Disc 1 | ||||||
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1. |
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Once in royal David's city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for His bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child. He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all, And His shelter was a stable, And His cradle was a stall; With the poor and meek and lowly, Lived on earth our Savior holy. And through all His wondrous childhood, He would honor and obey, Love and watch the lowly mother, In whose gentle arms He lay. Christian children all should be, Mild, obedient, good as He. For He is our child-hood's pattern, Day by day like us He grew, He was little, weak, and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew, And He feeleth for our sadness, And He shareth in our gladness. And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love; For that child so dear and gentle, Is our Lord in heaven above, And He leads His children on, To the place where He is gone. Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by, We shall see Him, but in heaven, Set at God's right hand on high; When like stars His children crowned, All in white shall be around |
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2. |
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When chimney smoke hangs still and low
Across the stubbled fields of snow And angry skies reach down and seize The sorry blackened bones of trees In the dead of winter when the silent snowbirds come You're my sweet maple sugar, honey, hot buttered rum When dreary Christmas decorations Line the streets and filling stations And dime store Santas can't disguise Their empty hands and empty eyes In the dead of winter when the tinsel angels come You're my sweet maple sugar, honey, hot buttered rum When gloves and boots and woolen parkas Bring cold comfort to the heart And bitter memories freeze the tongue And songs of love are left unsung In the dead of winter when the cold feelings come You're my sweet maple sugar, honey, hot buttered rum |
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3. |
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Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow. For all is hushed, The world is sleeping, Holy Star its vigil keeping. Still, still, still, One can hear the falling snow. Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth. The night is peaceful all around you, Close your eyes, Let sleep surround you. Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth. Dream, dream, dream, Of the joyous day to come. While guardian angels without number, Watch you as you sweetly slumber. Dream, dream, dream, Of the joyous day to come |
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4. |
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There's not a soul out on the street,
No footprints in the falling snow The only moving thing I see is the curl of chimney smoke Frost elts on the window panes and the house is getting warm From the fare's carckling flames on a quiet Christmas morn. Now I walked out in the silent world, No engines roared, no sirens whined No one raced off to work through the din of honking horns There was truly peace on earth on a quiet Christmas morn And on a quiet Christmas morn, a child was in a stable born Shepherds heard the baby cry, saw a new star in the sky On a quiet Christmas morn The hustle stops and the bustle stills, On this day all is calm Forgiving kindness and goodwill soothes like a healing balm The hardest heart is softened by the blessing that was born When the gift of grace was offered on a quiet Christmas morn And on a quiet Christmas morn, a child was in a stable born Shepherds heard the baby cry, saw a new star in the sky On a quiet Christmas morn Shepherds heard the baby cry, saw a new star in the sky On a quiet Christmas morn |
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5. |
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Come darkness, come light
Come new star, shining bright Come love to this world tonight Alleluia Come broken, come whole Come wounded in your soul Come anyway that you know Alleluia Come doubting, come sure Come fearful to this door Come see what love is for Alleluia Come running, come walking slow Come weary on your broken road Come see Him and shed your heavy load Alleluia There's a humble stable and a light within There's an angel hovering and three wise men Today a baby's born in Bethlehem Alleluia Come darkness come light Come new star burning bright Come love to this world tonight Alleluia |
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6. |
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Well I walked to town in the pouring rain
Paid my fare and I rode that train To the station under the avenue Hit the air at the stroke of noon At the cross streets where I staked my claim I played in tune with the winter rain Collecting dimes and dollar bills While the noisy traffic played the fills And it's Christmas time in the city When the air is filled with cheer And the storefronts look this pretty only once a year Well the vendors huddled and the taxis honked As I played for change beneath the neon clock Was dressed up looking like a Christmas tree Blinking down on that busy street When the crowd thinned out and the rain had quit And my fingers felt cold and stiff I took their money and I closed my case And I headed back towards home again And it's Christmas time in the city When the air is filled with cheer And the storefronts look this pretty only once a year As I walked back to the subway stairs I had twenty eight dollars in change for fare There was an old bag lady with an outstretched hand And a small Salvation Army band Playing Angels We Have Heard on High The First Noel and O Holy Night I folded up one dollar bill And I tucked it down into the till And it's Christmas time in the city When the air is filled with cheer And the storefronts look this pretty only once a year And it's Christmas time in the city When the air is filled with cheer And the storefronts look this pretty only once a year And it's Christmas time in the city |
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7. |
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How do you capture
The wind on the water? How do you count all the stars in the sky? How can you measure The love of a mother Or how can you write down A baby's first cry? Candlelight, angel light Firelight and star glow Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Angels are singing The Christ child is born Shepherds and wise men Will kneel and adore him Seraphim round him their vigil will keep Nations proclaim him Their Lord and their Saviour But Mary will hold him And sing him to sleep Candlelight, angel light Firelight and star glow Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Angels are singing The Christ child is born Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation A child with his mother That first Christmas Day Candlelight, angel light Firelight and star glow Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Angels are singing The Christ child is born Angels are singing The Christ child is born |
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8. |
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They say that spring will come again
No one knows exactly when. Still the sun's a long lost friend On the longest night of the year. We stare into the firelight While December beats outside Where the darkest hearts reside On the longest night of the year So keep me safe and hold me tight Let the candle burn all night Tomorrow welcome back the night It was longest night of the year I used to think the world was small Bright and shining like a ball Seems I don't know much at all On the longest night of the year We press our faces to the glass And see our little lives go past Wave to shadows that we cast On the longest night of the year So keep me safe and hold me tight, Let the candle burn all night, Tomorrow welcome back the light. 'Twas the longest night of the year Make a vow when Solstice comes: To find the Light in everyone Keep the faith and bang the drum On the longest night of the year So keep me safe and hold me tight, Let the candle burn all night, Tomorrow welcome back the light. 'Twas the longest night of the year So keep me safe and hold me tight, Let the candle burn all night, Tomorrow welcome back the light. After the longest night of the year |
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9. |
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Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table. From far and near we travel home, Blessed that we are able. Grateful for this sheltered place With light in every window, Saying "welcome, welcome, share this feast Come in away from sorrow." Father, mother, daughter, son, Neighbor, friend and friendless; All together everyone in the gift of loving-kindness. Grateful for what's understood, And all that is forgiven; We try so hard to be good, To lead a life worth living. Father, mother, daughter, son, Neighbor, friend, and friendless; All together everyone, let grateful days be endless. Grateful for each hand we hold Gathered round this table |
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10. |
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No presents, no candy, no trees, no stockings hung by the fire.
No parties, no family to greet, no angel's heavenly chiors. Bells are ringing, all over the world. Bells are ringing, calling the light Bells are ringing, all over the world, all over the world tonight. No doorways, no windows, no walls, No shelter here on the ground. No standing, no safe place to fall, Just the promise of this distant sound Bells are ringing, all over the world. Bells are ringing, calling the light Bells are ringing, all over the world, all over the world tonight. Wherever you're walking tonight, whoever you're waiting for Somehow, by the stable's faint light, Peace in your heart is restored. 'Cause Bells are ringing, all over the world. Bells are ringing, calling the light Bells are ringing, all over the world, all over the world Bells are ringing, all over the world. Bells are ringing, calling the light Bells are ringing, all over the world, all over the world tonight. |
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11. |
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The week before Thanksgiving Day
This town puts up its old display Streetlights hung with candy canes and bows The earlier it gets each year The scarcer is my Christmas cheer I guess I just like taking these things slow I really don't remember much Of Christmasses growing up Except the year the Beatles came to play On my record player that came from Sears That White Album filled my ears In 1968 on Christmas Day I haven't been to church since God knows when I'm not someone who usually attends Truth be told there's just two wishes On my list every Christmas Peace on earth and a snow storm now and then Now I pray that peace comes in our time It's hard enough to keep from crying When every bit of news just breaks your heart The same old stories, same old songs We dust them off when Christmas comes And for one day we just try to do our part And around here winter seems to come With rain and mud and bits of sun It's not exactly Currier and Ives I don't mind cold if it brings snow Alberta Clippers coem and go But a dursting would make everything all right Perhaps a Christmas eve from long ago Delivered Christmas day with knee-high snow It's something lost but not forgotten Like candy hidden in a stocking That makes me every year wish it were so Because Christmas is for children's joy For every single girl and boy That's the truth we come to understand But the memories that don't let go Like Beatles songs and falling snow Can make us feel innocent again And maybe next year we won't go insane When they rush to hang the bows and candy canes Because peace will shine in me and you From Bethlehem to Timbuktu Even if the forecast is for rain Because peace will shine in me and you From Bethlehem to Timbuktu Even if the forecast is for rain |
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12. |
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