"I sing God's music because it makes me feel free," Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, "It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues."
Jackson grew up in the "Black Pearl" section of the Carrollton neighbourhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, and began singing in a Baptist church. In 1927 she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she sang with The Johnson Brothers, one of the earliest professional gospel groups.
The Johnson Brothers broke up in the mid-1930s, and Jackson began her solo career, recording for Decca in 1937. The result, "God's Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares", was only a moderate success, but Jackson became a popular concert draw. She didn't record again untill 1946, when she signed with Apollo Records, releasing several singles that are now highly regarded, though sales were sluggish at the time. "Move On up a Little Higher" (1948) became a huge success, however, and stores could not stock enough of it to meet demand. Jackson rocketed to fame in the U.S. and soon afterwards in Europe. "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus" won a prize from the French Academy, and "Silent Night" was one of the best-selling singles in the history of Norway. She began a radio series on CBS and signed to Columbia Records in 1954. With her mainstream success came an inevitable backlash from gospel purists who felt she had watered down her sound for popular accessibility.
Jackson's career in the late 1950s and early 1960s continued to rise when she recorded with Percy Faith, and performed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. She also sang at the funeral of her friend Martin Luther King, Jr. The late 1960s saw a downturn in her popular success. She ended her career with a concert in Germany in 1971; when she returned, she made one of her final television appearances on The Flip Wilson Show.
Jackson died in Chicago on 27th January 1972 of heart failure and diabetes at the age of sixty. She was buried in Providence Memorial Park in Metairie, Louisiana. She was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1978.
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
Mahalia Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
The song "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear" is a beautiful and touching Christmas carol that tells the story of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the world. The lyrics describe the peaceful stillness of the night when the angels arrived and began to sing their joyful song of peace and goodwill to all mankind. The angels' message of hope and love is meant to bring comfort and solace to those who are struggling and suffering, to remind them that there is light and hope even in the darkest of times.
As the song continues, the angels are described as continuing to come down to earth and sing their heavenly music over the weary world. The lyrics urge those who are struggling to take comfort in the promise of the coming of the Prince of Peace, who will bring a new heaven and earth. The song ends with the hope and expectation that one day the whole world will join in the angels' song of peace and love.
Overall, "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear" is a poignant reminder that even in the midst of darkness and despair, there is always hope and love to be found. It is a message that is particularly resonant during the Christmas season, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the promise of a better world to come.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear,
The song came during the silent night,
That glorious song of old,
The song was a beautiful and historic one,
From angels bending near the earth,
The angels came near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
To play their golden harps,
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
The angels' message was that peace and goodwill should be bestowed on earth,
From heavens all gracious King!"
This message was from God, the King of the heavens,
The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was silent and still,
To hear the angels sing.
To listen to the angels' choir.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
The angels still come through the split skies,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
They have peaceful wings that are spread out,
And still their heavenly music floats
Their celestial music continues to linger,
O'er all the weary world:
Through the whole world that is tired,
Above its sad and lowly plains
Above the sad and humble lands,
They bend on hovering wing,
The angels lean down with their hovering wings,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
Their voices can be heard over the chaos of the world,
The blessed angels sing.
As they continue to sing their blessed song.
O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Those who are weighed down by the troubles in life,
Whose forms are bending low,
Whose bodies are tired and bowed down,
Who toil along the climbing way
Those who work hard but struggle to progress,
With painful steps and slow;
With difficult and slow steps,
Look now, for glad and golden hours
They should look now for happy and prosperous times,
Come swiftly on the wing;
Which will come quickly,
Oh rest beside the weary road
They should take a break from their difficult journey,
And hear the angels sing.
To listen to the angels' song.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
Because the days are quickly approaching,
By prophets seen of old,
As foretold by ancient prophets,
When with the ever-circling years
In the passing of time,
Shall come the time foretold,
The time that was predicted will arrive,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
When the new heavens and earth will acknowledge
The Prince of Peace, their King,
That the Prince of Peace is their King,
And the whole world send back the song
And the entire world will sing along
Which now the angels sing.
With the angels' current song.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edmund Hamilton Sears, Richard Storrs Willis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
U.N. Owen
I'm NOT religious, by far, but, Ms Jackson's singing - esp. of this track always gives me goosebumps.
An amazing talent,.
Marcella Norfleet
Mahalia has such an amazing voice, so sweet and pure. You will take notice! Our Queen of Gospel! Thanks for sharing. 2018
danielle shaw
As a child during Christmas time this song always put me at a peace. I would just sit and listen.. my mind would go blank and I would get lost in the song.. in her voice. ...
PHILLIP MC KIE
So peaceful and beautiful singing.
Nathan McLean
Wonderful! The first lady of gospel.
xJustBreatheInx
This gave me goosebumps and made me cry. What an angel. I hope she's still singing up in heaven.
Kimberly Robinson
I love her singing, such a beautiful voice.
Paul Green
It was about 5:30a.m. Friday September 16th on the boardwalk in Virginia Beach I was singing the prophetic fourth verse of this Christmas carol. My voice echoed off the hotels and the joy resonated from my heart and back. I’m certain more than a few hotel guest heard and felt the joy of my personal celebration; just before the sun rose from that ole Atlantic Sea. PWG
Sheraine Springer
Absolutely love her soul touching voice and rendition of this timeless music
BlackButterflydaGem
She had such a beautiful, pure, powerful voice. love her!