Is this a proper forum

[Jeff_was_here]

to seek help in finding a song I have been looking for since the early 70s?

[The Polack MSgt]

1. I don't see why not

Hit me with teh details Jeff

[Jeff_was_here]

4. cult might be

difficult but I am at the end of my rope. Here goes>

Over the past 20 or so years my older sister has asked me if I could find a song my mother had us sing at Christmas parties. We learned the song in elementary school in 1955 and it has faded from memory. The song represents the few years of our lives that were joyful and full of innocent wonder and amazement.

Our health is failing and my vision makes it impossible to continue to search online. Complicating things further is the fact that the song was by an unknown author and I cannot remember its name. I do however remember (somewhat) the beginning of the song.
It goes like this:
Set a candle in the window
So the little Christ may know
That someone will bring him welcome
To this weary world below.

Let it shine clear and bright
Thru the dark and stormy night
Set a candle in the window
For the Christ child comes tonight

I have never heard this sung by anyone since 1960 and would deeply appreciate any help you could offer.

[The Polack MSgt]

5. I am in the office today so I can't play these songs (youtube is blocked)

But one of the following might be the song your looking for:

https://vimeo.com/296677460

[Jeff_was_here]

7. Nice try

MSgt but not the song.

Thank you for your effort.

[TwilightZone]

6. I might have found it - or something close to it.

In a rather unusual place - a UK community school's Christmas concert archive page (from 2017)

https://www.pembrokedockcommunityschool.co.uk/christmas-concert-1/

Scroll down to "Candle in the Window".

The lyrics don't really match, but the pattern and the underlying message seem quite similar. It could very well exist in multiple forms with different lyrics.

[Jeff_was_here]

8. Good try

but not the song I am looking for. I appreciate your taking the time to research this.

[TwilightZone]

9. No worries.

It's interesting that the message is much the same, but then, lots of religious songs play off of the same themes and candles are prevalent objects in many religions.

That, of course, is part of the challenge you've been facing -- filtering out the similar stuff is tricky.

[TwilightZone]

10. Found it!! Or at least the first page of the sheet music....

https://soundcloud.com/1918-2009/set-a-candle-in-the-window

"Set A Candle by the Window" by Ruth Stirling, aka Grandma Ruth.

I'll see if I can find the rest.

Edit: see my post below for more info.

[Jeff_was_here]

14. Yes! Yes! Yes!

You are amazing! Do you have the lyrics to go with the music? My sister will cry with joy for days when she hears this. For more years than I can count she has asked me to find this song and sing it with her.

If I can get the entire song together she may wish I had not found it as my voice now sounds more like a bobcat gargling barbed wire than a sweet angelic 8 year old alto.

Please send me whatever you can find.

Thank you so very much. You cannot imagine how much this will mean to my sister.

Thank you again!

[TwilightZone]

15. I posted a couple of updates below.

I found the original author (not Ruth Stirling as I originally thought) and several more references to the song, but haven't found the full lyrics or music yet.

If you happen to be on Facebook, your best bet might be to join the Murray group I referenced in my post below and see if anyone in that thread (which is, unfortunately, a couple years old) might know where to find the sheet music.

I'll dig around some more and will update if I find anything.

[thucythucy]

2. Absolutely.

But any details you can provide would be helpful.

Best wishes.

[Jeff_was_here]

11. The only additional info I have

is from my foggy (and oft mistaken memory). I think this may have been written in the 1800s to earn 1900s being

[MLAA]

3. Welcome to DU and go for it!

[TwilightZone]

12. Found it.

"Set a Candle in the Window" by Ruth Stirling, aka Grandma Ruth.

Unfortunately, it's just the first page of sheet music and about one minute of music without lyrics.

https://soundcloud.com/1918-2009/set-a-candle-in-the-window

Ruth passed away in 2009, but it appears that Jennifer Stirling, daughter perhaps, set up the page.

I created a Soundcloud account to see if there was a way to contact her, and there is a "Send Message" button on the artist page here: https://soundcloud.com/1918-2009.

Not sure if it would actually get to anyone, but it might be worth a try. You'll need to set up an account, but it's free and doesn't ask for too much personal information.

Edit: she didn't write it. Please see my next entry below.

[The Polack MSgt]

17. Well done TZ

I love the DUMA

[TwilightZone]

13. More info....

Ruth Stirling wasn't the writer. It was written by William F. Robinson in Utah prior to 1950. He just passed away a few months ago.

https://www.murrayjournal.com/2020/12/03/337758/murray-man-brought-the-town-together-every-holiday-season

The first mention I could find is in the Murray Eagle 12/23/48 but you'd need to create a trial account to view the page: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/473196688/

It's just a short blurb about him conducting a Christmas choir.

Here's a picture of him teaching carols to kids in 1959: https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s67946n9

And a Facebook page with comments about the pic and several references to the song:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/murraymems/permalink/2803056226385175/?comment_id=2806350592722405

I don't actually have Facebook so I can't tell you much about the details. The page is public, however, so you should be able to access it even if you're not on FB.

Enjoy!

[TwilightZone]

16. Sheet music possibility....

One of the Facebook posts about William Robinson noted that they found some of his music at Murray Music. From a quick search, that's more than likely Day Murray Music in Murray, UT.

I used their online tool and didn't find it, but they noted that they have a search service with access to more than a million items. Here's the page for it:

https://www.sheetmusicauthority.com/contact-us/

Give that a try. If they don't have it, maybe they can find it.