Away In A Manger
The Bands and Choir of The Salvation Army Lyrics
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Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay
The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing the sweet baby awakes
The little Lord Jesus no crying he makes
And stay by my side till morning is nigh
Away in a manger away on Christmas day hey hey
Sweet bells they ringing out news today
Jesus our Lord born on Christmas day
Be near me lord Jesus I ask thee to stay
Close by me for ever and love me I pray
Away in a manger away ay ay Away in a manger away
On Christmas day ay ay
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And take us to Heaven to live with thee there
Sweet bells they ringing out good news today
Jesus our Lord born on Christmas day
Away in a manger away ay ay Away in a manger away on Christmas day ay ay
The song "Away In A Manger" is a traditional Christmas carol that details the events of Jesus Christ's birth. The song opens with a description of the scene of the nativity, where Jesus is born in a manger because there was no room at the inn. The lyrics describe how the little Lord Jesus is laying down his head and sleeping on the hay, while stars in the sky look down upon him. The second stanza depicts the scene of the cattle lowing when the baby awakes, and yet the little Lord Jesus shows no signs of crying. The carol then takes a personal turn in the third stanza, as the singer professes love for the Lord Jesus and asks him to stay by their side until morning.
The fourth and final stanza sees the singer asking the Lord to bless all the dear children in his tender care and allow them to live with him in Heaven. The song concludes with a repetition of the chorus, declaring that Jesus was born "away in a manger" on Christmas day.
One interesting fact about "Away In A Manger" is that the authorship of the song is unknown. There are various theories about who wrote it, some attributing it to Martin Luther or Charles Wesley, but no definitive evidence exists to support any one claim. Another interesting fact is that the lyrics of the song have been widely adapted, with some versions featuring additional verses, changes in wording or structure, and even the inclusion of new characters like Santa Claus or the Nativity's shepherds.
Line by Line Meaning
Away in a manger no crib for a bed
In a stable, there was no proper bed for the little Lord Jesus to rest on
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
Despite the lack of comfort, the little Lord Jesus slept peacefully
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay
Even the stars in the sky were witness to the humble birth of Jesus
The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The baby Jesus was so tired that he fell asleep on a bed of hay
The cattle are lowing the sweet baby awakes
The gentle sounds of the cattle caused the sweet baby Jesus to stir from his sleep
The little Lord Jesus no crying he makes
Despite being woken up, the baby Jesus did not cry or fuss
I love thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
The person singing expresses their love and admiration for Jesus and asks him to watch over them from heaven
And stay by my side till morning is nigh
The singer seeks comfort and protection from Jesus through the night until the morning comes
Sweet bells they ringing out news today
The sound of joyful bells ringing announce the good news of Jesus' birth
Jesus our Lord born on Christmas day
The lyrics plainly state that Jesus, our Lord and savior, was born on Christmas day
Be near me lord Jesus I ask thee to stay
The singer expresses their desire for Jesus to be near and present with them
Close by me for ever and love me I pray
The singer asks Jesus to love and be with them forever
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
The singer asks Jesus to bless and care for all children with tenderness
And take us to Heaven to live with thee there
The ultimate hope is to be taken to heaven to live with Jesus forever
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: James Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind