Away In a Manger
Marilyn McCoo Lyrics


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Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
The stars in the bright 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 side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.




Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Away in a Manger" depicts the birth of Jesus Christ, who lays down his head on a bed of hay as there is no crib or proper bedding for him. The song emphasizes the simplicity, humility, and vulnerability of the newborn child, who is surrounded by farm animals as he sleeps. The stars in the sky overlook his peaceful rest, signifying the importance and holiness of the moment.


The second verse highlights the waking of the baby but unlike many infants who wake up crying, Jesus remains calm and quiet as he takes in his surroundings. The chorus expresses the singer's love and adoration for Jesus and the reverence and gratitude she feels about being in his presence. She asks the Lord to remain by her side and blesses all the children under his care, pleading with him to guide them towards heaven.


The lyrics of "Away in a Manger" continue to resonate and captivate millions of people worldwide. The song remains a popular Christmas carol in Christian churches worldwide for its beautiful melody and powerful message.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The baby Jesus had no proper crib to rest in


The little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
Despite not having a proper crib, baby Jesus rested soundly


The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The bright stars looked upon baby Jesus sleeping in the hay


The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Baby Jesus was peacefully sleeping on a bed of hay


The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
The cows are mooing, and their noise is waking the baby Jesus up


But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
Baby Jesus does not cry despite being woken up by the mooing cows


I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
The singer professes their love for Jesus and asks him to look down from heaven


And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
The singer asks Jesus to stay with them until morning comes


Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
The singer asks Jesus to stay close to them


Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
The singer prays for Jesus to love them and stay with them forever


Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
The singer asks Jesus to bless all the children that are in his care


And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
The singer prays for Jesus to prepare them for heaven so they can live with him there




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JONATHAN E. SPILLMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

mccoofan

Just fantastic....a gorgeous rendition from my favorite performer!

Roland Smith

Thank you. Please share with ALL your friends...Merry Christmas

MsTexas73

Oh this is sweet. thanks for sharing this.

Princess J Nyathi

This is incrediblee!!!have been looking everywhere for this song! ... do you happen to have the whole movie?

Princess J Nyathi

Oh wow i thought this scene was from All is Bright, but i have been looking everywhere for the Movie Love's Pure light i just never knew where to look. There are three movies based on the same storyline. I already have the whole movie " All is Bright " tho. Thank you soo much!

Roland Smith

Yes...It's called "Love's Pure Light" you can call 805-955-7647......It is a great movie for the whole family..

MsTexas73

@c7r7s7 Believe me, I WILL!!! :C) Merry Christmas!!!

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