal, multi-day events advertised in newspapers. These events have long been important in parts of East Africa, as ways to build and maintain communities.

Following Kenya's independence in 1963, the first Prime Minister, and later first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta adopted "Harambee" as a concept of pulling the country together to build a new nation. He encouraged communities to work together to raise funds for all sorts of local projects, pledging that the government would provide their startup costs. Under this system, wealthy individuals wishing to get into politics could donate large amounts of money to local harambee drives, thereby gaining legitimacy; however, such practices were never institutionalised during Kenyatta's presidency.

A popular etymology deriving the term from the name of a Hind goddess, Amba Mata (a form of Durga riding a Tiger) has been proposed, supposedly via Hindu railway linesmen carrying loads of iron rails and sleeper blocks who would chant "har, har Ambe!" ("praise Amba") when working. The first president, Jomo Kenyatta has been said to have witnessed such a railway line team as it worked in cohesion and harmony and derived the term from there. This has led to criticism against the official use of the term on the part of Kenyan Christians. The actual etymology of the term is, however, cited as genuinely Bantu, from the Miji Kenda term halumbe "to pull or push together".[1] The objections have also been dismissed based on the that even if the supposed derivation were true, it has become irrelevant to the term's modern usage and meaning.[2]"
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Also, read the information about Swahili in the Addendum below.

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ADDENDUM - INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ORIGINATED HOLIDAY "KWANZAA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa
"Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the West African diaspora in the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving.[1] Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966–67.

History and etymology
Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday,[2] (but see also Juneteenth). According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest",[3] although a more conventional translation would simply be "first fruits". The choice of Swahili, an East African language, reflects its status as a symbol of Pan-Africanism, especially in the 1960s, although most of the Atlantic slave trade that brought African people to America originated in West Africa.[4]

Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the black nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" ...

Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.[8]

Principles and symbols

Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy," consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili word meaning "common". Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:[9]

Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.

Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Kwanzaa celebratory symbols include a mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed: a Kinara (candle holder), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Muhindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup) for commemorating and giving shukrani (thanks) to African Ancestors, and Zawadi (gifts). Supplemental representations include a Nguzo Saba poster,[10] the black, red, and green bendera (flag), and African books and artworks – all to represent values and concepts reflective of African culture and contribution to community building and reinforcement.[11] Corn is the primary symbol for both decoration and celebratory dining.

Observance
... A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast (karamu). The greeting for each day of Kwanzaa is Habari Gani?[16] which is Swahili for "How are you?"[17]

At first, observers of Kwanzaa avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols, values, and practice with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujichagulia (self-determination) and thus violate the integrity of the holiday, which is partially intended as a reclamation of important African values. Today, many African American families celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and New Year's.[18] Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African American roots, share space in Kwanzaa-celebrating households. For people who celebrate both holidays, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas.

[...]

Popularity
In 2004, BIG Research conducted a marketing survey in the United States for the National Retail Foundation, which found that 1.6% of those surveyed planned to celebrate Kwanzaa. In a 2006 speech, Maulana Karenga asserted that 28 million people celebrate Kwanzaa. He has always claimed it is celebrated all over the world.[1] Lee D. Baker puts the number at 12 million.[22] The African American Cultural Center claimed 30 million in 2009.[23] In 2011, Keith Mayes said that 2 million people participated in Kwanzaa.[23]

According to University of Minnesota Professor Keith Mayes, the author of Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition, the popularity within the US has "leveled off" as the black power movement there has declined, and as of 2009 between 500 thousand and two million people celebrated Kwanzaa in the US, or between one and five percent of African Americans. Mayes added that white institutions now celebrate it.[12]

The holiday has also spread to Canada and is celebrated by Black Canadians in a similar fashion as in the United States.[24] According to the Language Portal of Canada, "this fairly new tradition has [also] gained in popularity in France, Great Britain, Jamaica and Brazil".[25]

In Brazil, in recent years the term Kwanzaa has been applied by a few institutions as a synonym for the festivities of the Black Awareness Day, commemorated on November 20 in honor of Zumbi dos Palmares,[26][27] having little to do with the celebration as it was originally conceived."...
-snip-
Italics added to highlight those sentences.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT ABOUT THE INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION & SONGS ABOUT KWANZAA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Kwanzaa is an annual winter holiday that occurs December 26 - January 1. Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, an African American activist.

My position is that the main purpose of incorporating a song or songs about Kwanzaa into elementary school's music and "social studies" curriculum is to help reinforce awareness and appreciation of multiculturalism by presenting additional opportunities to learn about African American cultures and Black African cultures.

However, it's important to teach that Kwanzaa is an African American created holiday which isn't traditionally celebrated in African nations. However, the idea for Kwanzaa partly comes from African harvest festivals such as the Homowo [ho-MOH-woh] festival in Ghana. (Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/ghanaian-harvest-festival-homowo.html for a pancocojams post about that festival.)

It appears to me that only a small percentage of African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. My sense is that those people who celebrate Kwanzaa usually combine that celebration with their observances of Christmas and New Years. The colors for the African American flag are red, black, and green and pan-African colors are red, green, and gold. All of thee colors, and in particular red, black, and green are considered the colors for Kwanzaa. The fact that these colors are very similar to the red and green Christmas decorations makes it quite easy to combine Christmas decorations with Kwanzaa decorations.

It also should be noted that December 26th is also the first day of Hanukkah. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah for information about Hanukkah whose candle holding symbol and multiple days of celebration were used as a model for the Kwanzaa holiday.  

Also click these links below for two other pancocojams posts about Kwanzaa:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday "Kwanzaa"

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/teddy-pendergrass-happy-kwanzaa-video.html Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa (video & lyrics)

Additional pancocojams posts about Kwanzaa can be found by clicking the Kwanzaa tag below.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-history-meaning-of-red-black-and.html for a related pancocojams post entitled The History And Meaning Of The Red, Black, And Green Flag
-snip-
My comments about the concept of Kwanzaa being patterned after African "first fruits" harvest festivals are based on internet sources as well as my memories as an early celebrant of Kwanzaa (in 1967-1969) when I was a member of the cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN), based in Newark, New Jersey.

CFUN, led by Imamu Amiri Baraka (formerly known as LeRoi Jones), was the first organization in the East Coast to celebrate and promote the African American holiday Kwanzaa (in 1967 or 1968) . Maulana Ron Karenga's Oakland, California cultural nationalist organization named "Us" (which had some significant differences from CFUN) was the first organization in the United States to promote and celebrate Kwanzaa (in 1966).

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INFORMATION ABOUT SWAHILI (KISWAHILI) LANGUAGE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language
"Swahili, also known as Kiswahili (translation: coast language[7]), is a Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people. It is a lingua franca of the African Great Lakes region and other parts of eastern and south-eastern Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)...

Estimates of the total number of Swahili speakers vary widely, from 50 million to over 100 million.[2] Swahili serves as a national language of four nations: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and the DRC.[citation needed] Shikomor, the official language in Comoros and also spoken in Mayotte (Shimaore), is related to Swahili.[10] Swahili is also one of the working languages of the African Union and officially recognised as a lingua franca of the East African Community.[11]

A significant fraction of Swahili vocabulary is derived from Arabic through contact with Arabic-speaking Muslim inhabitants of the Swahili Coast.[12]"...

****
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The Early 20th Century Christmas Song "Behold the Star" (With Information About Its African American Composer Dr. Thomas W. Talley)

Khaleesi Newton, Feb 13, 2014

Creative Impressions in its 2013 Annual Behold the Star Concert singing its featured song "Behold the Star."

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube videos of the Christmas song "Behold That Star". Information about that song is presented in this post along with the lyrics for that song.

This post also showcases a YouTube video of Dr. Thomas W. Talley, the composer of "Behold That Star" and presents the full reprint of Dr. Talley's Wikipedia page.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Dr. Thomas W. Talley for his creativity and for his cultural contributions.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these showcase videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. ️️️

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "BEHOLD THAT STAR" (With the original song lyrics)
From https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Behold_that_star_(Thomas_W._Talley)

..."General Information

Title: Behold That Star

Composer: Thomas W. Talley

Lyricist: Thomas W. Talley

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Sacred, Spiritual

 

Language: English

Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1922

Description: Original melody, text and harmony composed by Thomas W. Talley in an unknown year in the early 20th century. First published in 1922 by YWCA New York in "Folk Songs of Many Peoples," Vol. II.

External websites:

Hymns & Carols of Christmas

Original text and translations

First published text (1922) English.png English text

Behold that star!

Behold that star up yonder!

Behold that star!

It is the star of Bethlehem.

 

There was no room found in the inn,

This is the star of Bethlehem,

For Him who was born free from sin.

This is the star of Bethlehem.

(Refrain)

 

The Wise Men came on from the East,

To worship Him, the Prince of Peace.

(Refrain)

 

A song broke forth upon the night,

From angel hosts all robed in white.

(Refrain)"....

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Morehouse/Spelman Choirs - Behold The Star

mikep793, Dec 13, 2010

Christmas Concert

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Thomas Talley



Everyday Black History, Jul 17, 2018

This video is about Thomas Talley. One of the first Black Men to receive a Ph.D and very influential to many other Black American Men and Women in the science field. He also collected Black Folk Music that open peoples minds to Black American music and Verse.

REFERENCES. 

"Thomas W. Talley Collection Papers, 1891–1951" (PDF). Fisk University. Retrieved February 24, 2015."...

****
FULL REPRINT OF THE WIKIPEDIA PAGE FOR THOMAS W. TALLEY (without references/notes)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W._Talley [retrieved December 23, 2024]

"Thomas Washington Talley (October 9, 1868 – July 11, 1952) was a chemistry professor at Fisk University and a collector of African American folk songs.

Early life and education

Thomas Washington Talley was born on October 9, 1868, in Shelbyville, Tennessee. He was one of eight children born to former slaves, Charles Washington and Lucinda Talley.[1]

Talley attended public school for six years, followed by high school and college at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he received an A.B. in 1890 and a master's degree in 1893. Starting in 1888 he participated in the Fisk music program, singing with the New Fisk Jubilee Singers and the Mozart Society, as well as the Fisk Union Church. He also conducted the Fisk choir for a number of seasons.[2]

Talley received a Doctor of Science degree from Walden University in 1899. After completing his doctorate, Talley went on to participate in post graduate programs at Harvard University in 1914 and 1916. He completed his dissertation at the University of Chicago years later in 1931, at the age of 61.[1] The title of his dissertation is Theories relating to the constitution of the boron hydrides.[3]

Interests

Chemistry

Talley held teaching positions at several black colleges: Alcorn A&M College in Lorman, Mississippi, in 1891; at Florida A&M in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1893; and Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1900.[2]

From 1903 to 1942, Talley taught chemistry and biology at Fisk University.[1] He also chaired the chemistry department at Fisk for 25 years.[2] Talley-Brady Hall on Fisk's campus is named for Thomas Talley and St. Elmo Brady, another Fisk alumnus and chemist who was a student of Talley's.[4]

Negro Folk Rhymes (Wise and Otherwise)

Talley began collecting rural black folk songs later in his life. Talley's first collection, published in 1922, Negro Folk Rhymes (Wise and Otherwise) contained 349 secular folksongs and spirituals. Already being well-known as the first such collection assembled by an African-American scholar,[2] the book was seen at the time as a "masterpiece of the field".[5] It was not only the first compilation of African-American secular folk songs, but also of folk songs of any kind from Tennessee.[2] An edited edition of Negro Folk Rhymes was re-released in 1991. Additional published works about music by Talley include The Origin of Negro Traditions and A Systematic Chronology of Creation.[1]

The publication of Negro Folk Rhymes marked a turning point in the study of African-American verse. Before its publication, little note had been taken of black secular traditions. Talley's book, along with a later collection by Howard Odum and Guy Johnson, called attention to these works.[6]

Personal life

Talley married Ellen Eunice Roberts on August 28, 1899. The couple had two daughters."
-snip-
This page makes no mention of Dr. Thomas W. Talley composing the Christmas song "Behold That Star".

Click https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm for the full ebook of Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes (Wise and Otherwise).

****
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(Acapella Group) Committed - Christmas Song "Do You Hear What I Hear" (also known as "Said The Night Wind To The Little Lamb")

committedsings, Dec. 5, 2017 

Do You Hear What I Hear was arranged by Armand Hutton. This song was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella category in 2016 **** Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post presents a YouTube video of the acapella group Committed singing the Christmas song 'Do You Hear What I Hear" (also known as "Said The Night Wind To The Little Lamb". Information about Committed singing group is included in this post along with information about and lyrics for the song 'Do You Hear What I Hear". The content of this post is presented for religious and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne for composing "Do You Hear What I Hear". Thanks also to Committed for their rendition of this song and thanks to Armand Hutton for this arrangement of "Do You Hear What I Hear".

**** INFORMATION ABOUT COMMITTED (singing group) From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committed_(vocal_group) "Committed is an a cappella group of six male vocalists from Huntsville, Alabama, all students at Oakwood University, a historically black Seventh-day Adventist school in Huntsville.[1] The group—Therry Thomas, Dennis Baptiste, Tommy Gervais, Geston Pierre, Robert Pressley and Maurice Staple—began singing together in 2003, inspired by another a cappella group that originated at Oakwood, Take 6.[2]

The group won the second season of the musical competition The Sing-Off. They won the title on the finale broadcast on December 20, 2010 broadcast on NBC, singing a vocal a cappella arrangement of "We Are the Champions" from Queen.

The singing group released their self-titled album Committed on Epic Records."...

**** INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR"

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_You_Hear_What_I_Hear%3F "Do You Hear What I Hear?" "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is a song written in October 1962, with lyrics by Noël Regney and music by Gloria Shayne.[1] The pair, married at the time, wrote it as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis.[2] Regney had been invited by a record producer to write a Christmas song, but he was hesitant due to the commercialism of Christmas.[3] It has sold tens of millions of copies and has been covered by hundreds of artists.[2]

Synopsis

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" tells a story loosely based upon the story of the Nativity of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Matthew, incorporating fragments of the annunciation to the shepherds from the Gospel of Luke, though Jesus is never mentioned by name or explicitly identified. A "night wind" tells a lamb of a star, following which the lamb tells his young shepherd that he also hears a loud song. They are each led to a "mighty king," whom they tell of a child in the cold and ask to bring the child silver and gold (much as the Biblical Magi, which in tradition with prophecies in the Book of Isaiah and Psalm 72 are often characterized as kings, did with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh). The king proclaims a prayer of peace and announces that the child will "bring goodness and light".

[...]

Original recordings

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" was released shortly after Thanksgiving in 1962.[1] The song was originally recorded for Mercury Records by the Harry Simeone Chorale,[1] a group that had also popularized "The Little Drummer Boy", and released as part of the album The Wonderful Songs of Christmas with the Harry Simeone Chorale. As a 45 rpm single, it went on to sell more than a quarter-million copies during the 1962 Christmas holiday season.[1]

Bing Crosby made the song into a hit when he recorded his own version of it on October 21, 1963,[4] with the record being released as a single on October 26. Crosby also performed the song on a Bob Hope Christmas television special on December 13 of that year. Over the years, Crosby's recording of the song has been widely played on the radio and has been available on numerous compilation Christmas albums and compact discs put out by Capitol Records."...

**** LYRICS FOR THE SONG "DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR" Said the night wind to the little lamb:
"Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite"

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
"Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea"

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
"Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold"

Said the king to the people everywhere:
"Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light"


Online source: https://genius.com/Christmas-songs-do-you-hear-what-i-hear-lyrics
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More Examples Of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (with extra lyrics)

Cindy Parker, Dec 17, 2019

sing along

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision: December 24, 2024

This pancocojams post presents some additional examples* of the Christmas song "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" that are sung with extra lyrics.

The Addendum of this pancocojams post presents a link to a survey of extra lyrics for "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer". Selected text from that survey is also included in this post. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Johnny Marks for writing the song 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" in 1949. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
*Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/documenting-when-people-sung-extra.html for the 2017 pancocojams post entitled "Singing Extra Lyrics For "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer".

****
LYRICS FOR EXAMPLE #1 IN THIS PANCOCOJAMS POST
-snip-
Here are the words that are sung for this version. [This is given as Example #1 in this pancocojams post]'

You know Dasher, and Dancer,
And Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid
Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose (Like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it (Saw it)

All of the other reindeer (Like Blitzen)
Use to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio)
They wouldn't let poor Rudolph (Rudolph)
Join in any reindeer games (like monopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say [Ho Ho Ho!]
Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then all the reindeer loved him (loved him)
And they shouted out with glee (Yipee!)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
You'll go down in History (like George Washington)

****
Example #2 
From https://1063nowfm.com/do-you-remember-the-extra-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-lyrics/  Do You Remember the Extra 'Rudolph' Song Lyrics? 0 106.3 by Ben Kuhns, November 20, 2012
..."I remembered that when I was in elementary school, in the panhandle of Nebraska, we'd sing a version that included some extra lyrics. It was like little commentary echos of the main lyrics. I was trying to remember these lyrics and my daughter thought I was being funny. It blew her mind that no, I wasn't making it up and I learned it in school.

[...]

I learned these extra lyrics when we did a Christmas play in the first grade.

I remember being so excited for that play. I had new boots and dressed up in my finest polo shirt with a fancy ring of paper around my head with sticks stapled to it (so I looked like a reindeer). We practiced for something between one day and five weeks, I don't really remember.

What I do remember is shouting out "Like the toothpaste!" Because there was a toothpaste brand in the olden days of the early '80s called Gleem. And that was somehow a funny joke, I guess.

And "Like a lightbulb" in reference to Rudy's nose. I have found some variation among people that remember singing the song this way when it comes to how Roudoulph will go down in history. Some folks recall shouting "George Washington!" or "Like Columbus!" But I am 90% sure we sang "Like Nixon!" This was 1982, so maybe that was a funnier reference for the time?

Those lyrics are so engrained into my mind that I can't not shout them out with glee every time I hear the song. Much to the chagrin of my Christmas music-loving daughter.

Here are the lyrics I remember:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Had a very shiny nose (like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it, You would even say it glowed (like a flashlight)
All of the other reindeer, Used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph, Join in any reindeer games (like Monopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say 
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then how the reindeer loved him, And they shouted out with glee (Like the toothpaste)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, You'll go down in history (like Nixon)"

****
Example #3
From https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=635774&page=2
Old 12-22-2011, 09:22 AM
irishgirl
Location: Belfast, Ireland.
"Glows (like a Glow-worm)
Reindeer (like Blitzen)
Names (like Pinocchio)
Games (like Monopoly)
History (like Napoleon)

I think The GW/Columbus versions didn't make it across the Atlantic."
-snip-
"GW" = George Washington

****
Example #4
From https://www.flashlyrics.com/lyrics/hi5/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-93

Rudolph x5 the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
had a very shiny nose (like a lollipop)
And if you ever saw him, (saw him)
you would even say it glows. (like a light bulb)
All of the other reindeer's (reindeer's)
used to laugh and call him names. (like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph (Rudolph)
join in any reindeer games. (like monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
whttps://acedino.medium.com/regional-variation-in-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-aac34da4a022on't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer's loved him (loved him)
as they shouted out with glee, (yippee)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you'll go down in history!

****
Example #5
1. Spirit Dragon, December 16, 2015; https://thirdhour.org/forums/topic/58478-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-add-on-lyrics/

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (sometimes echoed reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose (Sometimes like a light bulb follows here or line 4 or both) (also heard flashlight)
and if you ever saw it (echo saw it)
you would even say it glows (see line 2)
All of the other reindeer (echo)
used to laugh and call him names (most commonly pinocchio for some reason, but I`ve heard others)
they never let poor Rudolph (echo)
Join in any Reindeer games (most commonly Monopoly, I`ve also heard parcheesy and poker)
Then one foggy Christmas eve
Santa came to say (Ho Ho Ho)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
won`t you guide my sleigh tonight
Then all the reindeer loved him
and they shouted out with glee (Yippie)
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
you`ll go down in history (like Washington, Columbus and most recently Charlie Brown - I`d never heard that one before this year that I can remember)

**
2.  theSQUIDSTER, December 16, 2015

Traditions in this vein from the Squidster family have evolved... Typically now the verse addons tend to be mostly random nonsequiturslike a cumquat, like cho Momma, like a moose muppet... and occasionally addons will accidentally turn out to be something off-center but somewhat clever.. you would even say it glows (like Chernobyl), you'll go down in history (like Anonymous) .

**
3. NeuroTypical, December 16, 2015

 On 12/16/2015 at 7:47 AM, Vort said:

Where as we prefer to sing "like a light bulb" after every verse.

In my house, Daddy sings "like a light bulb" after every verse, and the family gets more and more upset until violence erupts. No really - I'm the victim here.  Pillows have sharp corners.

**** 
Example #6
From https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/5he38e/what_extra_lyrics_did_you_add_to_the_christmas/, posted by PatientCancer, 2016

This is how my buddies and I sing it:

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
(saw it)
You would even say it glows
(like a lightbulb)
All of the other reindeer
(reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names
(like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph
(Rudolf)
Join in any reindeer games
(like hopscotch)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
(Ho! Ho! Ho!)
"Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him
(loved him)
As they shouted out with glee
(Yipee!)
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(reindeer)
You'll go down in history"
(like Columbus)

****
Example #7
From http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer(With_Kids_Additons).htm "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (With Kid's Additons) United Kingdom

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  (reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose   (like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it   (saw it)
You would even say it glowed (like a stop light)
All of the other reindeer  (reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph  (Rudolph)
Join in any reindeer games (like Monopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say (Ho, ho, ho)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight

Then how the reindeer loved him (loved him)
And they shouted out with glee (ha, ha, ha)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
You'll go down in history...(like George Washington)

EW
Apr98

****
Example #8: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Silly Choral Version)- Mrs. Heuss’ 4th Grade Choir, December 2021



Mrs Kirt - Dec. 14, 2021

Mrs. Kirt’s Music Class- Mancelona Elementary School (Mancelona, Michigan, USA) -snip-
Here's my transcription of that version:

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose (like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it  (saw it)
You would even say it glowed (like a light bulb)
All of the other reindeer  (reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph  (Rudolph)
Join in any reindeer games (like Monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say (in his underwear)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight
Then how the reindeer loved him (loved him)
And they shouted out with glee (Yipee!)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
You'll go down in history...(like George Washington)

-snip-
Notice that the children wear face mask to protect against Covid-19.

****
ADDENDUM - ONLINE SURVEY ABOUT ADDITIONS TO "RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

Click https://acedino.medium.com/regional-variation-in-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-aac34da4a022 for results of a short online survey of words that people recall adding or hearing added to "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer". Here's an excerpt from that post:

..."This research was conducted via a Google Forms survey. I divided the added lyrics into two categories: repetitive and innovative. Repetitive lyrics largely repeat the last word or two of the preceding line (example: “all of the other reindeer (REINDEER)”. Innovative lyrics add something entirely new, which cannot be predicted from the preceding line (example: “as they shouted out with glee (YIPPEE)”. At the end of the survey I asked three demographic questions: decade when the respondent first learned the song, and the respondent’s home state and city (stressed as optional). All data was collected anonymously and all survey questions were optional.

The survey received 485 responses. Broken down by country:

· US: 374
· Canada: 34
· British Isles: 42
· Australia and New Zealand:
Other/no location: 14 (not included)

Because of the way the survey was structured and distributed, the majority of the respondents
were American. As such, there is little regional variation discernible outside of the US, although each country had its own general trend. Even within the US, trends usually can only be described broadly.

I found basically no variation within the repetitive lyrics: people either followed the song or said nothing at all.

All of the following results are therefore focused on the far more creative innovative lyrics.

[...]

Responses

[...]

 And if you ever saw it (saw it), you would even say it glows (…)

...like a lightbulb
...like a flashlight
...radiation
...like a lamppost
...like a lightning bolt
...like a lightning bug
...like a light globe
...like a traffic light"...

[...]

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say (…)

[...]

This is perhaps the most visible trend in the US I found. While “in his underwear” is concentrated in the Northeast, “hohoho” takes precedence across the rest of the country.

[...]

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer), you’ll go down in history (…)

[...]

Another fairly perceivable trend in the US. “Columbus” seems more common in the West, while “George Washington” is most common everywhere else.

(Due to the wide variety of results outside of America, it was simplest to summarize them in a table with a slightly different format.)"...
-snip-
There were LOTS  of add-ons for "you'll go down in history". Among those examples (given with states and/or nations) are:
like George Washington
like Columbus
like Attila the Hun
like Kennedy
like Mickey Mouse
like Napoleon
like Lincoln
like Thomas Jefferson
like Elvis"...

Read other  examples in that linked article. 

****

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