The Holly and the Ivy
Anthony Way Lyrics
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When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The Holly and the Ivy is a traditional Christmas carol that has been around since the 18th century in England. The song is full of symbolism that dates back to Pagan times. The carol compares the holly and the ivy trees to different aspects of Christmas and the Christian faith. The chorus of the song talks about the rising sun, the running deer, the happy sound of the organ, and the beautiful singing of the choir, all of which symbolize the joy and mood of the Christmas season.
The first two verses of the song talk about how the holly tree is the most important tree in the wood, and how it bears a crown of red berries. The third verse talks about how the holly tree also has prickles as sharp as thorns, but it is still valuable because it represents the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. The fourth verse talks about how the holly tree also has a bark that is bitter as gall, which symbolizes the bitterness of human sin, and how Jesus was born to redeem us from our sins. The final verse ties it all together by saying that the holly and the ivy are now full grown and the holly is still the most important tree in the wood because it represents the triumph of Jesus over sin and death.
Line by Line Meaning
The holly and the ivy,
The song is about the holly and ivy plants.
When they are both full grown
The plants are at their maximum size.
Of all the trees that are in the wood
Compared to other trees in the forest, the holly is unique.
The holly bears the crown
The holly is the most important tree in the forest.
O the rising of the sun
The song is celebrating the beginning of a new day.
And the running of the deer
Deer are running and playing in the forest.
The playing of the merry organ
An organ is playing music that is representative of a joyous occasion.
Sweet singing of the choir
People are singing in harmony and with melody.
The holly bears a blossom
The holly plant has flowers.
As white as lily flower
The color of the holly's flowers is white, similar to that of a lily.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
The song is referencing the birth of Jesus in the Christian tradition.
To be our sweet Saviour
Jesus was born to save humanity from their sins.
The holly bears a berry
The holly plant also has berries.
As red as any blood
The color of the berries is red, similar to the color of blood.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Continuing the reference to the birth of Jesus.
To do poor sinners good
Jesus was born to help those who are sinful and in need of redemption.
The holly bears a prickle
The holly plant has thorns or spikes.
As sharp as any thorn;
The spikes on the holly are very sharp.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Again, referencing the birth of Jesus.
On Christmas Day in the morn.
Jesus was born on the morning of Christmas Day.
The holly bears a bark
The holly plant also has a distinctive bark.
As bitter as any gall;
The taste of the holly's bark is very bitter.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Third reference to the birth of Jesus in the song.
For to redeem us all.
Jesus was born to save all people from their sins.
The holly and the ivy
Repeating the title line of the song.
Now both are full well grown,
The holly and ivy have reached maturity.
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
Repeating a line from earlier in the song, emphasizing the uniqueness of the holly plant.
The holly bears the crown.
The holly is the most important plant in the forest, and is thus symbolically crowned.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LALO SCHIFRIN, . TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind