The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

On Christmas Night

Also known as
On Christmas Night True Christians Sing
On Christmas Night All Christians Sing
The Sussex Carol

Version 1

Tune and text collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1919
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML / PDF

1. On Christmas night true Christians sing
To hear what news the angel bring
News of great joy, cause of great mirth
Good tidings of the Saviour's birth
Good tidings of the Saviour's birth

2. Angels with joy sing in the air,
No music may with theirs compare;
While prisoners in their chains rejoice
To hear the echoes of that voice.

3. So how on earth can men be sad,
When Jesus comes to make us glad;
From sin and hell to set us free,
And buy for us our liberty?

4. Let sin depart, while we His grace,
And glory see in Jesus' face;
For so shall we sure comforts find
When thus this day we bear in mind.

5. And from the darkness we have light,
Which makes the Angels sing this night:
"Glory to God, His peace to men,
Both now and evermore." Amen.

Sheet Music from Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer, Christmas Carols New and Old (London: Novello, Ewer & Co., ca 1878).

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Note: The R. Vaughan Williams arrangement for SATB can be obtained from Stainer & Bell, Ltd., London, either as a part of Eight Traditional English Carols or separately as A Sussex Carol ("On Christmas Night").

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