Written in England, 1823, by Davies Gilbert.
Music by William Sandys, 1833, from other popular tunes, including some drinking tunes.
Criticized for Biblical inaccuracies, repetition, simple peasant words and phrasings
What do you notice about "ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"?
No el
Centuries before: John Wesley and Martin Luther on bar melodies for hymns: "
the devil should never have all the good tunes".
In what country did the carol "
The First Noel" originate?
Was it a "
cold winter's night"? (winter solstice, Saturnalia, etc.)
How accurate is the carol?
The First Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay;
In fields as 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.
* It was spring or fall, not winter.
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.
* From their perspective, the star would have been shining in the west.
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.
* It is not known that there were three. They were magi, not wise men.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took it rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
* Bethlehem is to the southwest of Jerusalem.