Born in Cleveland, Ohio,U.S., Tracy Chapman began playing guitar and writing songs as a child. She received a scholarship through A Better Chance that allowed her to attend Wooster School in Connecticut, and was eventually accepted to Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Tracy Chapman helped restore songwriters to the spotlight in the '80s. The multi-platinum success of Chapman's eponymous 1988 debut was unexpected, and it had lasting impact. Although Chapman was working from the same confessional songwriter foundation that had been popularized in the '70s, her songs were fresh and powerful, driven by simple melodies and affecting lyrics. At the time of her first album, there were only a handful of artists performing such a style successfully, and her success ushered in a new era of songwriters that lasted well into the '90s. Along with 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M., Chapman's liberal politics proved enormously influential on American college campuses in the late '80s.
Official Website: http://www.tracychapman.com
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O Holy Night
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
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This is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels voices
O night when Christ was born
O night divine, o night divine
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine, o night divine
Tracy Chapman's rendition of O Holy Night is a moving and evocative retelling of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The opening lyrics, ‘O holy night the stars are brightly shining, this is the night of our dear Savior's birth’, sets the scene of a peaceful, starlit night in Bethlehem. The lyrics delicately capture the magical moment when Jesus is born, and the world falls silent in awe of the spectacle. Tracy Chapman describes how the world had waited patiently for the appearance of a divine savior, and when Jesus appears, there is a sudden rush of hope and joy, as if a heavy burden has been lifted from the world's shoulders.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, with the suggestion that everyone should 'fall on your knees and hear the angels' voices', as if imploring the listener to embrace the miracle of Christ's birth. The second verse echoes the idea of the world's weariness, and how the arrival of Christ was a much-needed beacon of hope. The emotive language and parallelistic structure of the verses provide an almost prayer-like quality to the song, infusing the piece with the sense of a deeply personal and spiritual experience.
Line by Line Meaning
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
The night is special, marked by the shining stars.
This is the night of our dear Savior's birth
It is the night when our beloved Savior is born.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a long time, the world was consumed by sin and disobedience.
'Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
Until He came and gave value to life, the soul was lost.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
A ray of hope has brought joy to the world, which was tired of misery.
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
The world sees the dawn of a new day filled with glory.
Fall on your knees
We humble ourselves before His presence.
O hear the angels voices
We listen to the angels who herald the good news.
O night divine
It is a holy night.
O night when Christ was born
It is the night when Christ, our Savior, was born.
O night divine, o night divine
It is a holy night.
Lyrics © Phonographic Digital Limited (PDL), Mute Song Limited, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ROGER WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Noël S
I love Tracy Chapman’s voice and style, the vibrato, so melodic, so lovely.
Floyd Kenosis
So great to hear from Chapman after a long. Merry Christmas!!!
Tracy Newby
It does indeed feel like a weary world , such a beautiful gift to hear you sing.
Deliwe Mkhonto
Thank you Tracy for the song it's awesome
Flora Gadd
I give this 5 stars! This is the best "O Holy Night" I have heard in all my life. It was a blessing to hear .
Audrey Aitken
This is beautiful! Tracy, wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for posting this—such a beautiful rendition of O’ Holy Night ♥️
Jesus Garza marco
Que grande ...es lo mejor que e escuchado en todo el año y años luz de lo que suena ahora en la radio y la tv...Es demasiado buena y genial para esta epoca tan patetica que vivimos ...I LOVE TRACY..te amo desde que te conoci desde antes que vinieras con Amnistia Internacional a Barcelona con Sting:springsteen p.Gabriel y yossu N'dor....como me da vida que sigas ...eres muy GRANDE
Michele Harvey
Such a gift! Beautiful, Tracy!
Birgit E.
I totally agree, thanks Tracy you are amazing ❤️
KL
That voice! You are so missed. Thank you!