It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Ray Conniff Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold

Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the Angels sing

And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing

The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay




In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep

Overall Meaning

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a Christmas hymn that speaks of the beauty of Christmastime as well as the message of peace and goodwill it brings. The singer sets the scene on a still and quiet Christmas Eve, where the only sound heard is the beautiful melody of angels playing their harps. The angels' music brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the world, bringing the message of the birth of Jesus Christ to earth. The song speaks of a world in need of peace and the hope that it will come, even if only for a little while.


The song's lyrics also reference The First Noel, reminding us of the angel's announcement of Jesus' birth to the poor shepherds. The shepherds were humble and simple men, and their role in the story of Christmas is a reminder that the message of peace and joy brought by Jesus is meant for all people, no matter their station in life.


"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" has been covered by many artists, including Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. The song was originally written as a poem by Edmund Sears in 1849, but was later set to music by Richard Storrs Willis in 1859. This song is a favorite among many due to its fluid and gentle melody that provides a sense of calm and stillness.


Line by Line Meaning

It came upon the midnight clear
The event occurred at the stroke of midnight, when all was calm and quiet.


That glorious song of old
The song was magnificent and magnificent in the past.


From Angels playing near the earth
Angels were playing their harps close to the ground.


To touch their harps of gold
They played heavenly music with their golden harps.


Peace on the earth could will two men
The message of peace on earth could inspire all men to come together in harmony.


From Heaven's all-gracious King
The message of peace on earth was from the kind and generous King of Heaven.


The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was quiet and peaceful, with everyone listening carefully.


To hear the Angels sing
People were listening intently to the beautiful singing of the angels.


And I hear them singing
The singer could hear the angels' song and was moved by it.


Sing, I do hear them singing
The angels' song was so clear and beautiful that the singer heard it clearly and was inspired by it.


The first Noel the Angel did say
The angel's message about the birth of Jesus was proclaimed on the first Christmas.


Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
The angel's message was delivered to a group of humble shepherds while they were tending their flocks.


In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
The shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their sheep at the time.


On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The night was bitterly cold and the darkness surrounding the shepherds added to the mystery and awe of the angel's message.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edmund Hamilton Sears, Richard Storrs Willis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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