Do You Hear What I Hear?
Diahann Carroll; Pat Williams Lyrics
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Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
Do you know what I know
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere,
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
Listen to what I say
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
The song "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by Pat Williams is a classic Christmas tune that has been covered by numerous artists over the years. The song tells the story of a little lamb, a shepherd boy, a mighty king, and the people everywhere who all see and hear different things in the night sky. The night wind first speaks to the lamb and asks if it sees the star that is dancing in the sky with a tail as big as a kite. The lamb then asks the shepherd boy if he hears the song ringing through the sky with a voice as big as the sea. The shepherd boy then asks the mighty king if he knows that a Child shivers in the cold and they should bring Him silver and gold. The king then tells the people everywhere to pray for peace and says that the Child sleeping in the night will bring us goodness and light.
The song's lyrics are full of Christian imagery and symbolism. The star that is dancing in the sky is often interpreted as the Star of Bethlehem that led the wise men to the birthplace of Jesus. The Child who shivers in the cold is obviously meant to be Jesus, who was born in a stable and wrapped in swaddling clothes. The line about bringing Him silver and gold is a reference to the wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus.
The song has been covered by a wide range of artists, including Bing Crosby, Whitney Houston, Johnny Mathis, and Carrie Underwood. The melody and lyrics have also been used in various movies, TV shows, and commercials. The song's enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless message of hope, peace, and goodwill towards all.
Line by Line Meaning
Said the night wind to the little lamb,
The wind asked a lamb if it sees something in the sky.
Do you see what I see
The wind is asking the lamb if it sees the same thing in the sky as the wind.
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
The wind is emphasizing that the object is high up in the sky and asking the lamb again if it can see it.
A star, a star, dancing in the night
The wind is describing the object as a star that appears to be dancing in the night sky.
With a tail as big as a kite
The wind is describing the star as having a large tail, similar to the tail of a kite.
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
The lamb tells the shepherd boy about what the wind asked and what it saw in the sky.
Do you hear what I hear
The lamb is asking the shepherd boy if he can hear what the lamb heard in the wind.
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
The lamb is emphasizing that the sound is permeating through the sky and asking the shepherd boy if he can hear it too.
A song, a song, high above the trees
The lamb is describing the sound as a beautiful song that is being sung high above the trees.
With a voice as big as the sea
The lamb is emphasizing the grandeur of the voice that is singing the song in the sky.
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
The shepherd boy is informing the king about what the lamb heard in the wind and what he heard in the sky.
Do you know what I know
The shepherd boy is asking the king if he knows what they know about the situation in the sky.
In your palace warm, mighty king,
The shepherd boy is emphasizing the comfort and luxury that the king is enjoying while this event is happening.
Do you know what I know
The shepherd boy repeats his question, asking the king if he is aware of what they are aware of.
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
The shepherd boy is informing the king that a child is cold and shivering somewhere.
Let us bring Him silver and gold
The shepherd boy is suggesting that they bring the child some gifts like silver and gold to alleviate the child's suffering.
Said the king to the people everywhere,
The king is addressing people and sharing with them the information shared by the shepherd boy with him.
Listen to what I say
The king is asking people to listen attentively to his message.
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
The king is asking people to pray for peace, addressing people globally.
Listen to what I say
The king is repeating the need for people to listen to his message.
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night
The king is again referring to the child who is sleeping at night.
He will bring us goodness and light
The king believes that the child will bring goodness and light to the world.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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