Ben Jonsons Carol Lyrics

The words of this lovely Christmas Carol 'I sing the birth was born tonight' were written by the celebrated Elizabethan Playwright Ben Jonson (1573-1637) - a contemporary of William Shakespeare. The hymn has therefore been given an alternate name - 'Ben Jonson's Carol'. Sir Arthur Sullivan composed the music which is most associated with the hymn. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born in Lambeth, London, in 1842.

Our grateful thanks goes to Eric Halstead for giving his kind permission to play his self sequenced midi file of this superb piano rendition of this Christmas Carol.

Ben Jonsons Carol Lyrics 
Christmas Carol Lyrics

Pause Music!

I sing the birth was born tonight,
The Author both of life and light:
The angels so did sound it,
The angels so did sound it, so did sound it;
The like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light and were afraid,
Yet searched, and true they found it,
Yet searched, and true they found it,
True they found it, and true they found it.

The Son of God, the eternal King,
That did us all salvation bring,
And freed the world from danger,
And freed the world from danger, freed from danger,
He whom the whole world could not take,
The Word which heaven and earth did make,
Was now laid in a manger,
Was now laid in a manger
In a manger, laid in a manger.

What comfort do we by Him win,
Who made Himself the price of sin,
To make us heirs of glory!
To make us heirs of glory, heirs of glory!
To see this Babe, all innocence,
A Martyrs born in our defense--
Can man forget the story,
Can man forget,
Can man forget the story,
Forget the story?
Can man forget the story?


Ben Jonsons Carol Lyrics
Christmas Carol Lyrics