(Introductory Chorus)
Ding-dong-ding: Ding-a-dong-a-ding:
Ding-ding, ding-dong: Ding-a-dong ding

Up! Good Christen Folk and listen
How the merry Church bells ring.
And from steeple bid good people
Come adore the new-born King.

Ding-dong-ding, etc

Tell the story: how from glory
God came down at Christmas-tide,
Bringing gladness, chasing sadness,
Show'ring belessings far and wide/

Ding-dong-ding, etc

Born of mother, blest o'er other,
From the Virgin Mary's womb,
In a stable ('tis no fable)
Jesus Christ is born today.

Ding-dong-ding, etc.

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1973, BBC Publications

Notes:
The source of this song is only identified as 'England'; there is no information in the Roud index.

The tune was taken from Piae Cantiones (1582), a collection compiled in Finland but first published in Sweden; while the words were written by the Rev George Ratcliffe Woodward, and published in his Cowley Carol Book (1901).

See, for example, http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/

Sheet music of Woodward's arrangement can be found there, as can information on the Piae Cantiones.

The Singing Together text has been altered to remove two Latin lines in verse 3, thereby spoiling the rhyme scheme.


Roud:
Laws:
Child: