Though the carol was first noted about 1300, it has undergone many stylistic changes over the centuries so that now we can simply think of it as a cheerful seasonal song appropriate to a popular festive occasion. I am looking for carols that have a good tune, a ready accessibility for the audience, a straightforward text and a rhythm you can tap your foot to. Certainly the harmonies are often more contemporary and the vocal parts are more challenging for the singers, but the basic feeling of cheer and joy must remain. The Shepherd and the King. Both of these carols have those characteristics that I mentioned earlier.
Carols are songs from the past and the present, from far and near.