The Holly and the Ivy
Mannheim Steamroller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
[Refrain]
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flow'r,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Savior
[Refrain]
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good
[Refrain]
The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn
[Refrain]
The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as the gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all
[Refrain]
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
[Refrain]
The Holly and the Ivy is a traditional Christmas carol that celebrates the beauty and symbolism of two evergreen plants, holly and ivy. The song describes the characteristics of holly, including its crown-like appearance, white blossoms, red berries, sharp pricks, and bitter bark. The refrain of the song mentions the natural and musical elements of Christmas, such as the rising sun, the running deer, the playing organ, and the sweet singing in a choir.
The lyrics of The Holly and the Ivy are full of religious references and symbolism. The mention of Mary bearing sweet Jesus Christ connects the song with the Christian tradition of the nativity and the story of redemption. The holly and the ivy are also said to represent male and female, or Christ and the Virgin Mary, as well as the past and future, or the unity of creation and salvation.
The melody of The Holly and the Ivy is based on a French folk tune, and the lyrics have been adapted and added over time by different authors and composers. The song has been recorded by various artists, including Mannheim Steamroller, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, and Loreena McKennitt, and it remains a beloved and timeless Christmas classic that captures the spirit and meaning of the season.
Line by Line Meaning
The holly and the ivy,
The song is about the holly and ivy plants.
When they are both full grown,
The plants are described as mature.
Of all trees that are in the wood,
Compared to all other trees in the forest,
The holly bears the crown
the holly plant is seen as the most superior.
O, the rising of the sun,
The song has a chorus that mentions the start of the day.
And the running of the deer
The song has a chorus that mentions a deer running.
The playing of the merry organ,
The song has a chorus that references happy music.
Sweet singing in the choir.
The song has a chorus that references beautiful vocal harmonies.
The holly bears a blossom,
The holly plant has flowers.
As white as lily flow'r,
the color of the holly plant's flowers is white.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
A reference to the biblical story of Mary giving birth to Jesus.
To be our dear Savior
Jesus is often referred to as a savior in Christianity.
The holly bears a berry,
The holly plant has berries.
As red as any blood,
the color of the holly plant's berries is red.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
A reference to the biblical story of Mary giving birth to Jesus.
To do poor sinners good
Jesus is believed to have come to help those who have sinned and are in need of redemption.
The holly bears a prickle,
The holly plant has thorns.
As sharp as any thorn,
the thorns on the holly plant are very sharp.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
A reference to the biblical story of Mary giving birth to Jesus.
On Christmas Day in the morn
Jesus is traditionally believed to have been born on Christmas Day.
The holly bears a bark,
The holly plant has bark.
As bitter as the gall,
The taste of the bark on the holly plant is very bitter.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
A reference to the biblical story of Mary giving birth to Jesus.
For to redeem us all
Jesus is believed to have died for the sins of mankind, offering redemption to all who believe in him.
The holly and the ivy,
The song returns to its original subject matter - the holly and ivy plants.
When they are both full grown,
The plants have reached full maturity.
Of all trees that are in the wood,
Once again, the holly plant is deemed the most superior.
The holly bears the crown
The holly plant is seen as the victor in a metaphorical competition with other trees.
O, the rising of the sun,
The chorus returns with its reference to the start of the day.
And the running of the deer
The chorus returns with its reference to a deer running.
The playing of the merry organ,
The chorus returns with its reference to happy music.
Sweet singing in the choir.
The chorus returns with its reference to beautiful vocal harmonies.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
horseymusiclover
One of the few versions of The Holly and the Ivy that actually has some chords to fill out the very simple melody! With this song, the chords (or lack thereof) make or break it for me. This version is one of the few that make it.
CBEST HELPER
Well put. I like this one too.
ChucksterJax
What a beautiful piece of music! I listen to this over and over every Christmas season. And off and on during the year.
Chocolate Midnight
Me too. I used to play it when I was pregnant placed it on my belly through the head phones.
CBEST HELPER
Me too. Sometimes in July.
Sara Maucieri
Same here. My aunt and uncle always played Mannheim Steamroller when they hosted Christmas and from the time I was very small, I always heard this and loved it! It’s so calming!
Kay Omholt-Montague
Same here!
Elizabeth Borden
ChucksterJax it's so beautiful and heavenly
JemmetGK
I've had this album for decades. Trek'ful as I am, when I listen to this version of one of the most beautiful songs in the Whole of Christmas, I can't help but to envision Captain Picard playing this on his Ressican flute.
Joe Belle
This piece of music takes me to a place that I can’t describe but love to go to.