Roger Whittaker (born Roger Henry Brough Whittaker in Nairobi, Kenya, on 22… Read Full Bio ↴Roger Whittaker (born Roger Henry Brough Whittaker in Nairobi, Kenya, on 22 March 1936; died 13 September 2023 ) was a British singer-songwriter and musician remembered for his eclectic mix of folk music and popular song, his baritone singing voice, and his trademark whistling skills.

He became widely known for his version of "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1982), as well as his own compositions "Durham Town (The Leavin')" (1969) and "I Don't Believe in If Anymore" (1970), his 1970 hit "New World in the Morning" and his 1975 hit "The Last Farewell" (his only single to hit the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to the Top 20).

Whittakers first chart success came in 1969 when "Durham Town (The Leavin')" was his first UK Top 20 hit. In 1970 came two follow-up hits, "I Don't Believe In If Anymore" (Top 10) and "New World In The Morning" (Top 20), and 1971 brought two smaller hit singles "Why" and "Mamy Blue".

Whittaker was absent from the UK singles chart until 1975, when "The Last Farewell" went Top 3, after which it was another eleven years until "Skye Boat Song" returned him to the Top 10 of the singles chart.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Whittaker had success in Germany, with German language songs produced by Nick Munro (unable to speak German at that time, Whittaker sang the songs phonetically). In time he became more fluent in German and sang and was interviewed in German on Danish television in November 2008. Whittaker retired from touring in 2013.

Away In a Manger
Roger Whittaker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying he makes

I love thee Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side
Until 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 bring us to heaven
To live with Thee there

And bring us to heaven
To live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

The song "Away in a Manger" tells the story of the birth of Jesus as seen from the perspective of a child, who expresses love and longing for the baby Jesus. The child describes Jesus lying down in a manger, rather than in a crib or bed, surrounded by the bright stars in the sky. The baby is greeted by the lowing of cattle, but he remains peaceful and does not cry. The child expresses love for Jesus and a desire to have him stay by his side throughout the night, and to be loved by him.

The lyrics of this song capture the innocence and simplicity of childhood, contrasting it with the profound significance of the birth of Jesus Christ. The song reminds us that Jesus came into the world as a humble child, not in a royal palace or surrounded by great wealth and power, but in a lowly manger. It also emphasizes the unconditional love and care that Jesus has for all of his children, and the hope that we have of being united with him in heaven one day.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger
In a place away from the city, in a stable meant for animals.

No crib for a bed
There was no bed meant for a baby to sleep.

The little Lord Jesus
The infant who would become known as the Lord Jesus.

Lay down his sweet head
Closed his eyes to rest his head on the hay.

The stars in the bright sky
The shiny dots in the sky that light up the world.

Look down where He lay
Shone their light on the place where the baby lay.

Asleep on the hay
Having embraced sleep on the soft hay.

The cattle are lowing
The cows and other animals are announcing their own presence by making sounds.

The baby awakes
The infant wakes up from his sleep.

But little Lord Jesus
But the child who would grow up to be Jesus Christ.

No crying he makes
Does not cry despite being a baby due to his divine nature.

I love thee Lord Jesus
I have an overwhelming affection for you, Lord Jesus.

Look down from the sky
Please pay careful attention to me from your heavenly home.

And stay by my side
Stay near me, I implore you.

Until morning is nigh
Until the morning arrives in which I can see everything again.

Be near me, Lord Jesus
Please stay close to me, my Lord.

I ask Thee to stay
I plead with you to not leave me alone.

Close by me forever
Remain by my side indefinitely.

And love me I pray
And please show your love to me.

Bless all the dear children
Bless every one of the children who are loved.

In Thy tender care
Keep them safe in your gentle and soothing embrace.

And bring us to heaven
Take us to the eternal resting place when our time comes.

To live with Thee there
So that we can spend eternity together with you.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Ramsey Murray

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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