Patricia Louise Holt (born May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), bet… Read Full Bio ↴Patricia Louise Holt (born May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), better known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is a highly revered, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, businesswoman and actress. LaBelle has fronted two moderately successful groups, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and LaBelle, before rising to superstardom as a solo artist in the late 1970s. She is best known for her strong soprano vocals and her signature high-octave vocal belting. LaBelle has been largely compared to Aretha Franklin during the 1970s, but her distinguishing vocal range remains unique and recognizable, and she is widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all-time by such industry publications and media outlets as Jet Magazine, BET and VH1. LaBelle has recorded 16 solo studio albums since her solo debut in 1977. LaBelle has also reportedly sold more than 50 million albums. Her biography, Don't Block the Blessings, remained at the top of the New York Times best seller list for several weeks. In addition, she is also a bestselling cookbook author - on Twitter as @LaBelleFoods.
She has received recognition of her works in music, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Hall of Fame, the Songwriters' Hall of Fame as well as the World Music Awards presenting her with the prestigious Legend Award. In 2012 and 2013, LaBelle embarked on the 50th Anniversary Tour, celebrating her years in the music business.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Patti LaBelle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hark! the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations rise;
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

Overall Meaning

Patti LaBelle's rendition of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is an unmistakable hymn to the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse sets the tone for the song, with a heralding of the arrival of a king. The lyrics suggest that despite being born in a manger, Jesus is still celebrated as royalty, with nations rising to join in the triumph of his birth. The second verse shifts focus to Christ's divinity, with the lyrics describing him as the "everlasting Lord" and "incarnate Deity". The third and final verse is a joyful celebration of Jesus' role as savior, with the lyrics proclaiming him to be the "heaven-born Prince of Peace" and "Son of Righteousness".

Overall, the song is a triumphant celebration of Christ's birth and the hope and salvation that he represents. The lyrics are uplifting and joyful, speaking to the core beliefs of Christian theology. Across the verses, the lyrics connect the idea of Jesus as a newborn king, a divine figure, and a savior.

Line by Line Meaning

Hark! the herald angels sing
Listen carefully! The messengers of God are singing

"Glory to the newborn King"
"Praises to the recently born King"

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
May peace and kindness be prevalent,

God and sinners reconciled!
Since God and sinners have now reached a compromise

Joyful, all ye nations, rise;
Everyone in every nation, feel the joy and stand up

Join the triumph of the skies;
Become one with the victory in the skies

With th' angelic host proclaim
Announce along the side of the angelic host

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
"Christ has arrived in Bethlehem!"

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Listen carefully! The messengers of God are singing

"Glory to the newborn King!"
"Praises to the recently born King"

Christ, by highest heav'n adored;
Christ is adored by the highest of heavens

Christ the everlasting Lord;
Christ is the Lord that never fades away

Late in time behold Him come,
See Him come in the later times

Offspring of a virgin's womb.
The offspring of a woman who had not yet known a man

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Godhead manifest in flesh

Hail th'incarnate Deity,
Welcome the Godhead in human form

Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
The Godhead is pleased to dwell among us in human form

Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Jesus, our God with us!

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Listen carefully! The messengers of God are singing

"Glory to the newborn King!"
"Praises to the recently born King"

Hail! the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Greetings to the heav'nly born Ruler of Peace!

Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Greetings to the Son of Righteousness

Light and life to all He brings,
He brings brightness and vitality to everyone

Ris'n with healing in His wings;
Risen with power to heal

Mild He lays His glory by,
He humbly sets aside His glory

Born that man no more may die;
Born so that man may no longer die

Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to raise the children of the earth

Born to give them second birth.
Born to give them a new life.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Listen carefully! The messengers of God are singing

"Glory to the newborn King!"
"Praises to the recently born King"

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, Walt Disney Music Company, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL BATEMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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