Finding his voice in a school choir, Crawford began his professional career still a teenager. Having some luck on the London stage in the early 60s, he then found his way onto the BBC and starred in various programmes such as 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'. He also had film roles in 'The War Lover', 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'. and 'How I Won the War' (which brought him into the same work as John Lennon).
Andrew Lloyd Webber's casting of him opposite Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton as the Phantom in 1986 shot his career into high gear. Winning a Tony Award for his role, Crawford also had the aforementioned tune, "The Music Of The Night", reach the British Top Ten. He has released several studio albums such as 'A Touch of Music in the Night' and 'On Eagle's Wings' among others.
O Holy Night
Michael Crawford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Oh night divine, oh night, when Christ was born
Oh night divine, oh night, oh night divine
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and the gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord that ever never praise we
Noel, Noel, oh night, oh night divine
Noel, Noel, oh night, night divine
Noel, Noel, oh holy night
The song O Holy Night reflects on the holy night when Jesus was born. The first verse sets the scene, describing the bright shining stars in the sky during the night of the birth of the Savior. The second line emphasizes that this is a very special and important night, bringing attention to the fact that the new baby is the long-awaited Savior. The lines “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth,” suggests that before the arrival of Jesus, people suffered from sin and guilt, and were lost without him. With his birth, humanity has found redemption and purpose.
The second verse conveys the message of hope that came with the birth of Jesus Christ. The world was weary and tired, but the arrival of the Savior signified a new era and a fresh start. The lines, “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn” indicates the joy and happiness that the arrival of Jesus brings.
The chorus of the song encourages everyone to pay homage to Jesus, the savior who has brought love, peace, and freedom into the world. It urges everyone to kneel down and listen to the angelic voices, in awe of the divine power that is at work. The final lines “Christ is the Lord that ever never praise we, Noel, Noel, oh night, oh night divine, Noel, Noel, oh night, night divine, Noel, Noel, oh holy night,” echo the message of gratitude to Jesus for the gift of redemption in a peaceful and loving world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh holy night the stars are brightly shining
The night is holy and the stars are shining brightly.
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
This night is special because it marks the birth of our dear Savior.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a long time, the world was lost and unhappy due to sin and mistake.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
When He came, our souls finally understood their true worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
A feeling of hope spreads throughout the tired world, bringing joy.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
A new and glorious morning has dawned before us.
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Kneel down and listen to the voices of the angels.
Oh night divine, oh night, when Christ was born
This is the divine night when Christ was born.
Truly He taught us to love one another
He truly taught us to love one another.
His law is love and the gospel is peace
The foundation of His teachings are love and peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
He will break the chains of those enslaved because they are our brothers.
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Oppression will come to a stop in His name.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
We raise sweet hymns of joy in a chorus of gratitude.
Let all within us praise His holy name
Let everything inside of us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord that ever never praise we
Christ is the Lord who we will never stop praising.
Noel, Noel, oh night, oh night divine
Noel, Noel, oh divine night.
Noel, Noel, oh night, night divine
Noel, Noel, oh divine night.
Noel, Noel, oh holy night
Noel, Noel, oh holy night.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ROGER WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
runswithscissors86
Even after 30 years, Michael Crawford’s version of “O Holy Night” still has the power to render me completely breathless. No one is allowed to speak when this song is playing in my house.
Stephen Osburn
Me too!!!
Gunn Zitzelau Prestøy
Nydelig
Soozie S.
This song makes me literally sob. I cannot listen to it in public or around people. Especially since my family are gone.
Deb Miller
I completely agree! I just want to bawl like a baby when I hear it
D. Bey
Same in our house. No speaking allowed when this (the best by far) is on!
Mary Glenn Crutchley
Can't top Michael's version. Sends chills down your spine. The best version ever recorded. 🥰
Soozie S.
Celine Dion does a nice rendition.
Martha Rogers
Michael Crawford takes us to the gates of heaven with this song and let's us look in. So perfect
Taryn Marie
Yesterday was a tough day for me, at the end of the day I took a drive with my mom (who also loves this song) and listened to this. All of the bad feelings disappeared. Michael Crawford always has this affect on me. ❤️