I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Carpenters Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men

I thought how as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth, I said
For hate s strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor doth he sleep




The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day by Carpenters portray the shift from the optimism of the holiday season to a feeling of despair and doubt in the midst of social turmoil. The bells ringing on Christmas day signify the beginning of the holiday season which brings with it feelings of joy and peace. The “old familiar carols” taking place in the background create a sense of tradition and continuity, that this is a happy time of year that we can always count on. These feelings are reinforced by the lyrics, “Of peace on earth, good will to men,” a phrase that’s become synonymous with the Christmas spirit.


However, the singer’s hopes for peace are quickly dashed as they reflect on the state of the world: “For hate is strong and mocks the song/Of peace on earth, good will to men.” This line is particularly significant as it speaks to the universal experience of disillusionment we all feel when confronted with the world’s problems. Just as the singer begins to lose hope, the bells ring out with a message of hope: "God is not dead nor doth he sleep/The wrong shall fail, the right prevail/With peace on earth, good will to men." This refrain brings the song full circle, ending with renewed hope and an affirmation that good will eventually win over evil.


Line by Line Meaning

I heard the bells on Christmas day
I listened to the chimes on Christmas day


Their old familiar carols play
They played the familiar Christmas songs


And wild and sweet the words repeat
The joyful and sweet lyrics kept repeating


Of peace on earth, good will to men
The lyrics conveyed a message of peace and goodwill towards people


I thought how as the day had come
I wondered about the significance of the day


The belfries of all Christendom
The church towers of all Christian nations


Had rolled along the unbroken song
Sang the continuous, unbroken harmony


Of peace on earth, good will to men
A tune about the well-being of people and harmony in the universe


And in despair I bowed my head
I surrendered to despair and lowered my head


There is no peace on earth, I said
I said, there is no tranquility on earth


For hate is strong and mocks the song
Hate is too powerful and ridicules the melody


Of peace on earth, good will to men
A tune about the well-being of people and harmony in the universe


Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
The chimes rang louder and deeper


God is not dead nor doth he sleep
God is not dead, nor does he slumber


The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
The injustices will ultimately cease, and righteousness will win


With peace on earth, good will to men
A wish for calm and shared affection among people




Contributed by Alexis D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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J Parker


on Happy

As we eyeThe blue horizon's bendEarth and skyAppear to meet and endBut it's merely an illusionLike your heart and mineThere is no sweet conclusionI can seeNo matter how near you'll beYou'll never belong to meBut I can dreamCan't ICan't I pretendThat I'm locked in the bendOf your embraceFor dreamsAre just like wine,And I am drunkWith mine(*) I'm awareMy heart is a sad affairThere's much disillusion thereBut I can dreamCan't I(**) can't I adore youAlthough we are oceans apartI can't make you open your heartBut I can dreamCan't ICan't I pretendThat I'm locked in the bendOf your embraceFor dreamsAre just like wine,And I am drunkWith mineRepeat (*)Repeat (**)Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLCWritten by: Irving Kahal, Sammy Fain

Wrong lyrics shown. Correct ones --- Happy by Carpenters

I've played the game of love before.
Too young to know
How hard the fall could be;
I never thought I'd try again.
Somehow you brought
The gambler out in me.

You can deal me in this time around.
Even though the odds are high,
We'll play them down.
You may be a chance I need to take,
And the hand I'm holdin' says it's no mistake.

Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.

If this is luck then let it ride.
If it's the starts,
They're surely on my side.
I've never been so safisfied
By love before;
For all the times I've tried.

These beginnings could mean more
Than the brief affair I bargained for.
Little did I know, when we began,
That my time had come to win a hand.

Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.

Please forgive me if I seem
To be walking through a waking dream.
Laughter never came so easily;
There's a freedom here that's new to me.

Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.

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