Do You Hear What I Hear
Noel Regney was a Frenchman. He lived through the horrors of World War II. During the war he fought on both sides. He had been forced into the Nazi Army. But, he managed to escape and became a freedom fighter in the French underground to help bring peace to Europe. After the war, he came to America – ready to live a life in a land filled with peace. There he met a woman named Gloria Shayne Baker.
The two married. Yet – their life in the land of peace was interrupted. The Russians began to bring missiles into Cuba. President Kennedy ordered the U.S. Navy to blockade Cuba – until the Russians withdrew their missiles. This intense time of Fear in America was called the Cuban Missile Crisis. Noel Regney wrote the lyrics to a new song. Gloria Shane Baker created the music. The fome was first heard shortly after Thanksgiving in 1962. It was first recorded by an entire chorus. It sold more than a quarter-million copies during the 1962 Christmas season.
But, it was Bing Crosby who made the song a major hit when he recorded it in 1963.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Said the night wind to the little lamb, Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky little lamb, Do you see what I see?
A star, a star - Dancing in the night With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite.
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song - High above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea, With a voice as big as the sea.
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm mighty king, Do you know what I know?
A child, a child, Shivers in the cold, Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold.
Said the king to the people everywhere, Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere.
Listen to what I say. The child, the child, Sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light He will bring us goodness and light.