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 Holy 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 lyrics to Chet Atkins & his Guitar Pickers' rendition of "Silent Night" beautifully capture the essence of the Christmas story. The song begins with the serene and peaceful scene of a silent and holy night. The atmosphere is calm and bright, setting the stage for the events that are about to unfold. It depicts the Virgin Mary and her child, Jesus, who is referred to as the "Holy Infant so tender and mild." There is a sense of awe and reverence as they are surrounded by heavenly peace.

The second verse introduces the shepherds who witness the miraculous sight. They quiver in fear as they witness the glory descending from heaven, accompanied by the angelic voices singing "Alleluia!" This is a moment of divine revelation as it proclaims the birth of Christ, the Savior. The song acknowledges the significance of Jesus' birth as the pivotal event in human history.

In the final verse, the focus turns to Jesus himself as the Son of God and the embodiment of love's pure light. His radiant beams, symbolizing His divine presence, shine upon the earth, bringing forth the dawn of redeeming grace. The song concludes with a recognition and proclamation of Jesus as the Lord, celebrating His birth as the ultimate gift of love and salvation.

Line by Line Meaning

Silent night, holy night
A peaceful and sacred night without noise, a night of great significance

All is calm, all is bright
Everything is peaceful and filled with light

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Surrounding the young mother and her child, who is yet unborn

Holy Infant so tender and mild
The baby, who is holy, is gentle and meek

Sleep in heavenly peace
Rest peacefully in a state of divine tranquility

Silent night, holy night!
Again emphasizing the quiet and sacred nature of the night

Shepherds quake at the sight
The shepherds are filled with fear and awe at what they witness

Glories stream from heaven afar
Magnificent wonders come from distant heavens

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Celestial beings joyously sing praises to God

Christ, the Saviour is born
The Messiah, who is the Savior, comes into the world

Silent night, holy night
Reiterating the peaceful and sacred night

Son of God, love's pure light
The Son of God is the embodiment of pure love's illumination

Radiant beams from Thy holy face
Brilliant rays emanate from the divine countenance

With the dawn of redeeming grace
As the grace that brings redemption arrives with the morning

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus is acknowledged as the Lord at the moment of his birth

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Cixqo, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Anthem Entertainment, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Rossio Music Publishing
Written by: Chuck Howard, Franz Gruber, John Berry, Joseph Mohr

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

napoleontheclown

15y↑1

This has to be one of the most beautiful performances of this song I've ever heard. And is certainly among the most beautiful guitar pieces I've heard. Thanks for posting this.