Away In a Manger
Moe Bandy 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 of Moe Bandy’s rendition of “Away in a Manger” portray the humble but beautiful birth of Jesus Christ in a manger, where there is no crib, a place where animals feed. The infant Christ, with the stars gazing upon him, sleeps on hay, as the cattle low and the baby awakens. But instead of crying, Jesus makes no sound, showing his divinity and supernatural nature. The second stanza is a prayer addressed to Jesus to stay by our side and bless us and fit us for heaven, while we care for each other.


The song is a beautiful and sentimental rendition of Jesus’ birth, sung every Christmas by Christians to signify the coming of light and hope, and to underscore the closeness of Christ to humankind. The song has been recorded by different artists across different genres, including country, pop, and gospel, and the lyrics have varied slightly across the different versions. However, the sentiment of the song remains the same, conveying a beautiful and peaceful image of the nativity.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The birthplace of the Lord Jesus was a manger, not a palace.


the little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
The baby Lord Jesus peacefully laid his head in the manger.


The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The bright stars observed the location of the baby Jesus in the manger.


The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The baby Lord Jesus slumbering on the hay.


The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
The cattle are mooing and wakening the child.


But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
The baby Jesus doesn't cry even if he's awakened by the cattle.


I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
The singer loves the Lord Jesus and is asking him to look down from heaven.


And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
The artist is asking the Lord Jesus to stay with them until it's morning.


Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
The artist is requesting the Lord Jesus to stay near them.


Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
The artist is praying to be loved by the Lord Jesus forever.


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


And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
The artist prays that they may be ready for heaven and live with Jesus there.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: William J. Kirkpatrick, Traditional

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

gordon jock

Bobby Bare a True Country Music Legend. The very best in Country Music. Just love how Bobby delivers this all time Christmas Classic.