Do You Hear What I Hear?
The Choir Boys & Hayley Westenra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said the night wind to the little lamb,
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song, high above the tree
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
Do you know what I know
Do you know what I know
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know
Do you know what I know
A Child, (a Child) shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere,
Listen to what I say
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
Listen to what I say
Listen to what I say
The Child, (the Child, sleeping in the night)
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
The song "Do You Hear What I Hear" is a Christmas classic that was written by Noel Regney and Gloria Shane in 1962. It was meant to be a call for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it remains a timeless message that resonates today. The lyrics are told through a series of conversations between different characters- the night wind, a little lamb, a shepherd boy, a mighty king, and eventually, the people. The song begins with the night wind asking the little lamb if it sees a star dancing in the sky with a tail as big as a kite. This is a metaphor for the Star of Bethlehem, which is traditionally believed to have led the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus.
The second verse is the little lamb asking the shepherd boy if he hears a song ringing through the sky with a voice as big as the sea. This is a reference to the angels who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem. In the third verse, the shepherd boy tells the mighty king about the child he has seen who is shivering in the cold. The king then decides to spread the word and asks the people to pray for peace everywhere, as the Child he has seen will bring goodness and light.
Overall, "Do You Hear What I Hear" is a beautiful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of Jesus and the message of peace and hope that he brought to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Said the night wind to the little lamb,
The wind whispered to the innocent and naive lamb,
Do you see what I see
Can you comprehend what lies ahead?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Up in the vastness of the sky, little one,
Do you see what I see
Can you perceive what I perceive?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
A luminous celestial body, gracefully moving in the darkness,
With a tail as big as a kite
Its aura is vast, spreading like a kite's tail,
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
The lamb spoke to the humble shepherd,
Do you hear what I hear
Can you sense what I sense?
Do you hear what I hear
Do you apprehend what I apprehend?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Echoing through the sky, dear shepherd,
Do you hear what I hear
Can you detect what I detect?
A song, a song, high above the tree
A sweet melody, rising above the tree,
With a voice as big as the sea
Its sound is colossal, like the mammoth sea,
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
The shepherd announced to the powerful king,
Do you know what I know
Are you aware of what I'm aware?
Do you know what I know
Do you have knowledge of what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
In your cozy castle, great king,
Do you know what I know
Are you familiar with what I'm familiar with?
A Child, (a Child) shivers in the cold
A precious child is trembling in the frigid air,
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us give Him gifts of silver and gold,
Said the king to the people everywhere,
The king addressed the masses all around,
Listen to what I say
Pay attention to my words,
Listen to what I say
Hearken to the message I convey,
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
Invoke peace in your hearts, people of the world!
Listen to what I say
Attend to the words I speak,
Listen to what I say
Listen to the meaning I convey,
The Child, (the Child, sleeping in the night)
The Child, (the Child, slumbering in the darkness),
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bless us with kindness and illumination,
Lyrics © DistroKid, REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: Noel Regney, Gloria Shayne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind