Composer of Little Donkey Eric Boswell dies aged 88

Dec 1 2009 by David Whetstone, The Journal

THE North East composer of one of the most famous Christmas songs has died aged 88 – just days before the release of a special anniversary recording.

Sunderland-born Eric Boswell wrote Little Donkey in 1959 and had no idea it would become a staple of Christmas, sung at concerts and carol services the world over.

In fact, most of the world had no idea the song – or carol – was by a living composer, believing it to be – as one website declared yesterday – “a traditional Christmas song”.

Eric spent his last months in a nursing home in Riding Mill, Northumberland, and died in Hexham General Hospital on Sunday morning. In more than one interview over the years he expressed minor exasperation at the fame of Little Donkey.

He told The Journal in 1975: “It’s a bit unfortunate that I am always associated with Little Donkey. A lot of the songs I write now are far from religious.”

At that time he was writing humorous songs in the Geordie dialect, such as There’s Mair to Life Than Women and Beor and I’ve Got a Little Whippet.

These were performed at the Geordierama concerts at Newcastle City Hall, of which he was musical director.

Eric’s death comes just before the official release of a new CD of his songs performed by North East opera singer Graeme Danby and his wife Valerie Reid.

The CD, There’s More To Life, features contemporary folk songs such as The Metrocentre and Supermarket Blues – but it also includes an extraordinary duet of Little Donkey sung by Graeme and one-time Lancashire superstar Gracie Fields, who recorded the song in 1959 and died in 1979.