Written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas day, 1863, amidst the devastation of the Civil War. His personal life was also marked by tragedy, having lost his wife in a fire just two years earlier, and his oldest son Charles was severely wounded in the war.

Raw recording in the zip.
I changed the words in the last verse to better reflect our recent election results.
But the original last verse is in the zip (raw) should you prefer optimism over realism.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play
and wild and sweet
the words repeat
of peace on earth, good-will to men

And thought how, as the day had come
the belfries of all Christendom
had rolled along
the unbroken song
of peace on earth, good-will to men

Til ringing, singing on it’s way
the world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
of peace on earth, good-will to men

Then from each black, accursed mouth
the cannon thundered in the south
and with the sound
the carols drowned
of peace on earth, good-will to men

It was as if an earthquake rent
the hearth-stones of a continent
and made forlorn
the households born
of peace on earth, good-will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
for hate is strong
and mocks the song
of peace on earth, good-will to men

Now peal the bells less loud and deep
God must be dead, or at least asleep
Good sense has failed
The Reich prevailed
No peace on earth, to hell we wend

(original final verse)
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail
The right prevail
with peace on earth, good-will to men

"Christmas Bells"
by Speck

2024 - Licensed under
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