Brooks was a phenomenal musical force in the 1990s. He had his chart breakthrough in 1989, having come apparently from nowhere, and was an immediate commercial success. Lacking the tall and lanky physical appearance typical of some male country stars, he successfully integrated pop and rock elements into his recordings and live performances. He soon began to dominate the country singles and country albums charts and quickly crossed over into the mainstream pop arena, selling records like no one else in country music ever had and exposing country music to a larger audience than previously thought possible.
Brooks enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, with over 70 hit singles and 15 charted albums to his credit and over 115 million albums sold in the US alone, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the 1990s. Possibly dissatisfied and looking to expand his career boundaries, he then attempted an artistically ambitious (but uncompleted) multimedia project involving a fictitious alter ego.
Troubled by the conflicts between career and family, the year after the decade ended Garth Brooks announced his retirement from recording and performing, thereby disappearing from the music world as suddenly as he had come.
Recently he has announced his return to live performances by agreeing to a 5 year 15 show a year contract in Vegas. His plan is to finish this contract, write some new stuff, and wait for his youngest daughter to go off to school, and then he plans to return to touring with his wife.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Garth Brooks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
The blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Fear not said the angel
Let nothing you alright
This day is born a savior
Of the pure virgin bright
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan's power and might
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear savior lay
They found him in the manger
Where oxen feed on hay
His mother Mary knelled down
And to the Lord did pray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our savior
Was born on Christmas day
In this song, Garth Brooks is reminding people that despite the chaos and commercialization that has engulfed Christmas, it is still a time to rejoice for the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of humanity. The opening line, “God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay” is a way of saying that it is important to take heart and not be dismayed or discouraged during the festive season. The second line, “Remember Christ our savior was born on Christmas day” sets the tone for the rest of the song, emphasizing the significance of the day and urging people to focus on its true meaning.
The song then goes on to describe the events that surrounded the birth of Jesus Christ. The shepherds were the first to receive the news of his birth from an angel of God. The song recounts the angels saying, “Fear not said the angel, let nothing you affright. This day is born a savior of the pure virgin bright. To free all those who trust in Him from Satan's power and might. Oh tidings of comfort and joy.” This emphasizes that the birth of Jesus was a significant event that would bring comfort and joy to the world, by saving humanity from Satan's power.
Finally, the song describes the visit of the shepherds to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus, where they find him lying in a manger with his mother Mary, who prays to the Lord in thanks. The song ends with a repetition of the opening lines, reminding people that the birth of Jesus Christ is the reason for the season and urging them to rejoice in it.
Line by Line Meaning
God rest ye merry gentlemen
May God bestow you with peace and happiness, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Do not be worried or anxious about anything
Remember Christ our savior
Recall that Jesus is our redeemer
Was born on Christmas day
He was born on the day we celebrate as Christmas
To save us all from Satan's power
He came to rescue us from the control Satan had on humanity
When we were gone astray
When we had lost our way and wandered off from the path of righteousness
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
This is joyful news that brings peace and happiness
From God our heavenly father
The message has come from our divine creator in heaven
The blessed angel came
An angel, full of grace and favor, appeared
And unto certain shepherds
The angel visited some specific shepherds in the fields
Brought tidings of the same
Delivered the same message as before
How that in Bethlehem was born
A child had been born in Bethlehem
The Son of God by name
This child was God's son, called Jesus
Fear not said the angel
The angel comforted the shepherds, asking them not to be afraid
Let nothing you alright
There is nothing to worry about
This day is born a savior
A redeemer has been born on this very day
Of the pure virgin bright
Born to the pure and bright virgin, Mary
To free all those who trust in him
He came to deliver and set free those who have faith and rely on Him
From Satan's power and might
From the grasp and power of Satan
And when they came to Bethlehem
When they arrived in Bethlehem
Where our dear savior lay
Where the child lay who was our beloved savior
They found him in the manger
They saw him resting in the feeding trough for animals
Where oxen feed on hay
The place where cattle ate their food
His mother Mary knelled down
Mary's humble position was on her knees
And to the Lord did pray
She prayed to God
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
This message brings gladness and peace
God rest ye merry gentlemen
May God bestow peace and happiness upon you, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Do not be troubled or anxious
Remember Christ our savior
Keep in mind that Jesus is our redeemer
Was born on Christmas day
He was born on the day we celebrate as Christmas
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DP, SEAN KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aced985
I love this version of the song!
Haneen
Great audio! Thanks for making this, I couldn’t find this song anywhere else on YouTube, it’s really hard!
Kristine Elizabeth Bate
My favorite Christmas Album. Beyond the Seaon! It’s a tradition now🎄2017
chefjustin24601
Amazing lights and set to a wonderful song
bandiit17
This is all around fantastic!
Delores Richardson
This song is awesome it brings a tear to my eyes.
Delores Richardson
Thanks.
william adelsberger
+Delores Williams I agree this is a wonderful song. Hope you have God's blessing this Christmas season.
babysitter1011
this song is so amazing
Steve W
The one and only Garth Brooks singing here