Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number one hit in the United States. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, he became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, made him enormously popular—and controversial.
In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He held few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate, just 42 years of age.
Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, country, blues, and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. He won three competitive Grammys, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The lyrics of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" describe the events of the night when the angels sang to announce the birth of Jesus Christ. The song begins with the image of the midnight hour, when suddenly a beautiful song is heard, resonating from the angels near the earth, strumming their golden harps. This heavenly melody brought peace on earth, as it was the will of God, the benevolent ruler of Heaven. The entire world became still and silent, in awe and reverence, as they listened to the angels singing.
The lyrics also reference the story of the shepherds, who were the first to be told about the birth of Jesus by the angels. The "first Noel" refers to the message that the angel delivered to the shepherds while they were keeping watch over their sheep in the fields. It was a chilly winter night, deep and cold, when the certainty of Jesus' arrival was revealed to these humble shepherds.
Overall, the song captures the awe-inspiring moment when the angels sang to announce the birth of Jesus, filling the world with peace and stillness. It highlights the sacredness and significance of this event in the Christian tradition.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear
In the peaceful darkness of midnight, a significant event occurred
That glorious song of old
A beautiful and precious melody from ancient times
From Angels playing near the earth
Heavenly beings close to the earthly realm
To touch their harps of gold
Playing their golden harps with gentle and divine intention
Peace on the earth could will two men
The potential for peace on earth if only embraced by all
From Heaven's all-gracious King
Sent by the merciful ruler of Heaven
The world in solemn stillness lay
The entire world was quiet and serene
To hear the Angels sing
Listening attentively to the melodious voices of the Angels
And I hear them singing
Personally experiencing the firsthand sound of their singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
Indeed, I perceive the heavenly chorus resounding
The first Noel the Angel did say
The initial announcement was made by the Angel named Noel
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
Given to humble shepherds resting in their fields
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
Within the very fields where they guarded their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
During a bitterly cold and profound winter night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEE EVANS, TRADITIONAL, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Petersson
That's Jimmy Ellis aka Orion singing.
Eddy Vanderstraeten
Not elvis but good