Congratulations! We have all survived another season of holiday music! I'm proud of you, I know it wasn't easy.
I am blatently against Santa Claus worship, and that includes any Christmas music that isn't about what Christmas is really about: Jesus.
However, I do have a few favorite songs that normally are only played around Christmastime. I will put their lyrics up, because the lyrics is really what I dig about them.
We Three Kings
Words & Music: John H. Hopkins, Jr., 1857
We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
Refrain
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
Refrain
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.
Refrain
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Refrain
Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
Refrain
Oh Holy Night was written by Placide Clappeau, a French mayor, in 1847. It was translated into English a few years later.
Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Angels We Have Heard on High
By: French Carol
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing over the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo;
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo;
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king.
Gloria in excelsis Deo;
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
"Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel"
by unknown author, c. 1100
Translated by John M. Neale, 1818-1866
1. Oh, come, Oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
2. Oh, come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
3. Oh, come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
4. Oh, come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home:
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Lyrics
hark! the herald angels sing
"glory to the newborn king!"
peace on earth, and mercy mild
god and sinners reconciled
joyful all ye nations rise
join the triumph of the skies
with th'angelic host proclaim
"christ is born in bethlehem."
hark! the herald angels sing
"glory to the newborn king!"
christ, by highest heav'n adored
christ the everlasting lord
late in time behold him come
offspring of the favored one
veiled in flesh, the godhead see
hail th'incarnate deity
pleased, as man with men to dwell
jesus, our immanuel!
hark! the herald angels sing
"glory to the newborn king!"
oh, oh, oh
ah
hail! the heav'n born prince of peace!
hail! the son of righteousness!
light and life to all he brings
ris'n with healing in his wings
(mild he lays his glory by)
born that man no more may die
born to raise the sons of earth
born to give them second birth
hark! the herald angels sing
"glory to the newborn king!"
yeah
This one is not a hymn, but I love it for the way it is sang!
Carol of the Bells
Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, "Throw cares away."
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong, that is their song,
With joyful ring, all caroling
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere, filling the air
O, how they pound, raising the sound
O'er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone to every home
Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, "Throw cares away."
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong, that is their song
With joyful ring, all caroling.
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere, filling the air
O, how they pound, raising the sound
O'er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone to every home.
Ding Dong Ding Dong
OK folks, that's all for now~Now go return your presents!
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