An older Christmas song this week.
I think I first learned the Sussex Carol back when we lived in Mordialloc and attended Aspendale Presbyterian on many Sunday nights. It was originally known as ‘Christmas Night’ and is now more popularly known as ‘On Christmas Night All Christians Sing’.
Jesus as Saviour is front and centre of the lyrics and there is little sentimental imagery used.
The tune is bright, and the repeated elements make for easy learning and singing, yet it is interesting enough that it does not feel trite or boring to sing. The tempo moves at a good clip.
You can read a bit of the carol’s history at wikipedia, if you wish.
The exhaustively complete and amazingly useful Hymns And Carols Of Christmas Website has no less than four different sets of lyrics for the Sussex Carol, including an alternate title: ‘On Christmas Night True Christians Sing’. Find them, here, here, here, and here.
If you follow those links you’ll see there is a (now) largely unused fourth verse and how the use of its popular tune has seen the modification of repeating the first two lines of each verse.
This is the set of lyrics I know:
1.
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.
2.
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad?
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?
3.
When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the new-born King.
4.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
“Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore, Amen!”
This YouTube demonstrates how the repitition in the verses can be used to good effect in a repsonsive setting. It’s up to you if you want to watch the last forty-five seconds which shows people receiving communion.
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The Sussex Carol is one of my favourites.
It was in the first or second carol book I was given to play from as a child.
Great words and a nice folky tune.
Welcome along.
I like the challenge of singing the final line of each verse.
The placement of the syllables caught me up a few times, especially in the second verse.
Fun to sing every time.