The famous Christmas song, Little Donkey, is 60 years old this year - yet it remains one of the most popular songs of the festive season and is a staple of many children's nativity plays.
It was written in 1959 by pop songwriter Eric Boswell, who was famous for writing hit songs for popular artists of the era, such as Ricky Valance's Why Can't We and Matt Monro's I'll Know Her. When singing duo Nina and Frederik recorded Little Donkey in 1960, it became one of Boswell's biggest hits.
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Christmas story
The duo's recording of the unlikely pop song peaked at number three in the UK singles chart in December 1960. It tells the Christmas story of the little donkey who carried Mary to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus Christ in a stable. Frederik and Nina Pallandt became international stars as a result of their recording.
Over the years, the song has been recorded by singing superstars such as Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, The Beverley Sisters and Aled Jones. Famous all over the world, it has been translated into many languages, so that children can perform it in their nativity plays.
A poll carried out in 1998 to find out people's favourite Christmas carol saw Little Donkey come third, behind Silent Night and Away in a Manger. It is one of the few modern songs in the top ten - Silent Night having was written in 1816 and Away in a Manger in 1887.
About the writer
A talented musician, Boswell was encouraged by his mother to learn the piano and violin as a child. He moved to London as a young man, starting out by writing what he called "serious music". However, he'd "had enough of that", so he decided to write a simple song for children.
Little Donkey was the result and it was published in 1959 by Chappells of London. They were so impressed by the simple yet memorable song that they snapped up Boswell straight away and gave him a contract. Boswell's idea was that the song should be sung by children.
In an interview in 2001, he said he'd realised that "the simple things in life were the best". He described his earlier songwriting efforts as producing "complicated and awful stuff". However, Chappells decided to let Gracie Fields have the song, rather than a children's choir, as Boswell had envisaged.
Nina and Frederik
One year on, it was Nina and Frederik's version that caught the public's imagination. Born in Denmark, they had sung together as a duo since they were children, as their parents knew each other. They went their separate ways in adulthood, although continued writing to each other.
They met up again in 1957, when Nina was 25 and Frederik was 23. They formed their folk duo and enjoyed some success after recording Mary's Boy Child in 1959 and Listen to the Ocean in 1960, but their third song, Little Donkey, was the one everyone remembered.
They married in 1960 and had three children, continuing their international singing career throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. Frederik died in 1994, while Nina is 87 today.
Importance of Christmas
Boswell once said that in his songwriting, he felt like the best thing he could do in "this rotten world we live in" was to appeal to people's emotions. Christmas had always been important to him, hence his decision to write a Christmas song.
As Harry Belafonte had recently released Mary's Boy Child, he felt like "all the subjects had been written about", so he tried to think of a new angle. "I thought of the donkey and that was it," he said.
The royalties from Little Donkey enabled Boswell to live for the rest of his life without having to worry about money, so he could carry on doing what he liked best - writing songs.
Recordings and performances by professionals, including choirs singing in concert halls, were subject to royalties, although amateur performances by children and in nativity plays were free of charge.
21st century
The song begins with the emotive lyrics, "Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road, got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load. It's been a long time, little donkey, through the winter’s night. Don’t give up now, little donkey, Bethlehem’s in sight."
In the 21st century, Little Donkey has continued to enjoy huge popularity and signifies Christmas for many children all over the world. It has also featured in comedy performances by the likes of Russell Brand, Alan Carr and Ricky Gervais.
Follow that star tonight!
If you have a little donkey (or pony) of your own, Griggs Equestrian is sure to have everything you need.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!