Away In a Manger
St. Charles Singers Lyrics

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Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
That little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
But little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay
Hay!
The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby awakes
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
Nigh!
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
That little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
But little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay
That little Lord Jesus asleep

oh baby he's asleep
on they hey

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to St. Charles Singers’ song “Away in a Manger” depict the scene of baby Jesus sleeping in a manger without a crib, as the stars in the sky looked down upon him. The song also describes how the cattle’s lowing awakened the baby, but despite this, the little Lord Jesus did not cry. The second verse expresses the love for Jesus and the hope that he stays by the singer’s cradle until morning arrives. The final verse repeats the first verse, with a reiteration of the image of Jesus sleeping on hay in a manger.

The lyrics of “Away in a Manger” are a classic representation of the humble and peaceful birth of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by the animals and the stars. Through the lyrics, the singer expresses a desire to have Jesus by their side, similar to how he was with the shepherds and the wise men who visited him at his birth.

Interestingly, the origin of the lyrics for “Away in a Manger” is uncertain, with different sources and stories regarding its creation. The melody for the song is also disputed, with three different melodies commonly used for the lyrics. Nevertheless, the song has become a beloved Christmas carol, often sung in churches and homes during the holiday season. It has been covered and recorded by various artists, including Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, and Michael Bublé.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
Even though there was no crib or luxurious bedding available, baby Jesus, our Lord, laid down peacefully.

That little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The baby Jesus, who is the Lord, peacefully laid down His head to rest.

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The stars aligned in the sky to witness the birth of the Lord, and they shone down upon Him where He lay.

But little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay
Despite being born in humble surroundings and sleeping on hay, the Lord Jesus remained in a peaceful slumber.

Hay!
This is an exclamation made in reference to the hay, which was the improvised bedding used for the baby Jesus.

The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby awakes
The sound of cattle lowing awoke the poor baby, but He did not cry or make a fuss.

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
The baby Jesus, despite being woken up by the sound of cattle, did not cry or make a fuss.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
The singer of the song is expressing their love to the Lord and requesting Him to watch over them from the heavens.

And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
The singer asks the Lord Jesus to stay by their cradle until morning comes, symbolizing a request for His continued spiritual presence in their life.

Nigh!
Similar to 'Hay!', this exclamation is made in reference to the morning that is approaching.

Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Nathan Palan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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