In the many years that Ray Brown made music, he played in every major night… Read Full Bio ↴In the many years that Ray Brown made music, he played in every major night club and concert hall in the world. Recognized for decades as the world’s premier bassist, he performed with numerous recording greats including Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1926, his formal musical training on piano at age eight. By the time Brown was in high school, he had already become an accomplished pianist. Thinking that the bass would be easier than the piano, Brown began playing it by ear and soon was playing professionally around town. After high school, Brown joined the Jimmy Hinsely Sextet and traveled with the group for six months. The following year, he joined the Snookum Russell band, playing larger clubs throughout the United States. He left Russell's band at age 20 to make his way as a freelance musician in New York City.

Ray Brown’s reputation as an accomplished musician preceded him to New York. Immediately upon his arrival, he was asked by Dizzy Gillespie to play a rehearsal. Dizzy was so impressed with Brown that he hired him on the spot. He played in Dizzy’s band for the next two years with Charlie Parker and Bud Powell. His experiences with Dizzy Gillespie led Ray around the world, playing, learning and composing his own music. In 1948, Brown left the band to form his own trio with Hank Jones and Charlie Smith.

During those early big band years, Brown discovered Jazz at the Philharmonic—and was himself discovered by Norman Granz. Later in his career, Brown toured with JATP for 18 years, appearing in nearly every major club nd concert hall throughout Europe, Asia and the U.S. He met many musicians during his tour with JATP, including piano virtuoso Oscar Peterson, who made Brown a member of the Oscar Peterson trio until it disbanded in 1966. In the late ‘60s, Brown composed “Gravy Waltz,” a tune that won a Grammy Award and became the theme song to the Steve Allen Show.

Brown was the bassist for all of Frank Sinatra’s TV specials and was a part of some of the most outstanding television musical events in the business. He guided the Hollywood Bowl Association in producing jazz concerts, was Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival for two years, and was Music Director for the Concord Summer Festival in 1976 and 1977. He was the recipient of innumerable awards, including the All-Star Poll Award in Playboy nearly every year since its inception in 1958. He also amassed a series of Grammy Awards, Down Beat Reader's Poll Awards, Jazz Critic's Poll Awards and many others.

Ray Brown first appeared on the Telarc label in 1989 (with Andre Previn and Joe Pass) on After Hours. In 1993, Brown's own trio with Benny Green and Jeff Hamilton recorded their first album for Telarc called Bass Face. In 1999, he won Acoustic Bassist of the Year again in Down Beat’s Readers Poll and later released Christmas Songs with the Ray Brown Trio, his first holiday recording as a leader.

He also joined forces with Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson for 1999’s The Very Tall Band, a landmark collaboration recorded live at the Blue Note in November 1998. In 2001, Brown released the first ever Live at Starbucks album and SuperBass 2, another live recording, this time from the famed Blue Note in New York City. Bassists John Clayton and Christian McBride were featured along with Brown on SuperBass 2.

Brown died in his sleep on July 2, 2002, during a tour stop in Indianapolis—just a few days after the release of Some of My Best Friends Are...Guitarists, with John Pizzarelli, Herb Ellis, Russell Malone, Ulf Wakenius, Bruce Forman and Kenny Burrell. Guitarists was the fifth installment in Brown’s Best Friends series. Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and Russell Malone was released later that same year. A final Ray Brown Trio recording, Walk On (with pianist Geoffrey Keezer and drummer Karriem Riggins) was released in July 2003.

Away In a Manger
Ray Brown Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
The poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
No crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus;
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till 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.

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,

The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

Overall Meaning

The song Away in a Manger beautifully captures the essence of the humility and vulnerability with which Jesus was born. The opening lines depict the poverty and lack that surrounded Jesus' birth. He did not have a crib to lay His head, and He was placed in a manager, typically meant for animals. However, despite the meagerness of His surroundings, the song portrays Jesus as having a sweet and peaceful rest. The imagery of the stars shining down on the newborn baby further emphasizes the miracle and divine nature of His birth.

The second verse continues to highlight the contrast between the deity of Jesus and His earthly vulnerability. The cattle's moans and groans wake the baby, but He does not cry. This scene is so touching because it depicts the Son of God, who would eventually save the world, as an innocent and helpless infant. The singer then declares His love for Jesus and pleads for the Lord to be with him always. The song ends with a benediction and prayer for God to bless all children and prepare them for eternal life.

Overall, this song is a powerful reminder of the real meaning of Christmas. It emphasizes the idea that Jesus Christ came to Earth as a vulnerable baby to save humanity, and this message resonates with people from all walks of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger,
In the middle of nowhere, in a place where animals sleep, far from luxury and comfort,

No crib for His bed,
There was nothing available to make the little Lord Jesus comfortable,

The little Lord Jesus
The infant son of God, who came to earth to save humankind,

Laid down His sweet head;
He slept peacefully, resting from the travail of birth and the chaos of the world around Him,

The stars in the heavens
The celestial bodies in the sky, shining down on this miraculous event,

Looked down where He lay,
Observing the humble birth of the Savior and witnessing the grace of God in action,

The little Lord Jesus
The infant son of God, who came to earth to save humankind,

Asleep on the hay.
Resting on a humble bed of straw, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords begins His earthly journey,

The cattle are lowing,
The animals in the stable are expressing their natural sounds and activity,

The poor Baby wakes,
The little Lord is stirred from his sleep by the sounds around him,

But little Lord Jesus,
Even in infancy, the Son of God does not cry or become agitated,

No crying He makes.
He remains calm and peaceful, radiating his divinity and inner strength,

I love Thee, Lord Jesus;
The writer expresses their devotion and adoration for the infant Savior,

Look down from the sky
The writer calls upon the divine, asking the Lord to take notice of them,

And stay by my cradle
The writer requests the presence of Christ in their life, blessing them with His peace and love,

Till morning is nigh.
With a hopeful heart, the writer anticipates the dawn of a new day, filled with promise and grace,

Be near me, Lord Jesus;
The writer affirms their deep need for the presence of God in their life,

I ask Thee to stay
The writer beseeches the Lord to remain close and never leave them,

Close by me forever
The writer declares their desire for an eternal bond with the divine Creator and Savior of the world,

And love me I pray!
The writer expresses their need for the love of God, to feel valued and cherished,

Bless all the dear children
The writer prays for the welfare and safety of all children, that they may be guided and protected by the divine,

In Thy tender care,
The writer acknowledges the loving nature of God, and relies on the divine to look after us all,

And fit us for Heaven
The writer hopes that through the grace of God, we may be worthy of eternal life in heaven,

To live with Thee there.
The writer longs for an afterlife with God, where we may be reunited with loved ones and dwell in peace forevermore,