Back in the year 2009, my kids first viewing of “The Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens was “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” by Disney.

At the time, I knew that having the their first exposure to such a classic novel was wrong somehow, even though it seemed innocent enough.  Most of the older neighborhood kids  had seen the movie, so I followed the tend and let my kids watch the kidified (yeah, I made that word up) version of the classic by Mr. Dickens.  But still what was lost in the translation of the classic still bothers me a little today.  Oh not in a big way, but I know it has tainted the original message, feeling and meaning forever for my kids.  Whenever the see a version of this classic, they will first think of Mickey Mouse.

When I was a very small child, my parents use to play the song “Scarborough Fair” by Simeon and Garfunkel.  I was amazed by the song and I thought the two singers were geniuses.   I couldn’t totally understand the words, but I knew the lyrics were a bit magical to me, and I was in awe of them.  I often wondered how these two individuals came up with such striking lyrics!  I really thought they were something special…  But, in this case I was wrong!

You see the lyrics to “Scarborough Fair” and the basic melody has existed a bit before Simon and Garfunkel sung the classic song.  In fact, it’s from Medieval times and had various versions of the ballad!

While there is a great chance that I would have never heard the song if it wasn’t sung by Simeon and Garfunkel, I think it’s a bit deceiving letting people believe that they created the ballad.  Perhaps they did mention it on the album, and my parents knew and just never told me…  But I bet a lot of you didn’t realize this little fact either.

It is a great song, but it wasn’t the original…

I wonder how many more things in life are like this great little song?  Remakes of some other great piece of work by others in time?  I know the original writers of this song is uncredited and unknown.

This is a simple example, but I wonder how often we miss hearing the original version of such works in its original context?

-MR

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