I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (J. Baptiste Calkin)

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Editor: Christopher R. Baker (added 2000-11-27).   Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 1.0

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Composer: J. Baptiste Calkin
Tune: Waltham
Lyricist: Hen­ry W. Long­fel­low, 1864

Number of voices: 4vv  Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carol

Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published:

Description: Verses 4-5 usually omitted, due to specific referrences to the Civil War.

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

1.

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

2.

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along the unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

3.

Till ringing, singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

4.

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound the carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

5.

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn, the households born

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

6.

And in despair I bowed my head

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

6.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men.”