Solstice Songs: Songs for the Middle Arriving (part 1)
These were written by my mother over several years and we sing them every Christmas Eve. These are traditional Christmas songs changed to have a Native American slant. I'll include a PDF attachment as well. I hope you enjoy. If you find any errors or typos, please contact me here on Live Journal, they are probably my own transcription errors, but I'd also be happy to pass them on to her. Or you can email her at the address given below. I've broken this in half to get around LJ restrictions on size.
Solstice Songs
Songs for the Middle Arriving
A PDF of this document (with much better formatting) is available here.
Priscilla Salisbury Hinckley - 1999
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/
Priscilla (at) Hinckley.com
Table of Contents
Hark, Our Ancient Fathers Sing
Silent Night, Holy Night
Oh Rest Ye Merry Mountain Men
Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
Together on a Midnight Clear (Version I)
Oh Little Town-Vienna
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Version II)
The First Noel
The Magi
Light One Candle
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States
Hark, Our Ancient Fathers Sing
Hark, our ancient Fathers pray,
Glory to the new-born day,
Peace on earth for every child,
Light and darkness reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
Which the ancient host ordained.
Day is born on this mountain.
Hark our ancient Fathers pray,
Glory to the new-born day.
Sun, in highest heaven adored,
Sun, the ever-lasting word,
Just in time behold him come
From the south to our mountain.
Veiled in flesh, Great Spirit see,
Hail the incarnate deity.
Pleased he is with man to dwell,
Another year to keep us well.
Hark our ancient Fathers pray,
Glory to the new-born day.
Strong he sits, his glory high,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them a rebirth.
Risen with healing in his wings,
Light and life to all he brings.
Hail to him our prayers appeal,
Hail the way of life revealed.
Hark our ancient Fathers pray,
Glory to the new-born day.
Silent Night, Holy Night
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright,
Where we gather ‘round the fire,
Praying together for our desire.
To our Father, the Sun,
To our Father, the Sun.
Silent night, holy night,
All in joy, all in light,
Where our tree stands, straight and tall,
Bearing gifts for one and all.
From our Mother, the Earth,
From our Mother, the Earth.
Silent night, holy night,
All rejoice at the sight,
With the union of earth and sky,
There come gifts from heaven on high.
Water, giver of life,
Water, giver of life.
Silent night, holy night,
All that’s good, all that’s right.
Tell your children so they will know,
Great gifts come from the Earth below.
Seeds of growing things,
Seeds of growing things.
Oh Rest Ye Merry Mountain Men
Oh rest ye, merry mountain men,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember that our fire
Was born on solstice day,
To save us all from Winter’s hold,
Lest we should go astray.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
Now to the sun sing praises
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood,
Each other now embrace.
The blessings of this wintertime
All others will replace.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye, to behold the sun.
Come and behold him, holder of our pathways,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Giver of light
Sing, choirs of dancers, Sing in exaltation,
Sing, all yet citizens of heaven above.
Glory to thee, glory in the highest
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Giver of light.
See how the people summoned to their doorways,
Leaving their fires draw nigh to praise.
We, too, will thither
Bend our joyful footsteps
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Giver of light
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning,
O, Sun, to thee be glory given,
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Giver of light
Together on a Midnight Clear (Version I)
Together on a midnight clear,
We welcome the snow and the cold,
And sing the prayers the ancients sang
Before the earth was old.
We thank the powers, those who bring
The rain, the wind, the sun,
And gather all our families ‘round
As when the days were young.
From wooded places - breaking off -
Young willow shoots, we bring.
We hold them fast and give them form
With feathered turkey wing.
From Cotton Woman we take a cord
And four times circle ‘round.
Then painting black the willow stick
We plant them in the ground.
We seek your wisdom, and your strength,
And know that your blessiings are here
To aid us on our daily rounds
And help us through-out the year.
May we walk in beauty throughout our life
And blessed with life grow old,
To see the end of each new year,
And never fear the cold.
Rights
Solstice Songs: Songs for the Middle Arriving by Priscilla Salisbury Hinckley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
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