Pamela Morgan & Anita Best: The Cherry Tree Carol
There are many versions of The Cherry Tree Carol. Apparently, it's been sung since the fifteenth century so it has had some time to evolve. My favourite version is this one by Anita Best and Pamela Morgan. You can find it on the Amber Christmas collection.
The song tells the story of Mary and Joseph walking through a cherry orchard. Mary asks Joseph to pick her some cherries. Joseph spitefully declines suggesting that the father of Mary's child might want to provide for her. I think one of the reasons I like this carol is that it paints a picture of Joseph as having difficulty with the whole... umm... situation.
It's a moment of relatability in a tale that is not wholly relatable.
On a non-Newfoundland note, I love The New Pornographer's Joseph, Who Understood for similar reasons.
Check it out above or hear it, and a bunch of other cool Christmas songs from Newfoundland artists on the 2020 Newfoundland Christmas Playlist.
