December 20: Bethlehem Down | The King’s Singers

The story of how this song came about is very unorthodox. Apparently, Bruce Blunt (who wrote the lyrics) and Peter Warlock (who wrote the music) were both completely broke and were almost destitute. On Christmas Eve 1927, after both of them had gotten completely drunk, they staggered back to the cottage they were renting. Just before they got to the cottage they saw a paper advertising The Telegraph’s Annual Christmas Song Competition. They decided they were going to enter and win some money. When they got back to their cottage, Bruce Blunt wrote out some lyrics and eventually passed out. Warlock found them in the morning, wrote the music, and they sent it off to finance an “immortal carouse.” Surprisingly, they won!

Some things I like about this song:

• Verse 1 seems like somebody is doing some planning to visit the King of Kings (ie “when he is King”)…I love the description of the gifts. Myrrh for its sweetness and gold for a crown. Only the best gifts for the King of Kings!
• Verse 2 seems like it is describing the real scene as one visits the King of Kings…no grand lights from a palace but the lights from the stars; you will smell the wind instead of spices; stars instead of gold; songs of a shepherd instead of a professional musician.
• Verse 3 seems like a prophecy of the King. "When he is King" they will clothe him in grave-sheets; embalm him with myrrh (or spices); and and give him a wooden crown.
• The more Christmas songs that I study and analyze the more I think about how amazing it was for Mary (& Joseph) to cuddle and love that Baby Jesus. How special that must have been for them knowing His future mission!

How have you turned bad situations into good?

Bethlehem Down

When he is King we will give him the Kings gifts,

Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,

"Beautiful robes," said the young girl to Joseph,

Fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down.

Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight

Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,

Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music

Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.

When he is King they will clothe him in grave-sheets,

Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,

He that lies now in the white arms of Mary,

Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.

Here he has peace and a short while for dreaming,

Close-huddled oxen to keep him from cold,

Mary for love, and for lullaby music

Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.

Sting wrote an arrangement of this song...I didn't like it...but I'm not a fan of Sting's voice.