Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known … Read Full Bio ↴Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, activist, actor, and humanitarian, whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer, starting in the 1970s. He was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its best-selling artists. By 1974, he was firmly established as America's best selling performer, and AllMusic has described Denver as "among the most beloved entertainers of his era". After traveling and living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed, with total record sales of over 33 million.

He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his disdain for city life, his enthusiasm for music, and his relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, in all earning him twelve gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".

Denver starred in films and several notable television specials in the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to record in the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues by lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress in protest against censorship in music. He lived in Aspen, Colorado for much of his life and was known for his love of Colorado which he sang about numerous times. In 1974 Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007. Denver was an avid pilot and died at the age of 53 in a single-fatality crash of his personal experimental aircraft.

The First Noel
John Denver Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The first Noel, the angel did say,
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the the East, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star,
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

This star drew night to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee;
And offered there in his presence,
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Overall Meaning

The song "First Noel" recounts the story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible. The first verse describes how the angel informed the shepherds that the savior had been born in a manger in Bethlehem. The second verse highlights the experience of the wise men as they followed the star to find the newborn king. The third verse describes the moment when the wise men finally reached the place where Jesus was born and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The repetition of the word "Noel" throughout the song is a French word that signifies the good news. It is often used in Christmas carols to communicate the joyful message of the birth of Christ. The song's melody is serene and soothing, conveying a sense of peace and tranquility. The lyrics also capture a sense of awe and wonder surrounding the event of Christ's birth, especially with the wise men's journey and the appearance of the star leading them to the manger.

Line by Line Meaning

The first Noel, the angel did say,
An angel spoke to certain poor shepherds, declaring the arrival of the first Christmas.

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
The angel came to a bunch of lowly shepherds, amidst green fields they loved.

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
The shepherds were engrossed in their task of safeguarding the sheep when the angel paid them a visit.

On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
The night was dark and cold, with thick snow at some places.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
The word 'Noel' is a French word for Christmas or a shout of joy and excitement.

Born is the King of Israel.
This line refers to the birth of Jesus Christ, who was regarded as the fine king of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
The wise men raised their heads and viewed a shining star that was far away in the East.

Shining in the the East, beyond them far;
The star sparkled on the sky's horizon, far away towards the East.

And to the earth it gave great light,
The star illuminated the Earth, providing an excellent view of its brilliance.

And so it continued both day and night.
The splendid light from the star was available 24 hours, both day and night.

And by the light of that same star,
The wise men got assistance in their search for Jesus, as they followed the same star's path.

Three wise men came from country far;
Three learned philosophers traveled from a distant land to find Jesus Christ.

To seek for a King was their intent,
The wise men came with the intention of finding a royal king.

And to follow the star wherever it went.
They chased the star that served as their guide in hopes of spotting the newborn king.

This star drew night to the northwest,
The guiding star brought the wise men closer and closer to the northwest of their route.

O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
The star finally settled over Bethlehem, as it indicated where Jesus lay.

And there it did both stop and stay,
The star remained still and didn't move from its current position.

Right over the place where Jesus lay.
The star located itself right above the spot where baby Jesus was asleep in the manger.

Then entered in those wise men three,
The three wise men then entered the stable where Jesus lay.

Full reverently upon their knee;
They went down on their knees and worshipped the baby, showing respect and honor.

And offered there in his presence,
In front of baby Jesus, they presented their valuable gifts.

Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
The wise men gave gifts to baby Jesus, gold to show his royalty, frankincense to represent his divinity and myrrh to indicate his humanity.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
The song wraps with a repetition of previous lines of joy, celebration, and excitement.

Born is the King of Israel.
The closing statement re-affirms the birth of the savior, the king of the Jewish territory.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES CALELLO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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J Parker

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