"Good King Wenceslas" is a traditional Christmas carol. It tells a story about a historical figure, St. Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935). In the song, the good king and his servant bring food and wood to a peasant on St. Stephen's Day, which is December 26th. The servant grows cold, but his master is so saintly that he leaves the heat in the ground where he passes, leading to the concluding moral that "Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourself find blessing."
Bean Bunny sings the song in The Muppet Christmas Carol only to have a wreath thrown at him by an irate Ebenezer Scrooge. An instrumental version of the song appears on the film's soundtrack and the song is one of the handfuls of traditional Christmas carols musically incorporated and alluded to throughout the film's score.
The song is sung by Buford and Baljeet in the Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites album. Buford changes the lyrics, which was about a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26), and gets into an argument with Baljeet. When Baljeet questions Buford's knowledge of the song, Buford reveals that he knows much about it and changed the lyrics because he likes his version better as it was about him.
The song was featured in the episode, "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas".
Lyrics[]
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight gathering winter fuel
Hither page and stand by me if thou know'st it telling
Yonder peasant who is he where and what his dwelling
Sire he lives a good league hence underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence by St. Agnes' fountain
Bring me flesh and bring me wine bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine when we bear him thither
Page and monarch forth they went forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather
Sire the night is darker now and the wind blow stronger
Fails my heart I know not how I can go no longer
Mark my footsteps my good page tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly
In his master's steps he trod where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod which the Saint had printed
Therefore Christian men be sure wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing
Baljeet: Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen...
Buford: Sorry I'm late. I was busy doin' some rewrites.
Baljeet: Rewrites?
Buford: I've highlighted your parts. Now sing along.
Buford: Santa Claus and all his elves
Are making gifts for Buford
Baljeet: I don't think that's how it goes
Buford: Nobody's askin' you, nerd
Baljeet: Buford! You're completely disrespecting this classic song. You're ignoring the historical context. King Wenceslas was a great man. You have no idea what this song is about!
Buford: I know all about this song.
Buford: The words were by an English guy
The music, Scandinavian
Wenceslas was five-foot-six
He kept his face unshaven
Though just a duke throughout his life
He always ruled so justly
His kingly title was conferred
Upon him posthumously
Baljeet: Well, I stand corrected. You seem to have a lot of information. But if you know so much about it, why do you not sing the original song?
Buford: I like my version better. It's about me!
Buford: Buford should get lots of gifts
Every Christmas season
When I see presents just for me
It always is so pleasin'
That is why I changed the words
To make the song more edgy
If you don't like the way I sing
You'll get a Christmas wedgie
Baljeet: Oh, it's lovely. You're a veritable Oscar Hammerstein the Second, or uh...oh, well, at least it's over!
Trivia[]
- Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) was a lyricist best known for his contributions with Richard Rodgers, including the lyrics to the musicals Oklahoma!, The King and I, The Sound of Music, Carousel, State Fair, and South Pacific.
- In "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas", the speaking line "Oh, it's lovely. You're a veritable Oscar Hammerstein the Second, or uh...oh, well, at least it's over!" is not done and is the only cut line from the episode.
- When Buford sings the lines "Every Christmas season/When I see presents just for me", Isabella Garcia-Shapiro plays the violin, while Irving plays the French horn.
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