Christmas Music

The song was written by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker as a plea for peace during the tense time of the October, 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis. Regney had been asked to write a Christmas song, but he was hesitant due to the commercialism of the holiday. They based the composition loosely on the children’s song “Rain Rain Go Away.” The part about “Pray for peace, people everywhere,” Regney said came to him during this fraught time in history while watching babies being pushed in strollers on the New York City sidewalks. As it turned out, this song has become a Christmas classic, selling tens of millions of copies. It has been recorded by hundreds of artists, from Bing Crosby to Mary J. Blige. Regney said his favorite cover was by Robert Goulet, who almost shouts that cry for peace.
The first to record the song was by the Harry Simeone Chorale. Simeone was an arranger, conductor and composer. He was best known particularly for his co-authorship and arrangement of “The Little Drummer Boy.” His recording of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” was released after Thanksgiving in 1962 . It sold more than 250,000 copies during that holiday season. The big success with the song came in 1963 when Bing Crosby sang it ion a Bob Hop Christmas TV special, which was soon of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Here are the lyrics to “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by The Harry Simeone Chorald:

“Do you hear what I hear
(what I hear)

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
(do you see what I see)
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
(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
(do you hear what I hear)
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
(do 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
(do you know what I know)
In your palace warm mighty king
Do you know what I know
(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
( Listen to what I say)
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
(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
…bring us light”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by The Harry Simeone Chorale.