JUDY COLLINS - "The Cherry Tree Carol" LIVE 1996

Judy Collins sings this traditional nativity ballad, thought to date back to the 15th century. The song tells the story of Jesus, still a fetus in Mary's womb, performing a miracle for his mother by lowering the bow of a cherry tree. This clip comes from Judy's 1996 performance at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, available on the 1997 DVD release titled "Judy Collins - Christmas at the Biltmore Estate." Look for more clips from the concert here on this KZbin Judy Collins channel by the Beta Hi-Fi Archive.

[@kvernon1]

With most music nowadays, you need a lyric sheet to understand the lyrics. With Judy Collins, no such sheet is necessary. So wonderful to hear a song and understand the lyrics perfectly as they are sung! Especially a classic carol such as this!

[@Highinsight7]

SO many folks pass over these GREAT folks tunes like this one when picking Christmas Tunes... Thank goodness Judy Collins... these tunes don't get past Miss Collins!

[@emilytaege]

her voice squeezes my soul amd tears came out.

[@daver8521]

Judy Collins and I both attended MacMurray College, which closed this year after 146 years.

[@sherristeinhauer8831]

A beautiful song by a beautiful artist.

[@billpressler5319]

Always a brave singer...puts that delicate voice right out-front.

[@davidanthonystone5165]

Ms Collins Bless you for all the Ages of your voice 1968 I saw you at Carnegie Hall I was 17 and just love you then and forever. Love and Peace N Y City

[@suzannelawson9215]

I love how Judy performs this beautiful song. She looks so very nice here too with just minimal make-up.

[@cfrench61995]

My favorite christmas song

[@HEADSUPBERKELEY]

So beautiful Judy Thanks

[@rocdocs]

Why does this make me want to cry? Gorgeous.

[@IwshIcldstrtover]

I never tire of hearing this beautiful song performed by Judy Collins.

[@stargenemolly]

Her song has such simplicity and purity..touching me to tears. And I love the rising notes she plays on piano.

[@Pacabelle]

I first fell in love with this song when Richard Dyer-Bennet sang it in his album Vol. 9 (on Side B). But Judy's performance is magnificent. I don't think I've ever heard it sung and played so beautifully.

[@rodterrell304]

Well now that was beautiful

[@deewesthill4705]

Her voice is like a crystal bell ringing across ocean mist.

[@bmolitor615]

actually an angel DID come and talk to Joseph, "fear not" and everything - equal opportunity angles :). I love the sound of this carol, but some versions of it don't present Joseph in the best of lights - Joseph in fact was an awesome guy, an extraordinary man for his cultural context.

[@sirena_senora]

Also, the first verse really shouldn't start out as depicting Mary and Joseph married already. She first told Joseph she was pregnant, then he didn't want to wed her, then yes, as you said, and angel came in a dream, to explain to Joseph. Then they got married. So the story line is a little skewed.

[@danielandrews7378]

hey, here's an idea shut up and enjoy the song.

[@mtrutoiu]

So much tranquility...♥️

[@JWD1012]

This is absolutely magical.

[@harpwiki4893]

simply amazing.

[@veronicabuda4762]

I Love this song

[@GarthDjesi]

lovely rendition.

[@MeganErin7]

The best performance I've ever heard!

[@Highinsight7]

I'll NEVER forget this WONDERFUL special... SPECTACULAR! and... OF course she sand "both sides now" on it!

[@STrobairitz]

Yes, it is a magical rendition, I love it's lilting tempo and of course, Judy's voice. Cindy Kallet also does a beautiful version.

[@LJG907]

Lovely ...

[@OrneryUrchin1]

Lyrics When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee And one day as they went walking, all in the garden green There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild "Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child" "Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child" The Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he "Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee" Then up spoke baby Jesus, from out Mary's womb "Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some" So bent down the tallest tree to touch Mary's hand Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command" Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command" When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee Songwriters: MARY ALLIN TRAVERS, NOEL PAUL STOOKEY, PETER YARROW, ROBERT R. DE CORMIER JR., ROBERT R. DE CORMIER

[@annjohnson7032]

❤️

[@lorettamarchesan3269]

Caspita... la canta con un testo molto diverso...

[@doreenmsnightingale7290]

Lovely; beautiful voice.

[@betahifi]

Yes, that's the song. You can hear a snippet of it on the Amazon listing for the Christmas album. You can also buy the MP3 of the entire song on Amazon. The song is written by Eric Andersen, Jonas Fjeld and Ole Paus. Jonas sings backup with Judy on the chorus of the recording.

[@johnswinderman8690]

Judy at her best

[@c.g.4811]

I’m going to re-write the lyrics to this song to go correctly with the Gospel and that honor St. Joseph and Our Lady. The song is still beautiful

[@Wotsitorlabart]

These are the lyrics from one of many versions of the traditional English carol: Joseph was an old man, an old man was he, When he married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee. As Mary and Joseph were walking one day To an orchard of cherry trees they happened to stray. Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild, “Pick me some cherries, Joseph, for I am with child.” Then Joseph flew angry, so angry flew he, “Let the father of your baby gather cherries for thee.” The up spoke Lord Jesus from in his mother's womb, “Bow low down, cherry trees, bow down to the ground.” And the cherry trees bowed down, bowed low to the ground, And Mary gathered cherries while Joseph stood round. Then Joseph he kneeled down and a question gave he, “Come tell me, pretty baby, when your birthday shall be.” “On the fifth day of January my birthday shall be, And the stars in the heaven shall all bow down to me.”

[@tvnatinto]

where's the proper lyrics please

[@betahifi]

This song will be featured on Judy Collins' upcoming "Christmas with Judy Collins" CD, to be released October 22, 2013. It is a compilation of her previous Christmas CDs, with the addition of a wonderful, upbeat, new single called "Angels in the Snow." You can buy the single now on iTunes and Amazon, and view the cool cover of the new CD now on Amazon.com

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Merry Christmas everyone🎄

[@stcaybrain]

songs was nice sounds

[@willworkforwages]

All these arguments about scripture and interpretations. The lyrics vary, So far as I know, this carol doesn't purport to be a theological dissertation. Why make it a debate? It's a lovely and heartfelt performance whether or not you Biblical scholars believe it's accurate.

[@olelarsen7688]

+willworkforwages Agree! This song is super, in this version.

[@olelarsen7688]

+Ole Larsen When I was a confirmand the priest hated unautorised stories. there was a story about when Jesus was a kid and made clay birds, and the priest hated it. And then the priest asked me : What is the 6´th comentment? it in something about sex, he said. and then I said: Love your neighbour(I was in 1971) and then he went angry! But then he had a story about his church was 13 meters higher than another church 10 km. away. but it is realy just 2 meters. What a stupid priest. I got confirmated and got 84 pounds in danish money, not very much.

[@jamesgarner9910]

@@olelarsen7688 The story you are referring to is from "The Gospel of Thomas" a non-canonical text, which is probably why the priest rejected it as a source.

[@jamesgarner9910]

@Gin Weston The story you are referring to is from "The Gospel of Thomas" a non-canonical text, which is probably why the priest rejected it as a source.

[@williamfrank7565]

totally agree...and I have a masters in theology

[@Dorism541]

What do you mean "No angel comes to Joseph"? An angel does appear to Joseph and reassure him that what Mary says is true. Matt 1:20

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Perhaps she meant initially? As in, before Joseph thought to put Mary away. Yet how is it you accuse another of removing from Scripture when you yourself have added? For though Scripture says Mary kept all these things in her heart in regards to certain matters, where does it state that Mary spoke a word of her blessing to Joseph or any other?

[@anglomik]

Correct. However, it depends on which Gospel one reads; two of them don't even acknowledge the Virgin Birth or the Christmas Story at all..

[@robinnelsen7869]

She's talking about the carol, not the Biblical Scripture.

[@robinnelsen7869]

@@Ggdivhjkjl No, she doesn't mean that. She's talking about the song lyrics. (And she's wrong - there ARE variants of the Cherry Tree Carol where angels come to him. But clearly - I mean, she's OBVIOUSLY talking about the version of the carol that she knows - she's NOT talking about the Biblical canon.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

@@robinnelsen7869 I can see how her words could be understood that way too.

[@scorpiocat69]

"Angels in the Snow"?....Is that the Eric Andersen song that he wrote and performed worldwide with Rick Danko and Jonas Fjeld? If so it's a wonderful song with verses in Norwegian and English. Ms Collins has had a decades-long friendship with Eric and has performed "covers" of much of his work. THANK YOU for this post, glad I subscribed!

[@vincarcin]

As beautiful as Branduardi's version

[@BobCollinsSTEPcoach]

Joseph holds the unique distinction of being STEPfather to the Son of God. BTW an angel was dispatched to tell Joseph that it was good to marry Mary, that her baby was from the Holy Spirit, then later to flee to Egypt, then again when it was safe to return home. Joseph was God's man for the ultimate mission.

[@baritonebynight]

***** I think Judy Collins version made it so much more real and human from the perspective of Joseph. The Biblical story does not tell us about Joseph's feelings as a human being. We can only guess that he had universal human emotions. Angel interaction is pretty atypical and like many who have spiritual experiences that are extraordinary.....there is always the "is this happening, did it happen, is there something wrong with me, am I imagining it." Sometimes it take a bit more than an Angel in a dream or a vision to convince the human heart....and requires the direct hand of God...and to me...that is what this carol is about.

[@scorpiocat69]

The comments below have been "imported" from the "Angels in the Snow" video. Yes that WAS me, commenting 4 years ago..... Merry Christmas!

[@gerdigarden]

Maybe anyone has the text from her great version?

[@marylarson617]

Does the sheet music to this arrangement exist somewhere?

[@kathydonavan8122]

So many versions of this song. I like Peter Paul and Mary the best

[@ginocandia5770]

😊😁 I'm very pleased to know I'm not the only one that loves the song but when last did you play it?

[@kathydonavan8122]

@@ginocandia5770 2 Christmases ago

[@dominiquechauvin2160]

Il ciliego.....

[@lorettamarchesan3269]

Angelo Branduardi... 😊

[@RightArmProductions]

Great voice, but the tempo is too fast for me. I prefer Jody Miller's version.

[@mijreuonehcog]

+Right Arm Productions Y'all need to listen to this song by The Chad Mitchell Trio.

[@TRACTS4JESUS]

JESUS IS LORD, AND FOR WHOSEVER SHALL CALL UON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALLBE SAVED ROMANS 10-13

[@maxalberts85]

Actually, Joseph DID have contact with an angel,. more than once. Here's one exam[e. When he discovered that Mary was pregnant, here is the scripture from the Book of Matthew, 1,18-21: " Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband , being a just man, and not willing to make a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins."

[@paulheffron4836]

Thanks so much for pointing this out,Max. Merry Christmas.

[@robinnelsen7869]

For God's sake. She is SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THE EVENTS IN THE NARRATIVE PRESENTED IN THE CAROL. As in, in this version of the carol, Joseph doesn't know what's going on because he hasn't been visited by any angels. There are many, and I mean MANY Christian traditions and folk tales that are not related to canon Biblical scriptures, and have been for centuries.

[@neannnderthal]

The words are unfair to Joseph though, who was cherry-picked by The Father to be the Protector of the Family of our Savior! If he had not listened to the angel who told him to flee to Egypt, all would have been lost! The fate of mankind hinged on the decision of wonderful Joseph! We owe him one, same as Mary & of course Yahushua, King of Kings & Lord of Lords! (:D Have a great ChristmasEveryDay, Everybuddy!!!

[@BobCollinsSTEPcoach]

Very good point. Pretty song, just not accurate. Sort of like Frosty the Snowman. 😉 🎅

[@robinnelsen7869]

@@BobCollinsSTEPcoach The Biblical scriptures are no more accurate than this carol. As in, there was no flight to Egypt.

[@Helen58431]

What a pity she didn't read the text properly! Joseph was spoken to by an angel, and it was all explained to him! (See Matthew 1: 20-25.) Otherwise beautiful...

[@vonschlesien]

Judy Collins didn't write the lyrics; it's an old Appalachian folk carol.

[@Helen58431]

I was actually referring to her opening comments, not to the song, (though I take your point that she may actually have been referring to the song in them, rather than to the original story.) The song, by the way, is, I think, originally English (15thc?)

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

@@vonschlesien It goes back a lot further than that. It's an ancient Syriac song about a date palm tree that the crusaders brought back to Europe after misunderstanding the lyrics.

[@steve95838]

The proper term is unborn child, or baby- not "fetus!"

[@deewesthill4705]

"Fetus" means the same as "unborn child". It is the medical terminology for a pregnancy past the early "embryo" stage.

[@beppythepilgrim6302]

I prefer Mark Lanegan's version.

[@maxalberts2003]

Actually, Joseph WAS informed quite specifically of "what was going on": Matthew 1, 18-25. Her ignorance is breath-taking and inexcusable.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Depends on when exactly she meant. St Mary was told beforehand whereas St Joseph didn't know about anything until he was on the verge of divorcing his betrothed.

[@jhiv3945]

You don't read your Bible Judy! The angel Gabriel WAS sent to Joseph to tell him what was going on!

[@scorpiocat69]

This song was performed years ago by Peter, Paul & Mary, a 1960's folk group. Peter Yarrow, Paul Stuckey, and Mary Travers may be to blame, not Judy. Merry Christmas!

[@deewesthill4705]

The singer did not write this song herself. It's one of many variants of an old folk song whose words are partly based on a story NOT in the Bible that even contradicts the gospel nativity story. So blame the anonymous and possibly illiterate writer of the old song and the unknown story writer, not Judy.

[@westsidewarrior1972]

fetus? C'mon.

[@johnmarkhunter]

Fetus Jesus is the reason for the (Advent) season.