We Three Kings of Orient Are

This was my favourite Christmas carol as a child and one of the earliest pieces of music I remember learning to play as a child on my dad's harmonium long before I had aspirations to play organ.

I know it isn't a politically correct song in some circles and probably will get changed one day to "we undisclosed number of maybe kings from somewhere east are"... but please go away!!

Wikipedia states it was published in 1863 and was unusual for a Christmas carol as the composer wrote both the words and the tune. It also states it was the first USA carol to attain widespread popularity (it is popular both as a carol and for having many silly parodies). Some 65 years after its first publication The Oxford Book of Carols called it "one of the most successful of modern composed carols." I would have to agree.

Hope you enjoy
John