Every time God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen comes up, my mother mutters about how the last verse should be “This holy tide of Christmas / All others doth deface”. Similar thoughts on how the final verse of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” should only have “Born this happy morning” when sung on Christmas Day itself.
Did they change the last verse of God rest ye merry? I never seem to hear it sung, just played, doubtless because the Christian theology might offend, I dunno, someone? Why the semi-Christian theocratic Americans suppress Christian content mystifies me, unless it's because it's the wrong type of Christian. Smells of Popery or something.
I * think* I may have heard 'all others doth replace' but it could have been deface. That is, when I hear it at all. But certainly none of the others, fortunately.
Comments 4
You knew I got my purist habits from somewhere…
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The merry time of Christmas
Is coming on apace
or:
This holy tide of Christmas
Doth bring redeeming grace
There are probably other versions out there too.
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