"In Dulci Jubilo" | ||||
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Single by Mike Oldfield | ||||
B-side | "On Horseback" | |||
Released | 14 November 1975 [1] | |||
Recorded | November 1974–October 1975 | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Length | 2:51 | |||
Label | Virgin Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Traditional | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Oldfield | |||
Mike Oldfield singles chronology | ||||
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Official video | ||||
"In Dulci Jubilo" on YouTube | ||||
French single cover | ||||
"In Dulci Jubilo Christmas EP" | ||||
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Single by Mike Oldfield | ||||
from the album Elements - The Best of Mike Oldfield | ||||
Released | 19 November 1993 | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Label | Virgin Records | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Oldfield | |||
Mike Oldfield singles chronology | ||||
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"In Dulci Jubilo"/"On Horseback" is a double A-side single and third overall by English musician Mike Oldfield,released in November 1975 by Virgin Records. It features an instrumental version of the German traditional Christmas carol "In dulci jubilo" and Oldfield's second version of the song following an earlier recording released as the B-side to his previous single,"Don Alfonso". The song "On Horseback" is the final and previously untitled section to "Ommadawn (Part Two)" from his third studio album Ommadawn ,released just one month before. The single is certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry for selling 200,000 copies in the UK.
This is an instrumental version of the German traditional Christmas carol of the same name,known best in Britain as "Good Christian Men Rejoice". Oldfield had recorded an earlier version with Les Penning as the B-side to his previous single,"Don Alfonso",which did not chart. Oldfield felt a better version could be done,so he re-recorded it in October 1975 at The Manor Studio while keeping some of the backing tracks from the first version that were put down at his home studio in The Beacon,in November 1974. This version features Penning on two recorders and kortholt,William Murray on snare drum,and Oldfield on acoustic and electric guitars,piano,and ARP string synthesiser. [2] Most pressings from the 1970s and 1980s credit the song to R. L. Pearsall,with arrangements by Oldfield. Although Bach and Pearsall both wrote arrangements,the tune dates further back than either composer. Italian pressings of the single from 1975 credit it to J. S. Bach.
The song received radio airplay across Europe during the Christmas season. It reached number 3 in the Netherlands,number 4 in the UK, [3] and number 7 in Ireland.
"On Horseback" features Oldfield on vocals accompanied by a children's chorus,credited as the Penrhos Kids. It previously appeared as the untitled song at the end of "Ommadawn (Part Two)" from Oldfield's third studio album Ommadawn ,released just one month before. The album's liner notes refer to it as "the horse song on side two". Virgin Records recognised the song as a potential Christmas hit,and it was played on radio before it was issued as a single which prompted the label to release the single as a double A-side.
On 27 July 2012 at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony Oldfield performed renditions of Tubular Bells ,"Far Above the Clouds" and "In Dulci Jubilo" during a segment about the NHS. This rendition appears on the soundtrack album Isles of Wonder .
The piece was also used as the theme tune to the BBC cookery show Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas.
A music video was made for this song,and is featured on the DVD Elements –The Best of Mike Oldfield . The video splits the screen up to 9 thumbnail frames,each showing Oldfield or Les Penning playing a different instrument. The music video was directed by Bruce Gowers.
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [4] | 4 |
Irish Singles Chart [5] | 7 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [6] | 3 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [7] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC) [8] | 4 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [9] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Virgin VS-131
The UK edition has "In Dulci Jubilo" marked as side "A". [10] It was also issued in other European countries,excluding France. [11]
Virgin VDJ-9
Side 2 is "On Horseback". Issued in a generic cover for promo records. [11]
Virgin (dist. CBS) ZS8-9505
Also issued in Canada. [11]
Virgin (dist. CBS) ZS8-9509
Re-issue with alternate B-side. [11]
Virgin (dist. CPF Barclay) 640079 :1st ed. 1975
Virgin (dist. Polydor) 2097 930:2nd ed. 1977
This single has been re-issued in 1977 with another picture sleeve. The B-side has been called "In Dulce Jubilo",and credited to "R.L. Pearsall,arrt Mike Oldfield". The A-side is an edited version of the end of Ommadawn part 1. This may not be the same excerpt from Ommadawn used on North American singles.
Released in 1993 on CD.
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English former musician,songwriter,and producer best known for his debut studio album Tubular Bells (1973),which became an unexpected critical and commercial success. Though primarily a guitarist,Oldfield played a range of instruments,which includes keyboards and percussion,as well as vocals. He had adopted a range of musical styles throughout his career,including progressive rock,world,folk,classical,electronic,ambient,and new age music.
Hergest Ridge is the second studio album by English musician and songwriter Mike Oldfield,released on 2 September 1974 by Virgin Records. The unexpected commercial and critical success of his debut album,Tubular Bells (1973),affected Oldfield,who decided against touring and avoided the press with his newfound fame. Instead,he retreated to Hergest Ridge on the England–Wales border and wrote the follow-up,which he recorded in 1974 at The Manor in Oxfordshire,with Tom Newman returning as co-producer. Similar to Oldfield's first,the album is a single composition split into two parts covering different moods and musical styles.
Ommadawn is the third studio album by English musician,multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mike Oldfield,released on 3 November 1975 on Virgin Records.
Amarok is the thirteenth studio album by English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mike Oldfield,released in May 1990 by Virgin Records. Oldfield originally conceived it as an "angry protest album",showcasing his musical technique. It is presented as a single sixty-minute track of continuous,uninterrupted but constantly changing music.
Elements –The Best of Mike Oldfield is a compilation album by Mike Oldfield,released in 1993 by Virgin Records.
The Complete Mike Oldfield is a compilation album by Mike Oldfield,released on 21 October 1985 by Virgin Records in the UK.
"In dulci jubilo" is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting,the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English,such as J. M. Neale's arrangement "Good Christian Men,Rejoice" have increased its popularity,and Robert Pearsall's 1837 macaronic translation is a mainstay of the Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols repertoire. J. S. Bach's chorale prelude based on the tune is also a traditional postlude for Christmas services.
"Heaven's Open" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield,released in 1991. It was the lead single from the album of the same name. The various formats were backed by a mix of the A-side which featured a melodic guitar line not included in the album version,along with two excerpts from Amarok,Oldfield's previous album.
"Don Alfonso" is the second UK single by musician Mike Oldfield,released in 1975. Side 1 has an additional credit:"featuring David Bedford on vocals". This is a comic novelty song from the 20th century,sung by a boasting,bogus toreador,who seems to know very little about bullfighting.
"Mike Oldfield's Single" is the debut single by the English musician Mike Oldfield,released in 1974.
"Portsmouth" is a traditional English folk dance tune,similar to an Irish or Scottish hornpipe melody. It is sometimes referred to as the "Portsmouth Hornpipe".
Boxed is a 1976 compilation album of music written and performed by Mike Oldfield. It features four channel quadraphonic remix versions of his first three albums:Tubular Bells,Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn. An additional fourth LP contains new musical collaborations with other artists.
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Elements Box is a 4CD box set by Mike Oldfield released in 1993.
Elements - The Best of Mike Oldfield is a video collection by Mike Oldfield released in October 1993. It was released by Virgin Records on VHS and LaserDisc. A DVD edition of the video release,including additional extras,was produced in 2004.
Music Wonderland is a compilation album by Mike Oldfield released in 1981 on Virgin Records. The album has since been reissued worldwide on CD.
This is the singles discography of English musician Mike Oldfield.
The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974–1983 is a compilation album by Mike Oldfield,released in 2009,to coincide with the reissue of Oldfield's debut album,Tubular Bells,by Mercury Records.
Return to Ommadawn is the twenty-sixth and final studio album by English musician and songwriter Mike Oldfield. It was released on 20 January 2017 on Virgin EMI Records and is the sequel to his 1975 album Ommadawn. The CD/DVD-Audio set contains a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album. Return to Ommadawn is the last studio album Oldfield released before the announcement of his retirement in 2023.
Les Penning is a British folk musician and composer,best known for his work with Mike Oldfield on the album Ommadawn and several of Oldfield's singles. He is credited with introducing Oldfield to medieval music through their time playing together at Penrhos Court. He has worked with many other artists,playing woodwind,as producer or as recording engineer,and has created radio drama for BBC Hereford and Worcester and music for two S4C television series:Gwyddion and an adaption by Gareth Miles of the William John Griffith novel Storïau'r Henllys Fawr.In 1978 he was a musician and performer on the BBC adaption of ‘Kilvert’s Diary’