Story Behind The Song

Daryl Hall -- himself a resident of Worcester, England -- composed this epic poem in about September of 2005; I said, "Well, it's going to take a little bit of time to compose for it." We did not know a baritone in Colorado would be asking for a ancient/modern carol within two weeks of the time that I said it would take a long time. I composed the music in a week . .. and then the baritone changed his mind. Be that as it may, we were successful in having this song recorded on ERMMedia's inaugural volume of "Holidays of the New Era." The thing we both loved about this song, and the reason we persevered, was the way the poem covers Jesus' death for the sins of the world, His burial, and His resurrection, which is the cornerstone of Christian faith.

Song Description

This is a carol merged with theme-and-variations technique in music; that is, it has verse and a chorus, but each verse and chorus is a variation on the first verse and chorus. When I was considering how to write the music, I took as my models two works by Beethoven. The first is a set of dances -- "Six Ecossaises" -- which is literally six little dances linked together with a common chorus. The second was Beethoven's more famous "Ode to Joy," from the last movement of his Ninth Symphony, "A Modern Christmas Carol represents the relatively happy result of my studies.

Lyrics

Two thousand years ago (but we're not sure on which day)
A little baby boy was born in a manger full of hay
Not for Him posh palaces, with nurses 'round that bed.
But a stable, cold and raw and bare, with cattle at His head.

Chorus:
This was the Boy who was born to to be King,
The one Whom millions worship, and who saves us from our sins.

Then, when night had fallen, and most people were asleep,
There were some humble shepherds, attending to their sheep.
Suddenly, a bright light shone; God's angel came to say
That a Saviour had been born in Bethlehem that day!

Chorus:
This was the Boy who was born to to be King,
The one Whom millions worship, and who saves us from our sins.

While over in the Orient, a bright star lit up the sky,
And when the wise men saw it, they all at once knew why.
So armed with costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh
They set out to worship Jesus, in that stable cold and bare!

Chorus:
This was the Boy who was born to to be King,
The one Whom millions worship, and who saves us from sin.

Then the baby Jesus became a carpenter with wood,
And traveled 'round the countryside, doing many people good.
But the priests and Pharisees saw Jesus as a threat,
So between themselves decided, "It's Him we want to get!"

So they came to Judas, said "We have to see him die!
"Why don't you show us where He is? We'll pay you well," they cried.
Judas chose the silver; Jesus chose the cross;
All part of God's mighty salvation for the lost.

But this was not the final act, for Jesus rose to reign!
After three days in the tomb He's on high with God again!
Jesus is alive in Heav'n; He sits on God's right hand,
The Word made flesh now reconciled with the Creator of our land!

Out Chorus:
This is the Man, rejected as King,
Who millions now worship; let all that love Him sing!
Yes, Jesus reigns on high now, He is the eternal king!
Jesus, access to our Father, God, accept this praise we bring!