The Holly And The Ivy
The Choir Of Westminster Cathedral Lyrics
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When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
The rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a berry,
As sweet as any flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our sweet savior.
The rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to do us sinners good.
The rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas day in the morn'.
The rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all.
The rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
"The Holly and the Ivy" is a traditional christmas carol that depicts the importance of the holly tree and the ivy vine in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The first stanza compares the holly and the ivy and establishes the holly tree as superior due to its crown, symbolizing the crown of thorns that Christ wore on the cross. The second and third stanzas draw a connection between the holly tree's berries and the Christ child, who was born to be our savior and do good for sinners. The stanza also highlights the sharp prickle of the holly tree and draws a parallel to the suffering that Jesus went through on the cross, which is the reason why holly has become a symbol of the Passion of Christ. The final stanza mentions the bitter bark of the holly tree, symbolizing the bitterness of Christ's passion and the fact that his sacrifice has brought salvation to all who believe in him.
Line by Line Meaning
The holly and the ivy,
The holly and the ivy are plants that are often associated with Christmas and Christianity.
When they are both full grown,
When the holly and the ivy have fully matured, they are at their most visually impressive.
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly is the most prominent tree in the forest.
The holly bears the crown.
Holly is considered to be the most important or significant tree in the forest.
The rising of the sun,
The start of a new day.
And the running of the deer,
The movement of the deer in the forest.
The playing of the merry organ,
The sound of a musical instrument that is commonly associated with celebration and joy.
Sweet singing in the choir.
The sound of voices coming together in harmony to make beautiful music.
The holly bears a berry,
Holly produces a fruit that is often bright red in color.
As sweet as any flower,
The fruit of the holly tree is as sweet and pleasing to the senses as any flower.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is seen as a symbol of hope and salvation for Christians.
To be our sweet savior.
Jesus is seen as a savior who can save people from their sins.
The holly bears a berry,
Holly produces a fruit that is often bright red in color.
As red as any blood,
The fruit of the holly tree is as red in color as human blood.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is seen as a symbol of hope and salvation for Christians.
For to do us sinners good.
Jesus was born to help and save those who have sinned.
The holly bears a prickle,
The leaves of the holly tree have sharp thorns.
As sharp as any thorn,
The thorns on the holly tree are as sharp as those on any other plant.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is seen as a symbol of hope and salvation for Christians.
On Christmas day in the morn'.
Jesus was born on Christmas morning according to Christian tradition.
The holly bears a bark,
The bark of the holly tree is hard and woody.
As bitter as any gall,
The bark of the holly tree is as bitter as gall, which is a bitter and unpleasant substance.
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is seen as a symbol of hope and salvation for Christians.
For to redeem us all.
Jesus came to earth to save and redeem all people.
The playing of the merry organ,
The sound of a musical instrument that is commonly associated with celebration and joy.
Sweet singing in the choir.
The sound of voices coming together in harmony to make beautiful music.
Lyrics © DELLA BLUE MUSIC LLC
Written by: NICK MUNRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind