Do you hear What I hear Lyrics,Meaning and Chorus #01

A Song of Peace and Hope

Do you know the meaning behind the lyrics of one of the most popular Christmas songs, “Do You Hear What I Hear lyrics”? In this article, we will explore the historical and personal context of this song, and how it reflects a message of peace and hope in a time of fear and uncertainty.

Do you hear What I hear Lyrics

Do you hear what I hear?

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see?
(Do you see what I see?)
Way up in the sky, little lamb
Do you see what I see?
(Do you see what I see?)
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
(Do you hear what I hear?)
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
(Do you hear what I hear?)

A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)

A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
Pray for peace, people, everywhere
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

The Origin of the Song

“Do You Hear What I Hear lyrics” was written in 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker, a married couple who were both successful songwriters and musicians. They wrote the song as a response to the Cuban Missile Crisis, which was a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of nuclear weapons in Cuba. The song describes how the news of the birth of Jesus Christ is spread from the night wind to the lamb, from the lamb to the shepherd boy, from the shepherd boy to the king, and from the king to the people everywhere. The song also uses imagery of light and stars to symbolize the divine presence and guidance in a dark world.

Regney was inspired to write the lyrics “Said the night wind to the little lamb, ‘Do you see what I see?’” and “Pray for peace, people everywhere” after watching babies being pushed in strollers on the sidewalks of New York City. Shayne stated in an interview years later that neither could personally perform the entire song at the time they wrote it because of the emotions surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis: “Our little song broke us up. You must realize there was a threat of war at the time” ¹.

The song was originally recorded for Mercury Records by the Harry Simeone Chorale, a group that had also popularized “The Little Drummer Boy”, and released as part of the album The Wonderful Songs of Christmas with the Harry Simeone Chorale. As a 45 rpm single, it went on to sell more than a quarter-million copies during the 1962 Christmas holiday season ¹. Bing Crosby made the song into a hit when he recorded his own version of it on October 21, 1963, with the record being released as a single on October 26. Crosby also performed the song on a Bob Hope Christmas television special on December 13 of that year ².

The Lyrics Analysis

Let us now analyze the lyrics of each verse and chorus, and explain how they relate to the historical and personal context of the song.

Verse 1

Said the night wind to the little lamb / Do you see what I see / Way up in the sky little lamb / Do you see what I see / A star, a star / Dancing in the night / With a tail as big as a kite

• The night wind represents the voice of God or the Holy Spirit, who speaks to the humble and innocent lamb, who represents humanity or the common people.
• The star that the night wind sees is a reference to the Star of Bethlehem, which according to the Gospel of Matthew, guided the wise men to find Jesus after his birth.
• The star is also a metaphor for hope and light in a dark and troubled world, as it dances in the night with a tail as big as a kite, suggesting movement and joy.
• The star could also be interpreted as a contrast to the missiles that were threatening to destroy the world during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as it represents life rather than death.

Chorus

Do you hear what I hear Lyrics/ Do you hear what I hear Lyrics

• The chorus is a rhetorical question that invites the listener to pay attention to the message of the song, and to join in the spreading of the good news of Jesus’ birth.
• The chorus also implies a sense of urgency and importance, as the songwriters wanted to convey their plea for peace and harmony among nations and people.

Verse 2

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy / Do you hear what I hear / Ringing through the sky shepherd boy / Do you hear what I hear / A song, a song / High above the trees / With a voice as big as the sea

• The little lamb shares what it sees with the shepherd boy, who represents the leaders or authorities of society.
• The song that the lamb hears is a reference to the angelic choir that according to the Gospel of Luke, announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields.
• The song is also a metaphor for the message of peace and goodwill that Jesus brings to the world, as it rings through the sky with a voice as big as the sea, suggesting power and majesty.

Verse 3

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king / Do you know what I know / In your palace warm mighty king / Do you know what I know / A child, a child / Shivers in the cold / Let us bring him silver and gold

• The shepherd boy shares what he hears with the mighty king, who represents the rulers or governments of nations.
• The child that the shepherd boy knows is Jesus Christ, who according to the Gospel of Matthew, was born in a manger in Bethlehem, because there was no room for him in the inn.
• The child is also a symbol of God’s love and humility, as he shivers in the cold despite being the Son of God.
• The silver and gold that the shepherd boy suggests to bring him are a reference to the gifts that according to the Gospel of Matthew, were brought by the wise men who followed the star to find Jesus.
• The silver and gold are also a metaphor for honoring and worshiping Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Verse 4

Said the king to the people everywhere / Listen to what I say / Pray for peace people everywhere / Listen to what I say / The child, the child / Sleeping in the night / He will bring us goodness and light

• The king shares what he knows with the people everywhere, who represent the whole of humanity.
• The king urges the people to pray for peace, as he recognizes the threat of war and violence that looms over the world.
• The king also affirms the identity and mission of Jesus, as he calls him the child who will bring us goodness and light.
• The goodness and light that Jesus brings are a reference to the salvation and grace that he offers to those who believe in him.
• The goodness and light are also a contrast to the evil and darkness that pervade the world, as Jesus is the true light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

The Conclusion

In conclusion, “Do You Hear What I Hear Lyrics” is a song that was written in a time of crisis and fear, but also in a time of faith and hope. The song tells the story of how the news of Jesus’ birth is spread from the lowest to the highest, from the natural to the supernatural, and from the local to the global. The song also conveys a message of peace and joy that transcends the circumstances of the world, and invites us to join in the celebration of God’s gift of love to us.

As we listen to this song during this Christmas season, let us remember the meaning behind its lyrics, and let us share it with others who may need to hear it. Let us also pray for peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our communities, and in our world, as we follow the star that leads us to Jesus, who is our hope and our light.

References

¹: Christmas Songs – Do You Hear What I Hear? Lyrics – Genius ²: Do You Hear What I Hear? – Wikipedia