O Come All Ye Faithful

The album opens with O Come All Ye Faithful which on closer examination is a call to worship.  A single messenger comes forward to the center of the sanctuary, holding one candle and calls the “Faithful” to worship.  This marks the official opening of the Advent season in which we call attention to the birth of Christ. The messenger’s call is repeated with the boys choir and organ.  The second verse Adeste Fideles,  is sung in Latin by the messenger and the third verse follows with the boys choir and messenger.

The song was composed in 1744 and published in 1751 by John Francis Wade (1711 – 1786) who wrote it in Latin and titled it: Adeste Fideles.  However, there is a much earlier manuscript of the song that bears the name “King John IV of Portugal (1604 – 1656).

Lyrics

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

Play a sample:

As I Kneel Before You

Lyrics

As I kneel before You
As I bow my head in prayer
Take this day, make it Yours
And fill me with Your love

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu

All I have, I give You
Every dream and wish are Yours
Mother of Christ
Mother of mine, present them to my Lord

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu

As I kneel before You
And I see Your smiling face
Every thought, every word
Is lost in Your embrace

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu

Play a sample:

Go Tell it on the Mountain

This song was drawn from African American spiritual and folk songs collected by African American songwriter and Latin teacher, John Wesley Work Jr (1871 – 1925).  Some experts believe it existed as early as 1865.  This big band arrangement of the song is part of my original work.  The song expresses the joy of spreading the good news that our Savior is born.  Although some songs place the birth on ‘Christmas morn’… we changed it to ‘Christmas Eve.’ 

Lyrics

Intro:
Go, tell it on the mountain
And go tell it over the hills and everywhere
Down in a lowly manger, the humble Christ child was born
God sent us His salvation …this blessed Christmas Eve
So, go and tell it on the mountain
over the hills and everywhere
go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born

Song:
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks at night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light, a holy light, a holy light… so,

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! Above the Earth
The angels rang out in full voice
That hailed our Savior’s birth, yeah our Savior’s birth, our Savior’s birth…so

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, and tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born

And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas Eve, yeah Christmas Eve… so,

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

Play a sample:

God’s Own Son is Here

This is an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Music of the Night” featured in Phantom of the Opera.

Father Bob Phelps O.F.M. Cap. wrote the beautiful lyrics for this theme and had no idea that twenty five years later he would receive an email request to use his lyrics in a full production.

The song calls for us to kneel in prayer and set aside all fears because “God’s own Son is Here,” and that makes us able to see who we are in Christ and rest “here” with Him.  So this is a first and you won’t hear it anywhere else.

Lyrics

Come here, with me, in the stable dimly;
Kneel here, stay still, not to rouse the baby.
Everything you’ve dreamed for is
sleeping on this hay floor and
You’re invited to forget your fears;
Come, and bring your heart
’cause God’s own Son is here.

So much worry, burdens that you still bear;
Frantic hurry, hurries you to nowhere
Come and rest with me,
Come forget the misery
Let your life be on your knees as you draw near
And bring your heart
’cause God’s own Son is here.

We’re invited to bathe ourselves in His white light, and to
see without shadow, who we are
In that newborn baby’s breath
the world takes flight…
And creation comes again, born of a star
Kneel beside me, caught up in the mystery;

Breathe in deeply, you’re involved in history.
He has come again that our lives may never end,
So I sing this song to you with Christmas cheer;
But bring your heart
’cause God’s own Son is here.

Play a sample:

What Child is This?

Lyrics

What Child is this laid down to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds bow down to receive Him?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him praise,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in this lowly place,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
The silent Word has come to Earth
for Adam’s debt to receive here.

Raise, raise a song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary..

Play a sample:

It is Well

Lyrics

Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
Seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard

And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well with me

And far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can’t see
And this mountain that’s in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea

And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well
It is well with me

So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name

So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name

So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name
The waves and wind still know His name

And it is well with my soul (sing it everybody)
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul
Oh it is well with my soul (’cause of who you are)
Oh it is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul

Play a sample:

Silent Night

A closer look at the lyrics revealed something interesting about the lyrical descriptions which are paralleled in O Holy Night and even in Go Tell it on the Mountain.  The common vision of the brightness of the star and angels singing alleluiahs.  In particular, I was struck by the phrase “Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly Hosts singing alleluiah…”  In O Holy Night, it’s “Fall on your knees and hear the angel voices.  Even in “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”… “Angels bending near the earth, to touch their harps of Gold.”
  
I wanted to recreate that experience/vision by slowing down Silent Night and adding a background arrangement that reflected the serenity, majesty, and quietness of that moment when Christ was born.  Our ears would probably be ringing in the absence of urban noise… there were no cars, trains, aircraft… nothing but the rustling of hay by animals in the stable.  It was a beautifully quiet night that was “Bright” and “Calm.”  The star was lighting up everything.  That is the setting I tried to recreate for Silent Night… to bring the birth of our Savior right into our lives.

The words were written by a young priest in Austria, Joseph Mohr in 1816.  It was first performed in 1818, after the choir master, Franz Xaver Gruber wrote a melody for it.  An organ builder and repair man working at the church took a copy to his home village and from there it spread all over Europe and ended up being translated into 300 languages.  During a short truce in WWI, it was even sung on the battlefield simultaneously in French, German and English.

Lyrics

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 streaming from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts singing alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Play a sample:

Our Lady of Fatima

Lyrics

Dear Lady of Fatima,
We come on bended knee
To beg your intercession,
For peace and unity.
Dear Mary, won’t you show us
The right and shining way?
We pledge our love and offer you
A rosary each day!

You promised at Fatima,
Each time that you appear,
To help us, if we pray to you,
To banish war and fear.
Dear lady, on first Saturdays,
We ask your guiding hand,
For grace and guidance here on earth,
And protection for our land.

Play a sample:

Feliz Navidad

Lyrics

[Estribillo]
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad

[Estribillo 2]
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Play a sample:

O God Beyond All Praising

Some wondered why we chose this hymn for the album.  The music comes from Gustav Holst (1874 – 1934) from his famous work “The Planets.”  In particular, it was the music of Jupiter theme that is used for this hymn.  Michael Perry wrote lyrics for the main theme in 1982.  He used biblical themes found in Psalm 116:17 and Hebrews 13:15 as well as Psalm 130:5 and James 1:17.

The hymn starts with orchestra and a reading of both verses which really brings out the message of Christian life…”we’ll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still” is the very foundation of faith in overcoming personal disappointment and personal loss.  A great inspiration toward final victory.  It’s a reminder that the kingdom of light stands in the darkness of a dying world leading the willing to victory.  Christ is that light.

Lyrics

O God beyond all praising,
we worship you today
and sing the love amazing
that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder
at every gift you send,
at blessings without number
and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you
and wait upon your word,
we honour and adore you,
our great and mighty Lord.

Then hear, O gracious Saviour,
accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favour
may serve you as our king;
and whether our tomorrows
be filled with good or ill,
we’ll triumph through our sorrows
and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty

Play a sample:

O Holy Night

Lyrics

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,
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born.
O night divine, O night, O night divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming;
With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand:
So, led by the light of a star sweetly gleaming,
There came the wise men from the Orient land,
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials, He’s come to show the way

Chorus
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices
O night divine O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O night divine.

Play a sample: