"In January 1980 i founded with 2 friends my first group ever. the secret n… Read Full Bio ↴"In January 1980 i founded with 2 friends my first group ever. the secret name of the group was Progressive Disco, abbreviated PD. Influences came from free music, punk, experimental and psychedelic rock as well as from new classical music, industrial and disco, which were melted into an own style, using tapes as well as conventional rock instrumentation.
PD suffered from permanent personnel changes. At the end of 1980 it was clear that i was the only member who was to stay continuously. So i decided to change the name of the group in a way that showed continuation as well as discontinuity. Therefore the name was "doubled" by adding the number of the letters (P being the 16th, D the fourth letter of the alphabet).
One of the members that time was Achim Szepanski, who left after a few months because he had to follow his studies. Meanwhile he has founded the succesful technolabel Mille Plateaux." (Ralf Wehowsky)

Angels We Have Heard on High
P.D. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly through the night
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear?

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new born king

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

See Him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While we raise our hearts in love

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Overall Meaning

In "Angels We Have Heard On High," we see the story of the birth of Jesus, a tale of angels visiting shepherds and leading them to the virgin mother Mary and her child, a new King born in a manger. The song starts with the description of the angels' arrival, the sight and sound of them singing sweetly through the night, and the mountains echo their brave delight. The phrase "Angels we have heard on high" sets the tone for the story we are about to hear, and it echoes throughout the song as a reminder of the great miracle that has occurred.

Next, the shepherds are asked about their jubilation, and they are questioned about what they have seen and heard. They reply that they have seen a great brightness and heard glad tidings of a new baby born in Bethlehem. This part of the song implies that the shepherds knew that something extraordinary was going to happen, and their joy is contagious as they share the news of this miraculous birth.

Finally, the song invites us to Bethlehem to witness the newborn King, to see Him laid in a manger, and to worship Him on bended knee. Mary and Joseph are called upon to lend their aid, and we join our hearts with theirs as we sing "Gloria in excelsis Deo" in praise and celebration of the new life that has come into the world.

Overall, "Angels We Have Heard On High" is a joyful retelling of the Christmas story, and it reminds us of the promise of hope and renewal that Christmas represents. The song is a beautiful ode to the miracle of Christ's birth and an invitation to celebrate with gladness and reverence.

Line by Line Meaning

Angels we have heard on high
We have heard angels singing in the sky

Singing sweetly through the night
Their singing was sweet and melodious throughout the night

And the mountains in reply
The mountains echoed in response

Echoing their brave delight
They were echoing the angels' joyous singing with bravery and delight

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Glory to God in the highest

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why are you shepherds rejoicing so greatly?

Why these songs of happy cheer?
Why are you singing these happy songs?

What great brightness did you see?
What amazing light did you witness?

What glad tiding did you hear?
What good news did you hear?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Come to Bethlehem and witness for yourself

Him whose birth the angels sing
The one whom the angels are singing and praising about