21st December, 2022
Let me tell you about a baby / See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw
Mark & Helen Johnson /
Michael Perry (1942 - 1996)
Both found in the Methodist hymnal ‘Singing the Faith’, these two calypsos were begging to be put together for this Advent calendar. The sequence of events in the story even seems to follow through from one song to the other. The text of the second of the two songs seems to refer to at least ten different Bible references! Keen Bible readers might like to see how many they can spot!
Michael Perry, the composer of this carol was a clergyman in the C of E and wrote over 300 religious songs or hymns.
Mark and Helen Johnson are a married couple who specialise in creating hymns and Christian songs for educational settings.
We added the maracas and ‘frog-guiro’.
These songs are included here as a special tribute to and memory of, our friend Andrew Clare who sadly passed away earlier this year and whose hymnal I now am proud to have in my care.
1. Let me tell you about a baby and his family
It is written down in the Bible so you might believe.
Many men had told of his coming down through history,
Now the time had come for fulfilment of their prophecy.
CHORUS:
And they called his name Jesus, Jesus, the Saviour.
And they called his name Jesus, Son of the Most High God. (Repeat)
2. There was once a young girl called Mary, only in her teens.
She was visited by an angel sent to Galilee.
And he told her she’d have a baby – how she couldn’t see –
Yet it was her will to obey him, so it was agreed.
CHORUS
3. Well in those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree,
And so Mary went with her husband where they had to be.
There was nowhere else but a stable where they both could sleep,
It was there that she had her baby, born for you and me.
CHORUS
1 See him lying on a bed of straw:
a draughty stable with an open door;
Mary cradling the babe she bore
the prince of glory is his name.
O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord of love again:
just as poor as was the stable then,
the prince of glory when he came.
2 Star of silver, sweep across the skies,
show where Jesus in the manger lies;
shepherds, swiftly from your stupor rise
to see the saviour of the world!
O now carry me…
3 Angels, sing again the song you sang,
sing the glory of God’s gracious plan;
Sing that Bethl’em’s little baby can
be the saviour of us all.
O now carry me…
4 Mine are riches, from your poverty,
from your innocence, eternity;
mine, forgiveness by your death for me,
child of sorrow for my joy.
O now carry me…