Mary's Little Boy Child
Vanessa Williams Lyrics


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Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day
Hark, now hear the angels sing
"New King's born today

Because of Christmas Day."

Joseph and his wife Mary
Came to Bethlehem that night
They found no place to bear her Child
Not a single room in sight
Trumpets sound and angels sing
Listen to what they say
That man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day

By and by they found a little nook
In a stable all forlorn
And in a manger cold and dark
Mary's little Boy was born

Hark, now hear the angels sing,
"New King's born today
And man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day."
Trumpets sound and angels sing
Listen to what they say
That man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day
Because of Christmas Day

O Holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born
O night divine!
O night, O night divine!

O night, hear the angel sing
That man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day




That man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day

Overall Meaning

In the first verse of Vanessa Williams’s song “Mary’s Little Boy Child,” the lyrics detail the biblical story of Mary giving birth to Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. The lyrics explain that according to the Holy Bible, Mary’s Boy Child is Jesus Christ. The angels sing of the birth of the new king and how this day is special because of the arrival of the Son of God on earth. The second verse mentions how Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem but found no place to give birth to their child until they stumbled upon a stable where Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus in a manger.


The chorus repeats the message that thanks to Christmas Day, humans will live forevermore, and the angels continue to sing about the birth of Jesus. The final verse introduces a new song as the lyrics shift to “O Holy Night.” Here, the lyrics praise Jesus Christ as the savior who has been born on this holy night. The chorus gets repeated again, emphasizing that because of Christmas Day, humans will live forevermore. The lyrics of this song specifically focus on the idea that Jesus Christ’s birth was a turning point for humanity, with the chorus repeating the phrase “man will live forevermore because of Christmas Day.”


Line by Line Meaning

Long time ago in Bethlehem
According to the Holy Bible, a significant event took place in Bethlehem a very long time ago


Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ
The child born in Bethlehem that night was the son of Mary and is known as Jesus Christ


Was born on Christmas Day
The birth of Jesus Christ took place on the day known as Christmas Day


Hark, now hear the angels sing
Listen closely to the singing of the angels


"New King's born today
The angels are announcing that a new king has been born on this day


Joseph and his wife Mary
The parents of the newborn child were a man named Joseph and his wife, Mary


Came to Bethlehem that night
They arrived in Bethlehem that very evening


They found no place to bear her Child
Unfortuantely, they were not able to secure any accommodations for the birth of the baby


Not a single room in sight
There were no available rooms or spaces for them to use


Trumpets sound and angels sing
The sound of trumpets and the singing of angels can be heard


Listen to what they say
One should pay attention to the message being conveyed by the prophets and heavenly beings


That man will live forevermore
The message being conveyed is that all people can have eternal life


By and by they found a little nook
Eventually, they discovered a small, confined space


In a stable all forlorn
The space was a stable, which was not ideal, gloomy, and neglected


And in a manger cold and dark
The baby was placed in a feeding trough that was damp, cold, and shrouded in shadow


Mary's little Boy was born
Mary gave birth to her son, the baby Jesus


O Holy night the stars are brightly shining
The night sky contains gleaming stars and is very special


It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
This night marks the moment our beloved Savior was born


Long lay the world in sin and error pining
The world was entrenched in unrighteous and misguided ways, hoping for resolution


Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
When Jesus was born, it caused humanity to realize its value and worth


A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
As a result, there was a newfound sense of comfort and happiness for a tired world


For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
A bright, new era is ushered in with the birth of Jesus


Fall on your knees
Kneel in reverence and awe


O hear the angel voices
Listen intently to the voices of the angels


O night divine!
This is a sacred and heavenly night


O night when Christ was born
This is the night when the child, who is Christ, was born


O night, O night divine!
This is an absolutely wondrous and holy night


O night, hear the angel sing
Listen closely to the choir of angels singing


That man will live forevermore
The angels' message is that humanity can live eternally


Because of Christmas Day
This is all made possible because of the day known as Christmas Day


Because of Christmas Day
This celebration is the fundamental reason behind humanity's ability to experience everlasting life




Contributed by Adrian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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