Away in a Manger
Anuna (Holiday) Lyrics

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Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my side until 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 heaven to live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Away in a Manger," as sung by Anuna, tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger, or a feeding trough, as there was no room for him in the inn. The second verse describes the scene around Jesus, with the stars shining bright in the sky, and the cattle lowing beside him. The baby awakes, but doesn't cry. The third verse is a prayer to Jesus, asking him to stay close and bless all the children in his care. The final line is a plea for him to lead them to heaven so they can be with him forever.

The song's focus on the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth, as well as the emphasis on his peaceful and serene demeanor as an infant, are central themes in Christian theology. The lyrics also express a longing for the presence and protection of Jesus, and an ultimate goal of being with him in heaven. This reflective, reverent tone is echoed in Anuna's quiet, contemplative melody and harmonies.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
In a stable, there was no proper bed for the baby Jesus to lay in

The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
Jesus, as a little baby, laid down his head to rest

The stars in the bright sky look down where He lay
The bright stars were shining down on the baby Jesus where he lay

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The baby Jesus was sleeping peacefully on a bed of hay

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
The cows are mooing and waking up the baby

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
Despite being awoken, Jesus doesn't cry

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
The writer loves Jesus and is asking him to watch over them from the sky

And stay by my side until morning is nigh
Stay with me until morning comes

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Stay close to me and be present in my life, Lord Jesus

Close by me forever and love me, I pray
The writer is asking to be loved and cared for forever by Jesus

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
Bless all the children and take care of them

And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there
Prepare us for heaven so we can live with Jesus in the afterlife

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, K - M MUSIC INC
Written by: JOHNNY CARROLL, DONIE CASSIDY, WILLIAM JAMES KIRKPATRICK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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