Kitty Wells (born Muriel Deason on 30 August 1919 - 16 July 2012) is a coun… Read Full Bio ↴Kitty Wells (born Muriel Deason on 30 August 1919 - 16 July 2012) is a country singer from Nashville, Tennessee, known as the Queen of Country Music. During the 1950s she was the only female vocalist to consistently hit the top of the country charts and her stardom was on the same level as the biggest male vocalists of the period.

Wells' success in the 1950s and 1960s was so enormous that she still ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of the Billboard country charts according to historian Joel Whitburn's book "The Top 40 Country Hits", behind Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette, and Tanya Tucker. Wells was the third country music artist, behind Roy Acuff and Hank Williams, to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991 as well as being the seventh woman and first Caucasian woman to receive the honor. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Away in a Manger
Kitty Wells Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger no crib for a bed the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing the baby awakes but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes
I love Thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay by me forever and love me I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there

Away in a manger no crib for his bed...

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics, "Away in a manger no crib for a bed the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head," describe the setting of Jesus' birth. The song paints a humble and peaceful picture of the night Jesus was born. It describes how Jesus was laid in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, since there was no room for him in the inn. The second line, "The stars in the sky looked down where he lay the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay," points out the simplicity of the birth while emphasizing the importance of Jesus' arrival at the same time. The stars in the sky are a symbol of the vastness of God's creation, watching over and blessing the newborn baby.

The next few lines go on to describe how the baby Jesus was awakened by the cattle lowing, but did not cry. This moment emphasizes the quiet and peaceful nature of the birth. As the song continues, the singer expresses their love for Jesus and asks him to stay by their side always. Finally, the song concludes by asking God to bless all children and take them to heaven to live with Jesus.

Overall, the lyrics to Kitty Wells' "Away in a Manger" paint an image of a peaceful, humble and important night when Jesus was born.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The baby Jesus had no proper bed, so he rested his head on a makeshift crib in a manger.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The bright stars in the night sky shone down on the little baby Jesus as he slept on the bed of hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes
The sounds of the cows mooing woke up the baby Jesus, but he didn't cry like other babies would.

I love Thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky, and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
The singer expresses her love for Jesus and asks him to watch over her as she sleeps through the night.

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, by me forever and love me I pray
The singer asks Jesus to always stay by her side and to love her forever.

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and take us to heaven to live with Thee there
The singer prays for God to bless all the children in the world and to take them to heaven to live with him.

Away in a manger no crib for his bed...
The singer repeats the opening line, emphasizing how humble Jesus' beginnings were.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Public Domain

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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