Chester Burton Atkins born 20 June 1924 - Died 30 June 2001 in Nashville, T… Read Full Bio ↴Chester Burton Atkins born 20 June 1924 - Died 30 June 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States (1942–1996) . was an American guitarist and record producer. Together with Owen Bradley, Atkins created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country music's appeal to include adult pop music fans as well. His virtuoso picking style - inspired by Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, George Barnes and Les Paul - brought him admirers both within and outside the country scene. Atkins produced records for Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Connie Smith, and Waylon Jennings.

Silent Night
Chet Atkins 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 classic Christmas song “Silent Night” by Chet Atkins is a powerful and emotional message about the birth of Jesus Christ. The opening verse sets the scene for a peaceful and tranquil night, as Mary and Joseph welcome their newborn son into the world. The line “Round yon Virgin Mother and Child” highlights the sacredness of the moment, as the juxtaposition of the young couple with their vulnerable baby creates a sense of awe and reverence. The next verse describes a dramatic scene as the shepherds are overcome with fear upon hearing the angel’s proclamation of Jesus’ birth. However, their fear is quickly replaced with elation as they marvel at the spectacle of a choir of angels singing, “Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!” Finally, the last verse focuses on the significance of Jesus as the Son of God, the pure light of love shining forth from His holy face. The Radiant beams serve as a symbol of the redeeming grace that Christ brings with Him, bringing hope and joy for all believers.

Line by Line Meaning

Silent night, holy night
The night is peaceful and holy.

All is calm, all is bright
Everything is peaceful and bright.

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
The Virgin Mary is holding her child.

Holy Infant so tender and mild
The baby Jesus is gentle and innocent.

Sleep in heavenly peace
May you have a peaceful sleep.

Shepherds quake at the sight
The shepherds are afraid of what they see.

Glories stream from heaven afar
The angels are shining light from the heavens.

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
The angels are singing praises to God.

Christ, the Saviour is born
The savior of the world, Jesus Christ, is born.

Son of God, love's pure light
Jesus is the child of God and is a symbol of pure love.

Radiant beams from Thy holy face
The light coming from Jesus' face is bright and filled with grace.