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.

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 sins he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty.

When sins departs before his grace,
The life and health come in its place;
When sins departs before his grace,
The life and health come in its place;
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the new-born King.

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'

abc | midi | pdf

---

Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1965, BBC Publications

Notes:
Apart from 'Sussex Carol' and an acknowledgement to OUP the booklet is unforthcoming about this song. The entry in the Oxford Book of Carols reads:

Melody and text from Mrs Verral, Monk's Gate, Sussex. Other versions in Journal of the Folk Song Society, vol ii, p 127 and Cecil Sharp, English Folk Carols, No X. Arrangement for unaccompanied singing in Eight Traditional English Carols (Vaughan Williams), Stainer and Bell.

I do not have that edition of the Journal.



Roud: 597 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: