Jim Brickman (born November 20, 1961) is an American composer and pianist. … Read Full Bio ↴Jim Brickman (born November 20, 1961) is an American composer and pianist. Brickman is known for his solo piano compositions, which are classified as new age music.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Brickman enrolled in the Cleveland Institute of Music taking courses in composition and performance, while taking business classes at Case Western Reserve University. His music career started when he was nineteen, when Jim Henson hired him to write tunes for Sesame Street. He was also hired to write commercial jingles while in college.

Brickman writes a wide variety of music. Besides his piano compositions and love songs, he has also created arrangements of other songs. Several of his albums feature arrangements of children's music; he has produced two Christmas-themed albums The Gift (1997) and Peace (2003); and his 2005 album Grace concentrates on arrangements of well-known Christian music.

Jim Brickman has also starred in the now-on-DVD PBS specials "My Romance: An Evening with Jim Brickman", "Love Songs & Lullabies" and "The Disney Songbook." In 2006, he sponsored his first Jim Brickman Valentine's Day Cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines which has become an annual event.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
Jim Brickman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

God rest ye merry gentlemen
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
Comfort and joy

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

From God our heavenly father
The blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How bad in Bethlehem was born
The son of God by name
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises
All you with in this place
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace
This holy tide of Christmas
All ever that you can face
Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Overall Meaning

The song "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is a classic Christmas carol that has been sung for centuries. The lyrics are a message of hope and joy, reminding listeners of the birth of Jesus Christ and the salvation he brings. The first verse urges listeners to find comfort in the knowledge that the savior was born on Christmas day to save them from Satan's power. The second verse tells the story of the angels who announced the birth of Christ to shepherds in Bethlehem. The final verse calls on listeners to praise the Lord and embrace one another in love and brotherhood during the holy time of Christmas.

Many interpretations of this song have been made over the years. Some have suggested that it is a call to arms for the faithful, while others believe it is meant simply as a celebration of the joyous event of Christmas. Regardless of its original meaning, the song has become a staple of Christmas music and is beloved by generations of listeners.

Line by Line Meaning

God rest ye merry gentlemen
God grant you merry, joyful feelings, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay
Do not let anything get in the way of your cheerfulness

Remember Christ our savior
Bear in mind that Jesus Christ came to save us

Was born on Christmas day
His birth was on the day that we call Christmas

To save us all from Satan's power
To rescue us from the grasp of Satan

When we were gone astray
When we went off course in our faith and actions

Oh tidings of comfort and joy
The news of Jesus' birth brings us serene pleasure and delight

From God our heavenly father
A messenger of God our divine father came to earth

The blessed angel came
This angel came holding blessings for all

And unto certain shepherds
The shepherds heard and understood what the angel had to impart

Brought tidings of the same
The news brought by the angel was the same - the birth of Christ