The First Noel

The First Noel, the Angels did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep

On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the East beyond them far

And to the earth it gave great light

And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

And by the light of that same star

Three Wise men came from country far

To seek for a King was their intent

And to follow the star wherever it went.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

This star drew nigh to the northwest

O'er Bethlehem it took its rest

And there it did both Pause and stay

Right o'er the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

Then entered in those Wise men three

Full reverently upon their knee

And offered there in His presence

Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

Then let us all with one accord

Sing praises to our heavenly Lord

That hath made Heaven and earth of nought

And with his blood mankind has bought.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

Notes on The first Noel:
                            "The First Nowell" is a traditional English Christmas carol, most likely from the 16th or 17th century, but possibly dating from as early as the 13th century. In its current form it is of Cornish origin, and it was first published in Some Ancient Christmas Carols (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Christmas Carols (1833), edited by William B. Sandys and arranged, edited and extra lyrics written by Davies Gilbert. The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical phrase repeated twice, followed by a minor variation on that phrase. All three phrases end on the third of the scale. It is thought to be a corruption of an earlier melody sung in a church gallery setting; a conjectural reconstruction of the earlier version can be found in the New Oxford Book of Carols (1992, ISBN 0193533235).



An orchestral arrangement, by Victor Hely-Hutchinson from his Carol Symphony, was memorably used as the theme to the BBC adaptation of John Masefield's seasonal fantasy adventure, The Box of Delights.


The word Nowell comes from the French word Noël meaning "Christmas", from the Latin word natalis ("birth"). It may also be from the Gaulish words "noio" or "neu" meaning "new" and "helle" meaning "light" referring to the winter solstice when sunlight begins overtaking darkness.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Saviour is born

Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "

Notes on Silent Night :

                       The origin of the Christmas carol we know as Silent Night was a poem that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of Silent Night (Stille Nacht) to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for Silent Night was composed with this in mind. The music to Silent Night was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass. Silent Night is the most famous Christmas carol of all time!

While Shepherds Watched

While shepherds watched

Their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The angel of the Lord came down

And glory shone around

And glory shone around

"Fear not," he said,

For mighty dread

Had seized their troubled minds

"Glad tidings of great joy I bring

To you and all mankind,

To you and all mankind."

"To you in David's

Town this day

Is born of David's line

The Savior who is Christ the Lord

And this shall be the sign

And this shall be the sign."

"The heavenly Babe

You there shall find

To human view displayed

And meanly wrapped

In swathing bands

And in a manger laid

And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the seraph,

And forthwith

Appeared a shining throng

Of angels praising God, who thus

Addressed their joyful song

Addressed their joyful song

"All glory be to

God on high

And to the earth be peace;

Goodwill henceforth

From heaven to men

Begin and never cease

Begin and never cease!"

Notes on While Shepherds Watched:

"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" (also known as "While Shepherds Watched" or "The Vision of the Shepherds") is a Christmas carol with words attributed to Irish hymnist, lyricist and Poet Laureate, Nahum Tate.

The exact date of Tate's composition is not known, but the words appeared in Tate and Nicholas Brady's 1700 supplement to their psalter, New Version of the Psalms of David of 1696. It was the only Christmas hymn authorised to be sung by the Anglican Church; before 1700 only the Psalms of David were permitted to be sung. It is written in common metre and based on the Gospel of Luke 2:8-14, although the gospel's "peace on earth to men of good will" is modified to the more encompassing "goodwill henceforth from heaven to men". It is the only one of the sixteen works in the 1700 supplement to still be sung today.

O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Notes on O Come All Ye Faithful!

The text to the Carol O Come All Ye Faithful was originally written in Latin (Adeste Fideles) and was intended to be a hymn, it is attributed to John Wade, an Englishman. The music to O Come All Ye Faithful was composed by fellow Englishman John Reading in the early 1700s. The tune was first published in a collection known as "Cantus Diversi" in 1751. In 1841 Rev. Frederick Oakley is reputed to have worked on the familiar translation of O Come All Ye Faithful which replaced the older Latin lyrics "Adeste Fideles

Mary's Boy Child

Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day

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, a king was born today
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day
(Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day

While shepherds watched their flocks by night
They see a bright new shining star
They hear a choir sing a song
The music seemed to come from afar

Hark now hear the angels sing a king was born today
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day
Hm .....

For a moment the world was aglow, all the bells rang out
There were tears of joy and laughter
People shouted let ev'ryone know
There is hope for all to find peace

And then 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 a king was born today
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas day
(Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas day)

For a moment the world was aglow, all the bells rang out
There were tears of joy and laughter
People shouted let ev'ryone know
There is hope for all to find peace

Oh my Lord, you sent your son to save us
Oh my Lord, your very self you gave us
Oh my Lord, that sin may not enslave us
And love may reign once more
Oh my Lord, when in the crib they found him
Oh my Lord, a golden halo crowned him
Oh my Lord, they gathered all around him
To see him and adore

Oh my Lord (well praise the Lord)
They had begun to doubt you
Oh my Lord (he is the truth forever)
What did they know about you

Oh my Lord (so praise the Lord)
But they were lost without you
They needed you so bad (his light is shining on us)
Oh my Lord (oh my Lord so praise the Lord)
With the child's adoration
Oh my Lord (oh my Lord, he is a personation)
There came great jubilation
Oh my Lord (so praise the Lord)
And full of admiration
They realized what they had (until the sun falls from the sky)
Oh my Lord, you sent your son to save us
Oh my Lord, your very self you gave us
Oh my Lord, that sin may not enslave us
And love may reign once more

Notes on Mary's Boy Child:-

Mary's Boy Child" is a 1956 Christmas song, written by Jester Hairston.
It was first recorded by Harry Belafonte in 1956, for his album An Evening with Belafonte. An edited version was subsequently released as a single on RCA Victor 20-6735 (78rpm) / 47-6735 (45rpm), reaching #1 on the UK charts in 1957. In 1962 the full-length version was added to a reissue of Belafonte's previously-released album To Wish You a Merry Christmas. The song was also recorded by Mahalia Jackson in 1956 but titled as "Mary's Little Boy Child" on Columbia

Joy To The World

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Notes on The Joy To The World :

The words and lyrics of the old Christmas carol 'Joy to the World' were written in 1719 by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). The father of John Watts was a Non-conformist and so extreme were his views that he was imprisoned twice. His father's influence over Isaac was demonstrated when he choose to attend Non­conformist Academy at Stoke Newington in preference to a University. Watts was ordained as a Pastor of an Independent congregation. He wrote many hymns and Carols and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree by the the University of Edinburgh in 1728. The music to the carol is by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759).