I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day
The Firestone Orchestra and Chorus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Their old familiar carols play
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth goodwill to men.
I thought how as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along unbroken song
And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong that mocks the song
Of peace on earth goodwill to men.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doubt he sleeps
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth goodwill to men.
'Til ringin' singin' on its way
The world revolve from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chance so blind,
On earth goodwill to men.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor doubt he sleeps
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth goodwill to men.
The lyrics of "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" were penned by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1863. The song was inspired by his personal life as well as the events of the American Civil War. In the song, Longfellow reflects on the idea of peace on earth and goodwill towards men, which he struggles to believe in light of the ongoing war and the loss of his wife who passed away due to a tragic fire accident.
The song starts out in a contemplative mood, with the singer hearing the bells ringing on Christmas Day and their "old familiar carols" signifying peace on earth and goodwill to men. However, as the day goes on, the singer becomes more and more despairing, as he realizes that the reality of the world does not align with the hope and promise of those bells. "For hate is strong that mocks the song," he says. But then, the bells ring out again, louder and deeper, reminding him that God is not inactive or uninvolved in the affairs of the world. The final verse expresses the hope that one day, the pealing of the bells will signal the arrival of a world where all people can live in peace and goodwill.
Overall, the song presents a powerful message of hope in the face of despair, something that resonates with many people, especially during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
I listened to the sound of the bells ringing on Christmas Day.
Their old familiar carols play
The bells played traditional Christmas songs I've heard before.
And wild and sweet the words repeat
The words of the songs were sung in a passionate and kind way.
Of peace on earth goodwill to men.
The lyrics were about promoting peace and benevolent intentions for all humankind.
I thought how as the day had come
I considered how as the day passed.
The belfries of all Christendom
Church steeples from all over the Christian world
Had rolled along unbroken song
Continuously played uplifting music
Of peace on earth goodwill to men.
Lyrics about promoting peace and benevolent intentions for all humankind.
And in despair I bowed my head
I felt hopeless and lowered my head.
There is no peace on earth I said
I thought to myself that it seems like there is no peace on earth.
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Hatred is powerful and interferes with the message of the song.
Of peace on earth goodwill to men.
Lyrics about promoting peace and benevolent intentions for all humankind.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
The bells rang even louder and with more intensity.
God is not dead nor does he sleep
God is alive and awake to see what is happening.
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
Bad deeds will eventually fail, and good deeds will succeed.
With peace on earth goodwill to men.
Lyrics about promoting peace and benevolent intentions for all humankind.
'Til ringin' singin' on its way
Until the sound of the bells roaring through the air.
The world revolve from night to day
The world keeps spinning from night to day.
A voice, a chime, a chance so blind,
The sound of the bells, a melody that happens by chance.
On earth goodwill to men.
The message in the song encourages people to be kind and peaceful to one another.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
The bells rang even louder and with more intensity.
God is not dead nor does he sleep
God is alive and awake to see what is happening.
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
Bad deeds will eventually fail, and good deeds will succeed.
With peace on earth goodwill to men.
Lyrics about promoting peace and benevolent intentions for all humankind.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUSTIN ROBERT CASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robdennis5332
My pastor's father told me about this orchestra. He is in his 80s. Beautiful music.
@nipstertunes
Beautiful, Heather! Love the music and video! It has put me right in the Holiday season mood. Thank you so much for posting it! Wishing you a wonderful Holiday season, my friend!
Jim
@TheSorrowfulFlower
nipstertunes I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Jim! Another favorite of mine from these Firestone albums. Thanks so much for watching and for your wonderful comments, they made my day, as always. Wishing you a fabulous holiday season as well :))