Although comparisons have been made to many artists, such as Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Jimi Hendrix, James prefers to celebrate his own unique style which he says has been influenced by "everything and nothing" (but not forgetting Bob Dylan).
Finalist in 2005's BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards, playing to a full house at the Sage, Gateshead, and featured on Mike's Radio 2 folk programme in December 2005, James and other finalists were described by Mike Harding as "the cream of the UK's young acoustic folk and roots scene".
Angels We Have Heard On High
James Chadwick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
See Him in a manger laid,
Jesus, Lord of Heaven and Earth
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise
The lyrics of James Chadwick's "Angels We Have Heard On High" are a beautiful and moving exploration of the joy and wonder that surround the birth of Jesus. The song begins with a description of the angels that the shepherds hear sweetly singing over the plains, their joyous strains echoed by the mountains. The chorus then proclaims "Gloria, in excelsis Deo" or "Glory to God in the highest" in Latin, repeating this phrase to emphasize the heavenly nature of the angels' song.
The second verse directly addresses the shepherds, questioning their jubilant celebration and asking what joyous tidings could inspire such a heavenly song. The third verse invites the listener to come to Bethlehem and witness the birth of Christ for themselves, adoring him on bended knee as the newborn king. Finally, the fourth verse highlights the humble nature of Christ's birth, describing him laid in a manger that is praised by choirs of angels. Mary and Joseph are also called upon to lend their aid as the hearts of all believers are raised in love and praise for Jesus.
Overall, the lyrics of "Angels We Have Heard On High" offer a beautiful and joyful expression of the birth of Jesus, celebrating the wonder and awe that surrounds this sacred event.
Line by Line Meaning
Angels we have heard on high
We have been witness to divine messengers singing above us.
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
The angels are singing beautifully over the fields.
And the mountains in reply
The mountains echo their joy in response to the angels' song.
Echoing their joyous strains.
The mountains repeat the melodies of the angels in a joyful manner.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
The angels sing 'Glory to God in the Highest'.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why are you shepherds so happy and celebratory?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Why are you continuing to sing joyfully?
What the gladsome tidings be
What is the good news that you have received?
Which inspire your heavenly song?
What inspired you to sing this heavenly song?
Come to Bethlehem and see
Come to Bethlehem and witness firsthand
Him whose birth the angels sing;
The one whom the angels sing about, who was just born
Come, adore on bended knee
Come and worship the newborn King humbly, on your knees.
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Worship the recently born King, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
See Him in a manger laid,
Look upon Him, the newborn King, lying in a feeding trough.
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Angels sing praise for the one you see before you.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
Mary, Joseph, please assist in our worship
While our hearts in love we raise
Let us raise our hearts in love as we worship.
Jesus, Lord of Heaven and Earth
He who is in the manger is Jesus, the Lord of both Heaven and Earth.
Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.