The Holly and the Ivy
Natalie Cole & Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees
That are in the wood,
The holly wears the crown
[Chorus]
O' the rising of the sun
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir
Sweet singing in the choir
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Savior
[Chorus]
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
[Chorus]
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn
[Chorus]
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all
[Chorus]
The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees
That are in the wood
The holly wears the crown
[Chorus]
"The Holly and the Ivy" is a Christmas carol that dates back to the 18th century in England. It describes the holly and the ivy as symbols of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first verse mentions that when the holly and the ivy are both grown, the holly wears the crown, which signifies Christ as the king of the world. The chorus talks about the joyous sounds of Christmas, with the rising of the sun, the running of deer, the playing of the merry organ, and sweet singing in the choir.
The second verse of the song mentions the white blossom of the holly, representing the purity and innocence of Jesus Christ, who was born to the Virgin Mary. The third verse talks about the red berries of the holly, symbolizing the blood that Jesus shed for the forgiveness of our sins. The fourth verse mentions the prickly nature of the holly and associates it with the crown of thorns that Jesus wore on the cross on Good Friday. The last verse talks about the bitter bark of the holly, which represents the bitter suffering endured by Jesus on the cross, but it also reminds us that he was born to redeem us all.
Overall, "The Holly and the Ivy" is a beautiful and meaningful Christmas carol that reminds us of the significance of Jesus Christ in our lives and the joy of his birth.
Line by Line Meaning
The holly and the ivy
This song is about the holly and the ivy plants.
When they are both full grown
During their adult stage of development.
Of all the trees
Compared to every other tree.
That are in the wood,
Present in the forest.
The holly wears the crown
The holly plant is the most important in the forest.
O' the rising of the sun
At sunrise.
The running of the deer
The deer moving quickly.
The playing of the merry organ
Music made by an organ, possibly played in a church.
Sweet singing in the choir
People singing beautifully together in a group.
The holly bears a blossom
The holly plant produces a flower.
As white as lily flower
The color of the holly's flower is white like a lily's.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was born to Mary.
To be our sweet savior
To deliver us from sin and provide salvation.
The holly bears a berry
The holly plant produces a fruit.
As red as any blood
The color of the holly's fruit is red like blood.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was born to Mary.
To do poor sinners good
To offer salvation and goodness to those who are lost and sinful.
The holly bears a prickle
The holly plant has sharp thorns on its leaves.
As sharp as any thorn
The sharpness of the holly's thorns is compared to that of other thorny plants.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was born to Mary.
On Christmas day in the morn
Jesus Christ was born on the morning of December 25th.
The holly bears a bark
The bark of the holly plant is described.
As bitter as any gall
The bitterness of the holly's bark is compared to that of the substance gall.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was born to Mary.
For to redeem us all
In order to offer salvation to all people.
The holly and the ivy
The holly and the ivy plants are being discussed throughout this song.
When they are both full grown
When the plants reach maturity.
Of all the trees
Compared to every other tree.
That are in the wood
Within the forest.
The holly wears the crown
The holly plant is the most important or prominent within this natural setting.
O' the rising of the sun
At daybreak.
The running of the deer
The deer moving quickly through the woods or fields.
The playing of the merry organ
Music made by an organ, possibly being played joyfully or with merriment.
Sweet singing in the choir
A beautiful, harmonious style of singing performed by a group of people.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LALO SCHIFRIN, . TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christinepaige2575
I listen to this magnificent duet every Christmas season, and it is my favorite Natalie Cole performance, out of so many, many incredible performances. She was a consummate artist and a consummately elegant stage presence, never more so than here. May she rest in peace.
@josecidasilva2178
Dueto brilhante. CARRERAS como sempre arrasou. Legendas para o Brasil ou tradução p.língua portuguesa do Brasil
@bethfiori4708
Jose Carreras is the ultimate partner; he sounds wonderful with every voice who sings with him.
@saraliu8828
Just wonderful♥️
@mikief9352
My favorite Christmas song in the most beautiful performance.
@greglaprade7507
Miki EF I couldn't agree more. I have listened to this countless times while I packed to go home for Christmas and since.
@Treasures4Food
I don't even celebrate Christmas, but this was very peaceful and lovely. I loved Natalie's vocals.
@greglaprade7507
Treasures4Food Very much so, but the Truth that's in the words is infinitely more beautiful than anything else ever.
@HinkUil
Thanks for this wonderful song. If I'm right in the same christmas show, José Carreras, Placido Domingo and Natalie Cole sang my favorite version of Oh Holy Night. If anyone could upload this part?
@Phaedrax2
Ah - thanks for uploading, I've been looking for clips from this lovely video. My favourite is the 3 of them singing 'I'll be home for Christmas'. :-D