ADD: Christ Was Born in Bethlehem/Down Came Angel

Subject: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: COW MAN
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 01:15 PM

There is a Christmas song that I was wondering the title of

The chorus goes like this:

Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay
And in a manger lay
And in a manger lay
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay

Thanks
Cow man

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From:
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 06:19 PM

help someone

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: alison
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 09:18 PM

Hi

That doesn't really narrow it down very much, but try doing a search for "Jen's lyrics", there is a whole section there on Christmas songs. Sorry, I'm still more or less computer illiterate and can't get the hang of putting this fancy links in yet!!

Slainte

Alison

Subject: Lyr Add: JESUS BORNED IN BETHLEA
From: rich r
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 09:35 PM

The lyrics posted are obviously a variation of the old Christmas folk song "Jesus born in Bethlea". The song can be found in Ruth Crawford Seeger's AMERICAN FOLK SONG FOR CHRISTMAS. The book credits it as collected in Virginia. The song is also in Seeger's AMERICAN FOLK SONGS FOR CHILDREN. The latter source contains the note that "Children have improvised with ease many new stanzas out of their knowledge of the Christmas story. Only two unrhymed lines are needed.

JESUS BORNED IN BETHLEA

(A7) Jesus borned in (D) Bethlea, (A7) Jesus born in (D) Bethlea,
(A7) Jesus borned in (D) Bethlea, (A7) and in the manger (D) lay.
And in the (G) manger (D) lay, and in the (G) manger (D) lay,
(A7) Jesus borned in (D) Bethlea, and (A7) in the manger (D) lay

rich r

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: CowMan
Date: 22 Aug 97 - 12:40 PM

IF IT WOULD HELP I COULD POST THE WHOLE SONG

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Aug 97 - 01:02 PM

Hi CowMan- The only time that posting a whole song DOESN'T help is when we already have it, either in a past thread or in the database. Post away!

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
From: CowMan
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 01:17 PM

(G) Christ was born in Bethlehem
(D) Christ was (D7) born in (C) Bethlehem(G)
Christ was born in Bethlehem
And (D7) in a manger (G) laid
And in a manger (D) laid
And in a manger (D7) laid(C)
(G) Christ was born in Bethlehem
And (D7) in a manger (G) laid

The men they crucified Him
The men they crucified Him
The men they crucified Him
They nailed him to the cross
They nailed him to the cross
They nailed him to the cross
The men they crucified Him
They nailed him to the cross

Joseph begged His body
Joseph begged His body
Joseph begged His body
He laid Him in the tomb
He laid Him in the tomb
He laid Him in the tomb
Joseph begged His body
He laid Him in the tomb

The tomb it could not hold Him
The tomb it could not hold Him
The tomb it could not hold Him
He burst the bands of death
He burst the bands of death
He burst the bands of death
The tomb it could not hold Him
He burst the bands of death

Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
And in a manger lay
__________________________________________________________

I heard this song on the radio one time

I hope this helps

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: sharon
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 07:54 PM

and now I wish we knew the tune. I't sounds like one I'd like to know.

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 25 Aug 97 - 01:21 PM

This song was most recently recorded, I believe, by Tim & Mollie O'Brien. I believe that they called it "Christ was Born in Bethlehem." Check an emusic source under Tim OBrien.

Subject: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Morris
Date: 15 Sep 98 - 12:32 AM

I need the lyrics to Christ Was Born In Bethlehem. Chords, music, and audio file would be useful too.

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: nubbins
Date: 15 Sep 98 - 04:38 PM

dude i do not have the lyrics but i would like to know why you have to get these entries i also would like to know the lyrics to the song i hope you ave a fun time searching

in christ nubbins

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Sep 98 - 06:14 PM

G'day Morris,

I presume you are after the American lyrics, but there is a similar version collected in Australia, from Sally Sloane, a grand old lady of Australian traditional song and music. I have created a MusicTime file of it as part of a group of Australian carols I like to promote and I can post Sally's words and tune tomorrow.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: biff
Date: 15 Sep 98 - 07:29 PM

YOU CAN FIND THE LYRICS ON A CD BY TIM AND MOLLIE O'BRIEN CALLED "TAKE ME BACK" THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL SONG.

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: gargoyle
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 12:14 AM

If you are referring to the Caribean/Calypso version

Long, long time go, in Bethleham
So, de holy Bible say
Mary had a little boy
Born on Christmas Day

Hark the Harold Angels sing
Glory the do say
Man shall live forever more
Because of Christmas Day

If this is the one you want.. I will load up a midi form this weekend after working it out.

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN CAME AN ANGEL (Ritchie family)
From: JB3
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 05:17 PM

Are you referring to the song from the Ritchie family in Kentucky? They call it "Down Came an Angel"

Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
And in a manger lay
And in a manger lay, and in a manger lay
Christ was born in Bethlehem
And in a manger lay

Judas, he betrayed him
They nailed him to the tree

Joseph begged his body
And laid it in the tomb

The tomb it would not hold him
He burst the bands of death

Down came an angel
And rolled the stone away

Mary she came weeping
Her precious Lord to see

What's the matter, Mary?
They stole my Lord away

Go and tell your bretheren
He's risen from the dead

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 07:23 PM

G'day Morris and all,

This is the Australian version I promised yesterday.

Thanks JB3 for the words to the Kentucky version - do you have the tune, which is apparently different from Sally's version?

Christ was Born in Bethlehem
Folk Songs of Australia and the men & women who sang them, J Meredith & H Anderson, Ure Smith, North Sydney, 1967, vol 1, p189.
Source : Sally Sloane (1894 - 1982)

Christ was born in Bethlehem, Christ was born in Bethlehem,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.
And in a manger lay, and in a manger lay,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.

The Jews they crucified him, the Jews they crucified him,
The Jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.
And nailed him to a tree, and nailed him to a tree,
The jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.

Mary she came weeping, Mary she came weeping,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.
And stole away my Lord, and stole away my Lord,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.

Notes:
1/ Pitch has been lowered by one tone from collected version, to suit a general range of voices and simplify accompaniment.
2/ The leading note to the first phrase in line three has been lowered from D to B and, to the second phrase, from D to C (possibly more reflecting my personal style of singing than the inherent nature of the tune).
Bob Bolton

In their book, Meredith & Anderson note that:

“Other versions have appeared in print in the United States of America, first in Botsford’s Folk Songs of Many Peoples, where it is simply noted as a ‘Kentucky song’, and more recently in E.K. Wells’s book, The Ballad Tree. Miss Wells collected her version in the Kentucky mountains and includes the lines sung by Sally Sloane in a slightly different form to a somewhat different tune.”

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Here is the tune as sung by Sally Sloane. (Well, more accurately, as I sing Sally's version!)

MIDI file: christwb.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0288 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0336 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
G3GG2A2|B2G2A4|A3AA2B2|c2A2B4|B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|
A2G2B2A2|G6B2|d2d2e2e2|d4B2c2|d2d2e2e2|d4B4|
B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|A2G2B2A2|G13/4||

Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 08:29 PM

G'day again ... Darn - I must have missed a slash in the HTTP!

I hope the ABC/MIDI still works in Bold!

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Couldn't find an http, Bob, but there was a "bold" marker in that that I think you didn't want. I hope it's fixed the way you like it. Nice song.-Joe Offer-

Where would we be without Joe?
Nice talking to you last night

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: Lyr Add: JESUS BORN IN BETH'NY
From: Burke
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 08:53 PM

Here's another variant on this song. I don't know the tune or have access to the book it is in.

Jesus Born In Beth'ny
Appalachia 18th or 19th Century, Collected by John Jacob Niles

1. Jesus born in Beth'ny, Jesus born in Beth'ny
Jesus born in Beth'ny, and in a manger lay.
And in a manger lay, and in a manger lay,
Jesus born in Beth'ny, and in a manger lay.

2. Jesus went a-preachin', Jesus went a-preachin',
Jesus went a-preachin', the Gospel of his God;
Gospel of his Father, Gospel of his God;
Jesus went a-preachin', the Gospel of his God;

3. Judas did betray him, Judas did betray him,
Judas did betray him, sold him to the mob;
Sold him to the mob, sold him to the mob;
Judas did betray him, sold him to the mob;

4. Mob did crucify him, Mob did crucify him,
Mob did crucify him, and nailed him to the tree;
Nailed him to the tree, nailed him to the tree;
Mob did crucify him, and nailed him to the tree;

5. Joseph begged His body, Joseph begged His body,
Joseph begged His body, and placed hit in a tomb;
Placed hit in a tomb, placed hit in a tomb;
Joseph begged His body, and placed hit in a tomb;

6. Tomb it would not hold him, tomb it would not hold him,
Tomb it would not hold him, hit burst the bonds of death;
Burst the bonds of death, burst the bonds of death;
Tomb it would not hold him, hit burst the bonds of death;

7. Early then one morning, early then one morning,
Early then one morning, before the break of day,
Came the heavenly angel, rolled the stone away,
Early then one morning before the break of day.

8. Mary came a-weeping, Mary came a-weeping,
Mary came a-weeping, "They've stole my Lord away;
Stole my Lord away; stole my Lord away;"
Mary came a-weeping, "They've stole my Lord away;

9. Jesus has arisen, Jesus has arisen,
Jesus has arisen, and gone to Galilee;
Gone to Galilee, gone to Galilee;
Jesus has arisen, and gone to Galilee;

10. Jesus then ascended, Jesus then ascended,
Jesus then ascended, up to his Father's throne;
To his Father's throne, to his Father's throne;
Jesus then ascended, up to his Father's throne;

According to Niles, it was recorded in Marion, Smythe County, Virginia, October 1932.

This carol was included by John Jacob Niles, in Ten Christmas Carols from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, 1935.

There seems to be another version called "Jesus born in Bethlea" published by Ruth Crawford Seeger.

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 09:08 PM

I have an old album titled Christ Was Born On Christmas Day for a song of that title. If you're interested, I can dig it out... it was by a black group, and from what I remember, it sounded like more of a New Orleans jazz band with female vocalist singing the lead.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 09:11 PM

I'm sure somebody will be interested, Jerry. Me, for one.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Burke
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 09:22 PM

Jerry,
That would be really interesting, at least to see the words. I got interested because it turns out there's a Sacred Harp version as well; although it's not in the current edition. The tune different from the Australian & I don't know about the other versions mentioned.

I wonder why there's no note of this having been harvested?

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 09:52 PM

G'day Burke,

I wonder why there's no note of this having been harvested?

Don't we all? Perhaps ... one day ... all the songs submitted will get into the DT (but it is a lot of work for a "love" job!).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 13 Nov 03 - 07:27 AM

Dyslexia strikes again...

I read this thread to read as...

Christ was born in Cheltenham...

DOH!

Subject: RE: CHRISTMAS SONG
From: GUEST,Wooberry
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:23 PM

I know the tune, but I am not sure how to post it

Subject: ADD: Down Came an Angel (from Jean Ritchie)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:45 PM

Our family version we called, "Down Came an Angel," a line from one of the verses that we loved. From our singing,this variant was first published in 1940 by Lynn Rohbough, of the Cooperative Recreation Service in Delaware, OH (now acquired by, World Around Songs, has a different address). My first recording of it was I believe on the Tradition album, "Carols of All Seasons," in 1959. It has been in other books and recordings since then- anyway, here are our words. I'll give the form of the verse in the first one:

DOWN CAME AN ANGEL

Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.
    And in a manger lay,
    And in a manger lay,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.

Judas he betrayed Him (2 lines)
Judas he betrayed Him- they nailed Him to the tree.

Joseph begged His body (2 lines)
Joseph begged His body, and laid it in the tomb.

Tomb it would not hold Him (2 lines)
Tomb it would not hold Him, He burst the bands of death.

Down came an angel, (2 lines)
Down came an angel and rolled the stone away.

Mary she came weeping (2 lines)
Mary she came weeping her blessed Lord to see.

What's the matter, Mary? (2 lines)
What's the matter, Mary? They stole my Lord away.

Run and tell your brethern (2 lines)
Run and tell your brethern, He's risen from the dead.

A few years ago, when I was playing in, "The Christmas Revels" in Cambridge, I wrote more Christmas verses to make it appropriate for the season, as the original version goes directly to the Easter story after the first verse. This later Christmas version in on my 1987 CD, "Kentucky Christmas Old and New," (Greenhays-can find it on my website,www.jeanritchie.com). Hope this helps.    Jean Ritchie

PS: We always understood that this is a waits carol, sung with a leader and the rest give the 2nd line back, etc. An answer-back sort of performance.   J.

Edna Ritchie recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBwpcTzHPww

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Christ Was Born in Bethlehem
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 13 - 12:25 PM

Love this forum... And I have used the song for years in classes and performance... And worship. Yes, Down Came an Angel!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Christ Was Born in Bethlehem
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Apr 13 - 12:48 PM

The title in Hymns and Carols of Christmas is "Jesus Born In Beth'ny," coll. John Jacob Niles, Appalachia.

(Niles wrote some of these songs himself)

www.hymnsandcarolsofChristmas.com/HTML/index_of_carols_ij.htm