sentences:  It first appeared in print in 1599 and has since been published with a varying number of verses and in several different translations.It is most commonly sung to a melody which was harmonized by the German composer Michael Praetorius in 1609.The song's popularity endures today; it has been recorded by modern artists such as Mannheim Steamroller and Sting, and it has appeared in a variety of feature film soundtracks, including "Love Story" (1970) and "The Time Traveler's Wife" (2009).