2. There was also a Rat Pack from Ventura, CA on Mystic Records that released two EP's titled "Rat Pack" and "Ice Cream, Acid, and Cigarettes" and one self titled LP. They were also released on few Mystic Records compilations such as the Nardcore comp.
3.There is also a UK rave group from the early '90s who used the name The Rat Pack who had hits with tracks like "Searchin' for my rizzla"
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
The Rat Pack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The lyrics to The Rat Pack's rendition of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" describe the famous Christmas story of angels appearing to shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus Christ. The song opens with the beautiful and peaceful scene of angels playing their harps near the earth, sharing their glorious song with the world. This presence of heavenly music creates an atmosphere of stillness and awe, where the world can momentarily forget its troubles and listen to the angels' message. The lyrics reference the peace that will come to the earth through the arrival of Jesus Christ, the son of God, as the King of heaven shows his grace to all people.
The song's title is a direct reference to the traditional Christmas hymn by the same name, which was written in 1849 by Edmund Hamilton Sears. However, The Rat Pack's version features a completely different melody and arrangement from the original hymn. Interestingly, the melody for "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" was actually borrowed from another traditional tune called "Noel." The lyrics to both songs describe the angelic announcement of Christ's birth, which explains why they are often intertwined in modern Christmas music collections.
Another notable aspect of The Rat Pack's rendition of the song is the inclusion of the "The First Noel" in the last verse. This serves as a nod to the original hymn and ties the two songs together thematically. The lyrics of the final verse tell of the angels' visit to the shepherds, announcing the birth of Jesus Christ and leading them to the stable to see the newborn baby. This final verse, combined with the soft melody and heavenly choir accompaniment, creates a serene scene of wonder and reverence for the miracle of Jesus' birth.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear
At midnight, a peaceful and serene event occurred
That glorious song of old
A beautiful, timeless melody filled the air
From Angels playing near the earth
Angels appeared and began to make music in the vicinity of Earth
To touch their harps of gold
Plucking the strings of their harps made of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
If two people will it, peace on Earth could be achieved
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The all-powerful and benevolent King of Heaven
The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was calm and quiet
To hear the Angels sing
The people on Earth listened to the singing Angels
And I hear them singing
I am listening to them sing now
Sing, I do hear them singing
Yes, I can still hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
An Angel announced the birth of Jesus Christ by singing a special Christmas carol
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
The message was delivered to impoverished shepherds who were resting in the fields
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
The shepherds were watching over their flock of sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
This occurred on a frigid, dark winter's night
Lyrics © FRED BOCK MUSIC CO.,INC.
Written by: traditional Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SaberKing
I love this song and Christmas in general. Merry Christmas in November!❤️🎄☃️