Justine Washington, 13 November 1940, Bamberg, South Carolina, USA. Washing… Read Full Bio ↴Justine Washington, 13 November 1940, Bamberg, South Carolina, USA. Washington's (aka Jeanette Washington) tremendously moving voice, earthy but sophisticated, perfectly epitomized uptown soul. Yet unlike her southern counterparts she has never experienced great crossover recognition, although once cited by Dusty Springfield as her all-time favourite singer. Washington was raised in Harlem, singing first in a vocal group, the Hearts, in 1956 and becoming a solo artist the following year. She built a career with 16 chart entries during a decade and a half, most of them during the 60s, recording in New York first for Donald Shaw's Neptune label and then for Juggy Murray's Sue label. She established herself as a major soul singer recording "The Time" (US R&B Top 30) and "The Bells" (US R&B Top 20), both in 1959, and "Nobody Cares" (US R&B Top 20) in 1961. Moving to Sue Records in 1962, Washington hit the US national Top 40 with the sublime "That's How Heartaches Are Made" (1963) and the US R&B Top 10 with "Only Those In Love" (1965). Washington revived her career in the early 70s, recording in Philadelphia a duet with Don Gardner, a revival of the Marvelettes' "Forever", (number 30 R&B), a solo release "I've Got To Break Away" (number 73 R&B), and a well-received album. The coming of disco in the mid-70s effectively killed her career, as it did those of many soul artists

Silent Night
Baby Washington Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "

Overall Meaning

The song "Silent Night" is a classic Christmas carol that has been loved and sung by millions of people around the world. The song was originally written in German by Joseph Mohr, a Catholic priest, in 1816. Franz Xaver Gruber, a schoolteacher and church organist, composed the melody for the song in 1818. The song has since been translated into hundreds of languages, and is regarded as one of the most well-known and beloved Christmas carols of all time.

The first verse of the song sets a peaceful and serene scene. The night is silent and calm, the stars are bright, and the Virgin Mary is holding her newborn child, Jesus. The second verse describes the reaction of the shepherds in the field when they witness a great sight - the heavens opening up and the angels singing praise to God. The third and final verse shifts the focus of the song to Jesus himself. He is described as the "Son of God" and the "love's pure light" that shines on all of us. The dawn of his birth brings with it the promise of redemption and salvation for mankind.

The lyrics of "Silent Night" are steeped in Christian theology and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as the greatest event in history. The song's simple and peaceful melody reinforces the message of the lyrics, and has made it a popular choice for school choirs, church services, and Christmas concerts. The song also has a special place in pop culture, having been covered by famous artists such as Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, and Mariah Carey.

Line by Line Meaning

Silent night, holy night
This is a peaceful and sanctified night

All is calm, all is bright
Everything is tranquil and illuminated

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
The Virgin Mary and her baby are all around us

Holy Infant so tender and mild
The baby Jesus is sacred and gentle

Sleep in heavenly peace
The baby can rest peacefully in a heavenly setting

Shepherds quake at the sight
The shepherds are afraid when they see the scene

Glories stream from heaven afar
Glorious light shines from a distance in heaven

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
The angels are singing with joy and praise

Christ, the Saviour is born
Jesus has been born and he is our Savior

Son of God, love's pure light
Jesus is the light of love as the son of God

Radiant beams from Thy holy face
Light shines brilliantly from Jesus' face

With the dawn of redeeming grace
With the arrival of Jesus, comes the beginning of redemption

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus is the Lord from the moment he is born

Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Traditional (pd), David Foster, Rod Stewart

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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