Wacky Anne's Christmas Music Room: Traditional Carols

To go straight to a particular traditional Christmas carol, click on the title above. Once you get to the lyrics, click on the song title to hear it played as well. Alternate and optional text is placed within (parenthesis). The refrain is in italics, sing it when you see Refrain.

Angels From the Realms of Glory
J. Montgomery, H. Smart UPDATED!

Poem by writer James Montgomery (1771-1854), a controversial editor in Sheffield, England. Son of Moravian missionaries, he was a devout Christian, created nearly four hundred hymns, and was an active participant in political and community affairs. On Christmas Eve in 1816 the poem appeared in his newspaper, and 3 years later was published in a collection. The poem was eventually set to a melody by the blind composer Henry T. Smart, entitled Regent Square (the location of St. Phillips Church where Smart was the organist). Smart also composed Betha, the Gnome of the Hartzberg, an opera successfully produced in 1855.

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King!

Shepherds in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light.

Refrain

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star.

Refrain

Saints(,) before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear, 
Suddenly the Lord descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Refrain

Sinners, wrung with true repentance, 
Doomed for guilt to endless pains, 
Justice now revokes the sentence, 
Mercy calls you, break your chains. 

Refrain

Though an infant now we view Him, 
He shall fill His Father's throne, 
Gather all nations to Him; 
Every knee shall then bow down: 

Refrain

All creation, join in praising 
God, the Father, Spirit, Son, 
Evermore your voices raising 
To the eternal Three in One. 

Refrain

Angels We Have Heard on High
(Les anges dans nos campagnes) Traditional French

The text and melody are believed to be 18th century French, except for the old Latin chorus "Gloria in Excelsis Deo", which has been used since medieval times. It has often called the Westminster Carol as it was sung every Yuletide at Westminster Chapel. The melody is often borrowed for the hymn Angels from the Realms of Glory by J. Montgomery.

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.

Glo-ria
In excelsis Deo
Glo-ria
In excelsis Deo

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav'ly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, (Some )adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

Away In a Manger
Tradtional German, J. Murry

Original a German carol, the authors of its music and verse are unknown, although Martin Luther has been credited as both. It was most likely written as a lullaby or cradle song for children. Brought to North America by Pennsylvania Germans, its lyrics were first printed in 1885 in Little Children's Book: for Schools and Families. The most popular musical setting was also written in 1885, by James Murry , although it is also song to the tune "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton".

Away in a manger,
No crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus,
(Lay/Laid) down His sweet head.
The stars in the (bright) sky
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus,
Asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
The (Baby awakes/poor Baby wakes).
But little Lord Jesus,
No crying He makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus;
Look down from the sky,
And stay by my (cradle/bedside/side)
(Until/Till) morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus;
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever,
And love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care.
And (fit us for/take us to) heaven,
To live with Thee, there.

(1st verse, Bis)

Carol, Sweetly Carol

Carol, sweetly carol,
A Saviour born today;
Bear the joyful tidings, 
O, bear them far away;
Carol, sweetly carol,
Til earth's remotest bound
Shall hear the mighty chorus
and echo back the sound.

Carol, sweetly carol,
Carol sweetly today;
Bear the joyful tidings,
O, bear them far away.

Carol, sweetly carol,
As when the angel throng
o'er the vales of Judah
Awoke the heavenly song:
Carol, sweetly carol,
Good-will and peace and love,
Glory in the highest
To God who reigns above.

Carol, sweetly carol,
The happy Christmas time;
Hark! the bells are pealing
Their merry, merry chime;
Carol, sweetly carol,
Ye shining ones above,
Sing in loudest numbers,
O sing redeeming love.

Carol of the Bells
Ukranian Carol, M. Leontovich

Midi length: 114s (1:54)

Hark to the Bells
Hark to the Bells
Telling us all
Jesus is King
Strongly they chime
Sound with a rhyme

Christmas is here!
Welcome the King
Hark to the Bells
Hark to the Bells
This is the day
Day of the King

(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,

Oh 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 
Dong Ding dong ding, dong Bong)

Christmas Is (A-)Coming
Mother Goose Round

Meant to be sung as a round: One person (or group) starts off, after one verse another person joins in, singing the first verse on top of the second.

Christmas is (a-)coming,
the goose is getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, 
then a ha'penny will do;
If you haven't got a ha'penny,
then God bless you!

O Christmas Tree
(O Tannenbaum) Traditional German

The tune may have originated in Middle Ages to accompany a Latin drinking song or perhaps an early Roman Catholic Hymn. The words are from a Westphalian folk song.

(O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How lovely are thy branches!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are thy branches!)

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree! 
How are thy leaves so verdant! 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
How are thy leaves so verdant!

Not only in the summertime, 
But even in winter is thy prime. 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
How are thy leaves so verdant!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Much pleasure doth thou bring me! 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Much pleasure doth thou bring me! 

For every year the Christmas tree, 
Brings to us all both joy and glee. 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Much pleasure doth thou bring me! 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Thy candles shine out brightly! 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Thy candles shine out brightly! 

Each bough doth hold its tiny light, 
That makes each toy to sparkle bright. 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, 
Thy candles shine out brightly!

(O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your boughs are so unchanging; 
In beauty green you'll always grow,
Through summer sun and winter snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your boughs are so unchanging. 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your candles shine so brightly!
From base to summit, gay and bright,
There's only splendor for the sight. 
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your boughs are so unchanging.)

(O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How faithful is thy foliage.
You keep your green and lovely glow
in summer and in winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How faithful is thy foliage.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
you give us so much pleasure.
At Christmas time we gaze on you
and feel great joy that thou art true.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
you give us so much pleasure.)

Come All Ye Faithful
(Adeste Fideles) Traditional Latin

Originally a Roman Catholic hymn in Latin, it is now sung in well over a hundred languages throughout the world. In France and Germany, where has been popular since the 17th century, it was called "the Midnight Mass" because monks chanted it during the Christmas Eve procession. Later it drifted into private life. The first transcription made in 1751 by English priest John Francis Wade (1711-1786), who some believe wrote it. The current English version has evolved from less successful versions; it was written by Rev. F. Oakeley in 1841, using the music of J. Reading of 1692.

O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him,
born the King of Angels;

O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ, the Lord

(God/Lord) of God,
Light of Light
Lo! He abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Very God begotten,
not created:

Refrain



Sing choirs of Angels,
sing in exultation,
(O) Sing, all ye citizens of (Bethlehem!/
 heaven above!)
Glory to God, 
(all glory) in the highest;

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
born this happy morning; 
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
now in the flesh appearing.

Refrain

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Traditional French

One of the most ancient of all Christmas carols, with music from a hymn which was used in church services beginning in the 12th century. It was sung in a series of short stanzas (called "The Seven O's"), with each section praising the coming of the Saviour by a different name (Wisdom, Lord, etc.) In the 18th century, the hymn was cut down to five stanzas, with an added refrain. In 1851, it was published in Dr. John Neale's Medieval Hymnal where he translated the Latin text. Immanuel is the name of the Messiah as prophesied by the Old Testament prophet, Isiah.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, thou rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of of hell thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave

Refrain

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
And drive away the shaves of night
And pierce the clouds and bring us light

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come 
And open wide our heav'nly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery

Refrain

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height
(Who once, from Sinai's flaming height)
In ancient times did'st give the law,
(Didst give the trembling tribes Thy law)
In cloud and majesty and awe

Refrain

Coventry Carol
Tradtional English

Also known as Lullay Lully and the Covenant Carol, it is a lullaby from 15th or 16th century English theater. In those days various guilds (comparable to today's unions or workingman's associations) would perform "mystery plays" that re-enacted Christmas scenes from the Bible. They were written in English, instead of Latin, and instead of being done in churches, were performed publicly on bi-leveled "Pageant Wagons" The lower level served as a curtained dressing chamber. This was a sort of street theater in which the topic matter of the play would relate to the particular guild that performed it (for example, the building of the ark was performed by the ship-builders). The Coventry Carol was included in the Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. Although the composer is unknown, the text was written in 1534 by Robert Croo. In the play itself, the women of Bethlehem sing this lullaby just before Herod's soldiers come onstage to slaughter their children.

Lullay, Thou little tiny Child, 
By, by, lully, lullay. 
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child, 
By, by, lully, lullay. 

O sisters too, how may we do, 
For to preserve this day. 
This poor Youngling for Whom we sing 
By, by, lully, lullay. 

Herod the king, in his raging, 
Charged he hath this day. 
His men of might, in his own sight, 
All (young children/children young) to slay. 

That woe is me, Poor Child for Thee! 
And ever (morn and day/mourn and say),
For thy parting neither say nor sing, 
By, by, lully, lullay.

Deck the Halls
Traditional Welsh

Midi length: 99s (1:39)

This traditional Welsh tune focuses on entertaining customs evolved from pagan festivities, such as the yule log and decorating the house with holly. The old Welsh air was once used by Mozart as a theme for a piano-violin duet.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
'Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la,

See the blazing Yule before us,
Refrain
Strike the harp and join the chorus,
Refrain
Follow me in merry measure,
Refrain
While I tell of Yule-tide treasure,
Refrain

Fast away the old year passes, 
Refrain
Hail the (new year,/new, ye) lads and lasses, 
Refrain
Sing we joyous, all together,
Refrain
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Refrain

Ding Dong Merrily

Midi length: 120s (2:00)

Ding Dong! merrily on high
(In heav'n the) The heavenly bells are ringing
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is (riv'n) filled with angels singing.

Gloria,
Hosanna in Excelsis!



E'en so here below, below 
Let steeple bells be swungen 
And i-o, i-o, i-o 
By priest and people be sungen 

Refrain

Pray ye, dutifully prime 
Your matin chime, ye ringers 
May ye beautifully rime 
Your evetime song, ye singers

Refrain

My Christmas Music Room: Christmas Carols

Traditional