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1. |
That Night in Bethlehem
03:17
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I sing a night in Bethlehem
A night as bright as dawn
I sing a night in Bethlehem
The night that the Word was born
The stars were singing gaily
The earth in white was dressed
See Jesus in the cradle
Drink deep His mother's breast.
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2. |
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Jesus our brother strong and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude.
And the friendly beasts around him stood.
Jesus our brother strong and good.
“I,” Said the donkey, all shaggy and brown.
“I carried His mother both uphill and down.
I carried His mother to Bethlehem town.”
“I,” Said the donkey all shaggy and brown.
“I,” Said the cow, all white and red.
“I gave Him my manger, for His bed.
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head.”
“I,” Said the cow, all white and red.
“I,” Said the sheep with the curly horn
I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm.
He wore my coat on Christmas morn.”
“I,” Said the sheep with the curly horn.
“I,” Said the dove from the rafters high.
I cooed him to sleep so he would not cry.
We cooed him to sleep my mate and I.”
“I,” Said the dove from the rafters high.
Thus all the beasts by some good spell
In the stable dark were glad to tell
Of the gifts they gave Emmanuel.
The gifts they gave Emmanuel.
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3. |
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4. |
Canada
03:48
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Everybody’s got to run from something,
how else would any work get done?
Everybody’s hands got to fall asleep,
every father’s got to face his son.
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5. |
Carol of the Birds
03:38
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For many a bird did wake and fly
Curoo, curoo, curoo
For many a bird did wake and fly
To the manger bed with a wandering cry
On Christmas day in the morning
Curoo, curoo, curoo, curoo
Curoo, curoo, curoo
The lark, the dove, the red bird came
Curoo, curoo, curoo
The lark, the dove, the red bird came
And they did sing in sweet Jesus' name
On Christmas day in the morning
Curoo, curoo, curoo, curoo
Curoo, curoo, curoo
The owl was there with eyes so wide
Curoo, curoo, curoo
The owl was there with eyes so wide
And he did sit at sweet Mary's side
On Christmas day in the morning
Curoo, curoo, curoo, curoo
Curoo, curoo, curoo
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6. |
Arthur McBride
07:00
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Oh, me and my cousin one Arthur McBride
As we went a-walking down by the seaside
Now mark what followed and what did betide
For it being on Christmas morning
Out for recreation we went on a tramp
And we met sergeant Napper and corporal Vamp
And the little wee drummer intending to camp
The day being pleasant and charming
"Oh, Good morning, good morning, " the sergeant did cry
"And the same to you gentlemen, " we did reply
Intending no harm but to let them pass by
The day being Christmas morning
"Oh, now" says the sergeant, "if you would enlist
It's ten guineas of gold I will slip in your fist
And a crown in the bargain for to kick up the dust
And drink the king's health in the morning
For a soldier he leads a very fine life
And he always is blessed with a charming young wife
And he pays all his debts without sorrow and strife
And always lives pleasant and charming
And a soldier he always is decent and clean
In the finest of clothing he is constantly seen
While other poor fellows go dirty and mean
And sup on thin gruel in the morning"
But says Arthur, "I wouldn't be proud of your clothes
For you've only the lend of them as I suppose
And you dare not change them one night for you know
If you do you'll be flogged in the morning
And although that we are single and free
We take great delight in our own company
And we have no desire strange faces to see
Although that your offers are charming
And we have no desire to take your advance
All hazards and dangers we barter on chance
For you'd have no scruples for to send us to France
Where we would get shot without warning"
"Oh now, " says the sergeant, "I'll have no such chat
And I neither will take it from small penal brats
For if you insult me with one other word
I'll cut off your heads in the morning"
And then Arthur and I we soon drew our hods
And we scarce gave them time for to draw their own blades
When a trusty shillelagh come over their heads
And bade them take that as fair warning
And the old rusty rapiers that hung by their sides
We flung them as far as we could in the tide
"Now we take them out, devils!" cried Arthur McBride
"And temper their edge in the morning"
And the little wee drummer we flattened his bow
And we made a football of his rowdy-dow-dow
Threw it in the tide for to rock and to roll
And bade it a tedious returning
And we haven't no money paid them off in cracks
And we paid no respect to their two bloody backs
For we lathered them there like a pair of wet sacks
And left them for dead in the morning
And so to conclude and to finish disputes
We obligingly asked if they wanted recruits
For we were the lads who would give them hard clouts
And bade them look sharp in the morning
Oh, me and my cousin one Arthur McBride
As we went a-walking down by the seaside
Now mark what followed and what did betide
For it being on Christmas morning
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Thomas McCallum Halifax, Nova Scotia
Thomas McCallum is a singer-songwriter from Six Mile Brook, NS. His first album, "Many A Long Hour," features nine original songs. He released a five song EP, "Crocus Song," in 2014.
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