

Carol / Lullaby, England (UK).
“What Child Is This?” is a popular Christmas carol based on the melody of the traditional tune “Greensleeves“. It was written in 1865 by English writer William Chatterton Dix.
At the age of twenty-nine, English writer William Chatterton Dix was struck with a sudden near-fatal illness and confined to bedrest for several months, during which he went into a deep depression.
Yet out of his near-death experience, Dix wrote many hymns, including a poem entitled, “The Manger Throne,” from which three stanzas were later culled, set to the traditional English tune “Greensleeves,” and re-titled as “What Child Is This?”.
Table of Contents
- What Child is This? Videos
- Lyrics
- More Christmas songs and Carols
- Free karaoke MP3 download
- Song
- Sheet music with chords
- Free Printable PDF with Sheet Music and Lyrics
What Child is This? Videos
Karaoke Video
Sing-Along Video
Lyrics

1. What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping,
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary!
2. Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word Made Flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary!
3. So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come, peasant, king, to own Him!
The King of Kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him!
Raise, raise the song on high!
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy! joy! for Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!
More Christmas songs and Carols
Free karaoke MP3 download

To download your free instrumental mp3 of this song, click or tap on the following button, then choose “Save link as…”

“What child is this? (Greensleeves)” (instrumental, 2:34 – 6/8 – 68 bpm)
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Song

This is the song with vocals, which you can also license for commercial use:
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Singing Christmas with our Kids, Vol.1
Christmas is a time to rejoice, and singing certainly does bring that. This is your chance to teach your children some all-time favorite carols and sing them along yourself, too.
Click on the button to watch a piano tutorial video and download a PDF file with music score of this song for free.
Sheet music with chords
To save this free music sheet of “What Child is this” to your computer, right click and choose “Save Image As…”.
Free Printable PDF with Sheet Music and Lyrics

To download a printable PDF of this song for music activities with sheet music, lyrics and a drawing for kids to paint, click on the button above or on the following link.
What Child is This? | Free Sheet Music PDF download
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