Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

portrait
Fanny Crosby (1820–1915)

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, 1898.

Music: John R. Swe­ney (🔊 pdf nwc).

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John R. Sweney (1837–1899)

Lyrics

Come away, the bells are call­ing,
Merry bells of Christ­mas time;
Youthful hearts again are bound­ing
While we catch their tune­ful chime.

Refrain

Merry, mer­ry bells, mer­ry, mer­ry bells,
Listen to their ca­rol and the joy it tells;
Ringing far and near, ring­ing sweet and clear,
O the bless­èd mu­sic of the old-time bells.

Come away, they still are call­ing,
While, to crown our fes­tal scene,
Busy fin­gers now are twin­ing
Wreaths of hol­ly bright and green.

Refrain

Come away, our faith is call­ing,
And we look with lov­ing eyes
On a low­ly man­ger cra­dle
Where the in­fant Sav­ior lies.

Refrain

Come away, our souls are call­ing,
While the bells re­spon­sive ring;
Hallelujah in the high­est
To the Lord’s an­oint­ed king.

Refrain