Steve and Tipper Christmas at Granny Gazzie’s
Today I’m sharing another favorite Christmas song video we’ve uploaded over the years. The song is so old no one really knows for sure who wrote it.
I grew up hearing Pap and his brother sing “The Friendly Beasts” and I’ve always thought it sounds like a lullaby. It brings great comfort to my heart every Christmas.
Pap said he learned the song from The Blue Sky Boys, but the song’s origins have been traced as far back as the 12 century.
“The Friendly Beasts”
Jesus our brother, kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable room
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother, strong and good.
Said the donkey shaggy and brown,
I carried his mother up hill and down;
I carried his mother to Bethlehem town.
Thus said the donkey shaggy and brown.
Said the cow all white and red
I gave him my manger for a bed;
I gave him my hay to pillow his head.
Thus said the cow all white and red.
Said the sheep with the curly horn,
I gave him my wool for his blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas day.
Thus said the sheep with curly horn.
Thus every beasts by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel
Sigh. That’s what the song always makes me do sigh in a good way as I think about the many blessings that have been poured out onto my undeserving head from the day I was born. From my Lord and King who was born around those beasts to the loving family who surrounded my birth and have guided my way in this ole world.
I hope you enjoyed the video! There’s a great version of the song on our cd “Songs of Christmas.” If you’d like to pick up a copy of the cd go here.
Last night’s video: My Appalachian Memoir 9.
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That older man’s tenor voice is truly sublime. And well-supported by the younger fellow. I too have never heard the song before. Beautiful!
I learned this sweet song from a little children’s book of Christmas songs, and I can picture the pages with the friendly animals to this day. Wishing you and yours a happy and blessed Christmas, Tipper – and to all the Blind Pig folk!
Wonderful song! I’ve enjoyed listening to the Christmas album. I also love the picture! You and Steve were so cute, and I love the cat clock on the wall and the towel with blue roses on it under the tree.
I’m in a hotel room on Christmas Eve … my trip to family delayed by the storms. I mention this because this song from your Pap and Paul’s Christmas album is one of my favorites. It is a real comfort and brings a smile to hear it. Thank you. I will reach my son’s home later tomorrow, and this music helped to make it a PLEASANT, memorable holiday, for sure.
OkieJammer-I’m so glad you enjoyed the song! Sorry the weather has you stuck in a hotel-hoping you making it on to your son’s soon!! Merry Christmas!
a merry christmas to you your failies and all readersw its christmas day here in new zealand and beautiful day
Merry Christmas – God Bless Us Every One.
Just heard this song, Burl Ives’ rendition, for the first time this year and loved it.
Getting ready to head over to my parents’ for Christmas partying. Its a little bit of a bummer for my daughters right now. Their dad, my husband, works for the power company. Because of the weather up here in CNY, he & all the crews got put on ‘short rest’; working from 6am – 11:30pm with a 40 minute drive each way. He started Thurs & it continues until Monday, or further notice. We haven’t seen him for days and my younger girl, & he, got a little teary eyed on the phone today. We are missing him & don’t know when we’ll ‘do’ Christmas. But we’ve tried to be cheerful & reason that he (& others like him) are making everyone else’s holiday possible. But it sure is sad when you can’t be with the ones you love. I know Xmas is not about my husband being here, not about my kids getting presents, nor the food or lights. It is about Jesus being born. I can be happy about Christmas without any of the extra ‘stuff’ because it is just for ME on the inside. I Hope you all have a beautiful Christmas that makes your soul sing. I am looking forward to going to a real Midnight Mass tonight, which is something I have never been able to do when my kids were small!
Patty-We’ve had power outages here and I’ve thought about the folks who’ve been called into work and are missing time with their families. I’m thankful for them and thankful for you husband working for the good of us all!! Merry Christmas!!
Beautiful!! Merry Christmas to you Tipper and all your family and to all the BP&A gang. May the Lord bless us all this Christmas!! Stay warm everyone!!
Such a pretty song and Paul & pap sang it so well. I love their voices, they’re very unique. I love when you can tell who the musicians are without looking and they have that! Merry Christmas blind pig gang!!
Thanks for sharing this song. It’s beautiful and a great song to listen to on such a cold day.
Beautiful and wonderful song. Pap’s voice is perfect to tell that story/sing that song. Oh how it blesses my heart. Merry Christmas to one and all, and may all of God’s creatures find safety, warmth, food, water and a kind hearted soul to help them. May God help the homeless, hungry, sad, lonely, bereaved, and lost to see that Blessed Holy Light. Jesus is THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
Merry Christmas with lots of Love to you and all your loved ones Tipper.
We performed this song at our school Christmas program when I was in kindergarten, in 1974. Haven’t heard it in many years. Thank you!
I like this song. I have heard it sung by others but I like the way Pap and Paul sing it. Dennis Morgan
Beautiful song & what harmony. Has now become one of my favorite Christmas songs. Thank you for sharing & oh, what memories this video/song must bring back to you.
Wishing you & your entire family a very Happy & Blessed Christmas 2022.
I was JUST talking about this song to my husband yesterday and he said he’d never heard it. Perfect timing! He has now heard an awesome rendition of it. Thank you for such a great post and song! Merry Christmas to the whole family from SC! Jane❤️
Emmanuel – God with us – the greatest gift of all! May the joy of His coming be in the hearts of all …
Very cool for Christmas.
I’ve never heard it before. It’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Merry Christmas
Beautiful singing as usual! Your reading brought to mind so many delicious meals that I remember from my Grandmother’s Blackberry Cobbler to my Aunt’s special dish of Chicken & Dumplings and my Mother’s cornbread, green beans, coconut cake, orange cake, fried squirrel or pheasant with milk gravy and oh my goodness, her red eye gravy spooned over fluffy biscuits.
Merry Christmas to the Blind Pig and Acorn family and all the people that comment, and God’s best to you all for the New Year.
Thank you for this Tipper! It’s one of my favorite songs.
Miss Tipper I’ve never heard that song before but it warms my heart! We’re in the throws of the below zero weather a lot of the country is facing this week here in Ohio so a warm heart is a good thing right now. Wishing you and your family all the best this Christmas. ❤️
Sweet song, just like Pap!
I had never heard that beautiful little tune before. For God do loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever beliveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God’s greatest gift is Jesus. Merry Christmas!
I have never heard this song and love it! The harmony is beautiful!!! This has got to be one of my top five favorites of Paul and Pap. Thank you for sharing such a perfect song for Christmas Eve.
One blessing I am so thankful for is your blog and the commenting Acorns. It has further grounded me to these mountains I am not from but blessed to live here. I am also very thankful for true friends that have shared the resourcefulness and values passed down from their Appalachian ancestors. Many Christmas blessings to your family.
Oh my, what a song. This is my first time hearing it and now I can replay it over and over. Loved your ‘reading’ yesterday and hearing those recipes are another reason to get this book. It is 22 here this morning and warnings now of another hard freeze tonight. Be well and warm and if I have not already said before, Merry Christmas and God Bless.
I have never heard this song before, but I liked it. It is 8 degrees here at my home this morning and the power was off from 2:30 to 5:30 during the night, I sure wish I had some of that wood heat we talked about a few days ago. This year will be the coldest Christmas in 30 years for us. I know for some of the members 8 degrees seems like a heat wave to them.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Beautiful reminder that God created all as in William Blake’s Poem, Tyger, Tyger burning bright, Did He who made the lamb make thee? I found a dead vole yesterday, tiny but covered in warm fur. Couldn’t see his eyes, but admired his huge paws and claws used to dig out his underground life, and his adorable teeny, tiny long thin nose . God gave him everything he needed to live his life and everything God created He pronounced as Good. So the song you gave us tells us to honor the lives of all living things as God made them. I think your lullaby-ish song is beautiful. Merry and Blessed Christmas Wishes for you and yours and to all the commenters that are a warm part of this beautiful blog.
Absolutely love this song, on the cd I have of your dad and brother…..and a lullaby is exactly what I’d use to describe it, gentle, warm, soothing, lullaby! I love the floweredy towel your granny used as a tree skirt, my mom made some bathroom curtains out of those exact same towels….hahahaha Merry Christmas Eve, looking fwd to tonight’s Christmas Eve Service, the lights will be dim, we will light hand candles during the service, and I get to do some readings tonight! Fills my heart with excitement to think of celebrating Jesus’ birth just the way the animals did in this song…..all Praise, Glory, Love and Overwhelming Appreciation I give to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
That was so beautiful! I don’t recall ever hearing that song. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! Merry Christmas to you and your family! May the Lord bless you all!
One word!!
WONDERFUL
Merry Christmas to you and your family Tipper