Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Burl Ives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love
Oh morning stars together, proclaim thy holy birth.
Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
Burl Ives's "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a Christmas carol that takes the listener on an introspective journey. The opening verse invites listeners to visit Bethlehem, a small town filled with the silence of the night, through a dream-like state. The poet acknowledges the starry skies above the town, yet the light that shines from within the town's streets is everlasting, representing a miracle or holy event that has the power to conquer darkness. The verse's final lines are a testament to the significance of Bethlehem as a place of hope, faith, and mystery, where the hopes and fears of generations of people have all met.
The second verse introduces the central character of the song, Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethlehem to Mary. Christ's nativity is described as a meeting of heaven and earth, and the angels who witnessed this event did so with awe and wonder, while earthly mortals still slept. The morning stars, a poetic reference to celestial beings, proclaims the Savior's birth and praises God the King, who has brought peace to earth.
Overall, Burl Ives's version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a haunting and reflective song that encourages listeners to meditate on the beauty and power of Christ's birthplace. It reminds people that despite the stillness and darkness that surrounds us, there is an enduring light within us that can bring peace and hope, both to ourselves and to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Oh Bethlehem, small and peaceful town, you lay still and calm
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
The quiet stars pass overhead while you continue to slumber peacefully
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
But even in your shadowy alleys, a light shines eternally bright
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
All the dreams and anxieties of the ages have reached their culmination in you tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
Jesus Christ is born of Mary, and all the heavens above are gathering
While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love
As we humans sleep in ignorance, angels keep vigil in a state of awe-filled love
Oh morning stars together, proclaim thy holy birth.
Morning stars join in a chorus of praise to celebrate your sacred birth.
And praises sing to God the king, and peace to men on earth.
Together, they sing hymns of praise to God the King and pray for peace among mankind.
Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Once again, the song acknowledges the peacefulness of Bethlehem
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
The stars keep passing overhead unnoticed by the slumbering town.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
But in the midst of all that darkness, the light of Christ shines forever bright.
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
Once again, we are reminded that all the hopes and fears of humanity converge in Bethlehem tonight.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lewis H Redner, Phillip Brooks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind