This work investigates the musical arrangement of the traditional West Indian carol 'The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy' for choral performance. Mack Wilberg, a prominent choral composer and arranger, utilizes his expertise in vocal orchestration to adapt this folk melody into a structured performance piece. The arrangement provides a specific framework for SATB choirs to interpret the rhythmic and harmonic nuances of the original carol.

Experts in choral music recognize Wilberg's arrangements for their technical precision and accessibility for ensemble performance. Musicians frequently note the effectiveness of his rhythmic adaptations in maintaining the energy of the original West Indian source material.