It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Leroy Anderson Lyrics
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That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" describes the moment when the angels played their harps to bring the good news of peace to the earth. The song is characterized by the use of rich and vivid language which aim to create a sense of solemnity and awe in the listener. The first verse sets the tone of the song, as it describes the appearance of angels playing harmony. The song carries forward the overwhelming message of "Peace on earth could will two men," and we hear the world "lay in solemn stillness" as the angels sing. The use of "lay" in this context brings to mind a sense of rest and peace, almost as if the world is witnessing a holy moment of quiet reflection.
The second half of the song, based on the traditional carol "The First Noel," describes the angels’ arrival to poor shepherds who were keeping their sheep. The scene is set on a cold winter's night where the shepherds hear the angels' call, which was the first announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The lyrics emphasize the significance of the event by portraying the humble birth of Christ to bring peace on earth to all men. The song encompasses a message of hope, faith, and love that transcends beyond the Christmas season.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear
The song came during a still and quiet midnight
That glorious song of old
The song was an old and magnificent tune
From Angels playing near the earth
Angels close by played the song
To touch their harps of gold
They used harps made of gold to make music
Peace on the earth could will two men
The song wished for peace on earth for all men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The message in the song is from a benevolent king in Heaven
The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was quiet and serious when the song played
To hear the Angels sing
Everyone listened intently to the singing of the Angels
And I hear them singing
The artist hears the Angels singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The artist wants to emphasize that they can hear the singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
The Angel first spoke the word "Noel"
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
Those words were spoken to poor shepherds in the fields where they were sleeping
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
The shepherds were taking care of their sheep while they slept
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
It was a bitter winter's night with deep snow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEROY ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind