Silent Night Lyrics
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, All is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so Tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Silent night, holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light!
With the angels let us sing
Alleluia to our King!
Christ the Saviour is here,
Jesus the Saviour is here!
Silent night, Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord at thy birth;
Jesus Lord at thy birth.
"Silent Night" is a traditional and popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song Stille Nacht were written in German by the priest Father Josef Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz X. Gruber. The version of the melody that is generally sung today differs slightly from Gruber's original.
In 1995 a manuscript written by hand by Josef Mohr was discovered. The said manuscript is believed to date back to 1820 and it reveals that the lyrics were written in 1816 by Mohr but the music was composed two years later by Gruber.
Silent Night was first written in 1816 by Josef Mohr, a priest in Austria. In 1816, he was sad that the organ was broken and found this poem he'd written earlier. The music was composed by his organist, Franz Gruber, for the mass the next evening. It was first performed with only a guitar accompanying it.