on the way to Bethlehem,
far away I heard a shepherd boy piping
on the way to Bethlehem.
Angels in the sky brought this message nigh:
"Dance and sing for joy that Christ the newborn King
is come to bring us peace on Earth,
and he's lying cradled there at Bethlehem."
"Tell me, shepherd boy piping tunes so merrily
on the way to Bethlehem,
who will hear your tunes on these hills so lonely
on the way to Bethlehem?"
"None may hear my pipes on these hills so lonely
on the way to Bethlehem;
but a King will hear me play sweet lullabies
when I get to Bethlehem."
Angels in the sky came down from on high,
hovered o'er the manger where the babe was lying
cradled in the arms of his mother Mary,
sleeping now at Bethlehem
"Where is this new King, shepherd boy piping merrily,
is he there at Bethlehem?"
I will find him soon by the star shining brightly
in the sky o'er Bethlehem."
"May I come with you, shepherd boy piping merrily,
come with you to Bethlehem?
Pay my homage too at the new King's cradle,
is it far to Bethlehem?"
(J. Rutter Source)
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousLBf0q1y8
My dad loved Christmas carols. Especially anything written, arranged or conducted by John Rutter. Three of us even sang an arrangement of Rutter's setting of 'The Lord bless you and keep you' at his funeral, although it wasn't my best performance.
This is the carols I associate with dad more than any other, and was on the first CD I owned, which he gave me (I wasn’t exactly a ‘cool’ kid in my music choices!). Apologies to anyone out there who's groaning at this- I know not everyone's a fan but I think this one's worth including. Although I don't recommend trying to get a congregation to sing it. That had mixed results, but well done for trying, dad.
It’s another song about the shepherds, this time about someone meeting a shepherd-boy on his way to visit the stable in Bethlehem. It tends to be sung with the upper voices (generally women or boys) singing the verses spoken by the shepherd boy and the lower voices (generally men) singing the bits sung by the other person.
The idea of the child visiting the stable with nothing to give but themselves and their skill- usually music- seems to be one that pops up in various retellings of the story, probably because it’s more relatable for children hearing the story for the first time, and especially for children’s nativity plays.
It’s an idea I rather like. Partly because it’s a reminder that God is there for all ages, but also because of the challenge to think about what you might take as a gift, if you were in those circumstances. We tend to only think about the wise men (or kings, if you prefer) bringing gifts, but I’m sure others brought humbler presents- food, clothing perhaps- and maybe others used their time and their talents to help the new parents. One thing we’ve been reminded of this year is that a card, message or phone call may be as big a gift to someone you care about as any item you could spend endless money on- why would that be any different when it comes to gifts to God who cares about us as whole people, not about the size of our bank accounts?
As someone who enjoys singing, the idea of bringing music as a gift appeals. It also reminds us of the instruction given in the chorus, and in many other carols, to “Dance and sing for joy” at Jesus’ arrival. I think the shepherd boy got it right. Praise and worship is the appropriate gift for God, Emmanuel, come to bring “peace on earth”.
Perhaps singing carols itself could be our gift, if we mean it to be.
