Some Children See Him by Alfred Burt

Album: The Alfred Burt Christmas Carols (1951)

License This Song

Songfacts®:

"Some Children See Him" was composed by Alfred Burt (April 22, 1920 – February 7, 1954) an American jazz musician who wrote between 1942 and 1954 an annual Christmas carol with an old family friend, Wihla Hutson. He would send the festive song out each year as an annual holiday gift. This was the one he wrote in 1951.

The carols remained mostly unknown outside the Burts' mailing list until 1952 when Burt's rendition of "Come, Dear Children" at the annual King Family Christmas party served to introduce his festive songs to Hollywood. Twelve of Burt's carols were released in time for Christmas 1954 on a 10-inch vinyl album called The Christmas Mood, after which interest picked up.
James Taylor recorded the carol for his James Taylor: A Christmas Album, which was released on a limited-edition basis in 2004, with distribution through Hallmark Cards and re-issued two years later by Columbia.
Kenny Rogers recorded this with Alison Krauss for his 2015 Once Again It's Christmas album. He told Billboard magazine about the song: "It falls within that category of 'Mary, Did You Know?,' in that it's a totally different look at Christmas. It says in so many words that black children don't have to see Christ as white; you can look at him as black. It really struck me as being a deep thought process into the universality of Christmas."

Comments: 6

William Pinson from TexasTennessee Ernie Ford recorded the carol in the late 1950s on his Christmas album "The Star Carol", a wonderful album by the way. Numerous other artists included it on their Christmas albums, such as Andy Williams, and others.
Ron from Greensboro NcSurprised that nobody has mentioned this song was released by Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1958. I first heard it in 1965 as part of a medley of Alfred Burt's songs we performed in my high school choir.
Thanks For Info from OhioI recalled this from Sunday School but couldn't recall the title. (I thought it was "Some People...") I wanted to mention it as an illustration - for 20 months I've written brief devotionals for our inner city ministry (we're back up and running but I still send some of our kids and families these via mail or e-mail). And it makes a nice transition from a short series I've done on seeing others' perspectives yet keeping God's truth as your foundation into the Christmas season, with how we can each view Jesus differently yet the important part is seeing Him as our Saviour. (gcyouthquake.org)
Brian from Denver, CoThe song also appears on Kenny Loggins' December album.
AnonymousAndy Williams sang it on his TV show in 1965
Kevin from Salt Lake City, UtMaureen McGovern sings "Some Children See Him" on her wonderful but hard to find Christmas album. The Blenders and James Taylor also have nice versions.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.