1. |
It Was a Holy Night
03:31
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It Was a Holy Night
Carolyn Arends
O, little town of Bethlehem
I think it is a lie
That you were still or dreamless
On that first Christmas night
‘Cause you had soldiers, and politicians
Over-crowding in your streets
And there was chaos, and human cruelty
And never quite enough to eat
And then the baby came
And when the baby came …
Chorus:
I think he cried the way that babies do
I think his mama might have cried a little too
I bet you Joseph didn’t have a clue what to do
He was new at fatherhood
So I don’t think it was a silent night
I kind of doubt that all was calm that night
But there were those who heard about a light
Saw the sight and they understood
It was a holy … It was a holy
It was a holy night
O, when the herald angels sang
I bet they thought it odd
That such a poor and broken place
Should be a home for God
And did they gasp to see him shiver
Cold and hungry in our skin
Did they tremble, did they wonder
How we deserved a gift like Him
Oh, but just the same
The baby came …
Chorus
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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2. |
Vacancy
04:13
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Vacancy
Carolyn Arends
Seems like my Christmas cheer
Is hard to find this year
I think it vanished in the fall
Strange how a loss or two
Can eat away at you
Until there’s not much left at all
But they say Advent is for waiting
And so I guess that’s what I’ll do …
Chorus:
There is a vacancy
Right here inside of me
It’s been that way for quite a while
But there’s a blessedness
In this great emptiness
If it makes room here for the child
Though my midwinter’s bleak
I am resolved to keep
A candle burning in the dark
And when the night is still
I will not rush to fill
The silence growing in my heart
Cause they say Advent is for longing
So tell me what else can I do?
Chorus
Come …. Lord Jesus, won’t you come?
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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3. |
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Everything Changes at Christmas
Carolyn Arends
Men brave snow and fear of heights
To deck their houses with strings of lights
And strangers smile like old friends might
Everything changes at Christmas
Mary and Joseph and the baby in the hay
Come down from the attic and go on display
And treetop angels seem to say
Everything changes at Christmas
Well if it’s a story, what a story
Who would dreamed up a scheme like this?
But if it’s the real thing, think of what that means:
Everything changes at Christmas
Everything changes at Christmas
Well, if the shepherds were not wrong
If there was an angel song
If God planned this all along
Then everything changes at Christmas
‘Cause if that was the Savior’s birth
That means God thought we were worth
Whatever it took to bring love down to earth
So everything changes at Christmas
Yeah, if God really came to town
What was lost has now been found
If we will accept that love
Nothing will be like it was
‘Cause this is the real thing, think of what that means
Everything changes, yeah everything
Because of the story, what a story
Who would dreamed up a scheme like this?
But if it’s the real thing, think of what that means:
Everything changes at Christmas
Christmas changes everything
So joy to the world, the Lord is come
Oh come let us adore him – he changes everything …
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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4. |
Christmas Magic
04:17
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Christmas Magic
by Carolyn Arends
Don’t be misled by these dusty old baubles
These are the treasures of Christmases past
And don’t be dismayed if the family squabbles
We’ll still pass the turkey, we’ll still raise a glass
I know for sure it will not be perfect
There will be moments we’re undone
But friends, that’s the reason we need this season
To help us remember, joy can still come
To a world often troubled and tragic …
So bring on the old Christmas magic
Don’t be ashamed to hang dollar store tinsel
There is great worth in reflecting the light
Don’t you agree we could all use some twinkle?
Now is the time to be merry and bright
Everything’s better when we come together
So let’s make sure mistletoe is hung
Cause friends the whole reason we need this season
Is to help us remember, joy can still come
To a world often troubled and tragic …
So bring on the old Christmas magic
Please don’t give up on the ancient traditions
They’ll come to life if you just let them in
And don’t be afraid to give your heart permission
To open up wide and let Christmas begin
Come all ye faithful, there’s room at the table
And there is a gift for everyone
Cause friends the whole reason we need this season
Is to help us remember, joy can still come
To a world often troubled and tragic …
So bring on the old Christmas magic
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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5. |
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God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Traditional
Arr. By Carolyn Arends
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
Chorus:
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
Chorus
"Fear not," said the angel
Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior
Of purest Virgin bright
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might
Chorus
Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other, now embrace
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface
Chorus
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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6. |
The Sound
03:31
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THE SOUND
Carolyn Arends
Now the angels’ song has trailed away
And only earthly sounds remain
A baahing sheep, a bleating goat
A nervous shepherd clears his throat
And a husband asks “Are you alright?”
As a weary mother lullabyes
And through it all a baby cries …
Hush now, listen, that’s the sound
Of the Kingdom coming (the Kingdom coming)
The Kingdom coming (the Kingdom coming)
The Kingdom coming to your town
Now the angels’ song was long ago
Was it all a dream? It’s hard to know
Cause we’ve made ourselves a world so loud
Who can hear a thing in the madding crowd?
Oh but sometimes on a midnight clear
If we close our eyes we begin to hear
A still small voice saying “Christ is near”
Hush now, listen, that’s the sound
Of the Kingdom coming (the Kingdom coming)
The Kingdom coming (the Kingdom coming)
The Kingdom coming to your town
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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7. |
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IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Edward Sears and Richard Storrs Willis
arr. Carolyn Arends
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old.
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold!
Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heaven's all gracious King!
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heaven's all gracious King!
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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8. |
You Gotta Get Up
04:20
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YOU GOTTA GET UP
Rich Mullins
I thought Christmas day would never come
But it’s here at last, so mom and dad
The waiting’s finally done
And you gotta get up
You gotta get up,
You gotta get up
It’s Christmas morning
Last night I heard reindeers on my roof
Well you may think I’m exaggerating
But I swear I’m tellin’ you the truth
And you gotta get up
You gotta get up,
You gotta get up
It’s Christmas morning
It’s Christmas morning
Did my sister get a baby doll
Did my brother get his bike?
Did I get that red wagon
The kind that makes you fly?
Oh I hope there’ll be peace on earth
I know there’s good will toward men
On account of the baby born in Bethlehem
So you gotta get up
You gotta get up,
You gotta get up
Mom and daddy stayed up too late last night
I guess they got carried away
In the Christmas candlelight
And you gotta get up
You gotta get up,
You gotta get up
It’s Christmas morning
You gotta get up
You gotta get up,
You gotta get up
It’s Christmas
© 1993 Edward Grant, Inc./ASCAP
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9. |
Long Way to Go
03:54
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LONG WAY TO GO
Carolyn Arends
Well Caesar’s wish was their command
What a long way to go
A census down in Bethlehem
What a long way to go
Goodness, gracious, have mercy
Too many miles for poor Mary
She was so far along, that had to be
Such a long way to go – oh
What a long way to go
Three Eastern Magi on a quest
What a long way to go
A star was shining way out West
What a long way to go
Goodness, gracious, man alive
I’m telling you, those kings had drive
It was two whole years ‘til they finally arrived
Such a long way to go – oh
What a long way to go
People say that love has limits
People just don’t know
How far the love that came at Christmas
Is prepared to go …
From realms of glory to bales of hay
What a long way to go
From King of Heaven to tiny babe
What a long way to go
Goodness, gracious, glory be
God came down to you and me
From a throne to a manger, to Calvary …
Such a long way to go – oh
What a long way to go – oh
What a long way to go
You’ve come, you’ve come, Emmanuel
What a long way to go
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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10. |
Story of Stories
04:06
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STORY OF STORIES
Written by Carolyn Arends
God makes the world
And the world makes a choice
And the choice isn’t good .. and we fall
We make our own way
And the way that we go
Goes to nowhere but death for us all
He could have just started over
Left us alone in the dark
But our God is not like that – He wants his family back
He’s had a plan from the start …
Chorus:
And this is the story of stories
This is the mystery of old
This is the glory of glories …
All that exists, comes down to this
Newborn baby boy
God has a love
And the love overcomes
‘Cause it comes down to live in our skin
Yeah he makes his home
In the flesh and the bones
We will break when we crucify him
He could have said: “I’m not going”
Decided enough was enough
But our God is not like that – He wants his family back
There’s just no stopping his love
Chorus
He is the story of stories
He is the mystery of old
He is the glory of glories
All that exists, comes down to this
Newborn baby boy
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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11. |
What Kind of King
03:46
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WHAT KIND OF KING
Carolyn Arends
No palace steps to climb
No sentry guards in towers
What kind of king is this?
Where is the iron fist?
The grand display of power?
What kind of king is this?
No regal robes
He’s wrapped up in a blanket and his mama’s arms
No royal throne
Just hay for a cradle in a dusty barn
Could he be the one that we think he is?
The kingdom coming down to where we live?
Oh, what kind of king is this?
To have the ox and lamb
Attend his coronation
What kind of king is this?
To bid the shepherds come
With just their adoration
What kind of king is this?
No regal robes
He’s wrapped up in a blanket and his mama’s arms
No royal throne
Just hay for a cradle in a dusty barn
Could he be the one that we think he is?
The kingdom coming down to where we live?
Oh, what kind of king is this?
What kind of plan ever goes this far?
What kind of mercy puts itself at ours?
What kind of maker walks the earth he made
From a cradle to a cross and leaves an empty grave?
Oh, what kind of love?
What kind of love
Would trade his regal robes
To be wrapped up in a blanket and his mama’s arms
No royal throne
Just hay for a cradle in a dusty barn
Could he be the one that we think he is?
The kingdom coming down to where we live?
Oh, what kind of king?
What kind of love?
What kind of king is this?
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
CCLI No. 7166577
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12. |
Dawn on Us
04:29
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DAWN ON US
Carolyn
What was he thinking in the starlight?
Did he have time to think at all?
A carpenter his whole life, now he was a midwife
And then the shepherds came to call
When Joseph held the newborn baby
Was the whole meaning still unclear?
A man can get so tired, even angel choirs
Just leave a ringing in his ears
Was it all a blur, all too much
Until at last, the sun came up
Did it dawn on him
At the moment when
Morning chased the night away
Did it dawn on him
This was God with him
In the light of Christmas day
Now we put Joseph in the stable
We put the stable on display
A sweet nativity scene, fragments of an old dream
What kind of difference does it make?
But if that baby in the manger
Came to be Light for everyone
Maybe all the darkness, here inside our hearts is
A sign that only he can come
And end at last the tyranny
Of endless night and set us free
Let it dawn on us
Like the morning sun
Let it chase our night away
Let it dawn on us
This is God with us
In the light of Christmas day
In the light of Christmas day
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it dawn on us
This is God with us
In the light of Christmas day
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
CCLI No. 7166732
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13. |
O Come All Ye Faithful
02:51
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O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
arr. by Carolyn Arends
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation
O sing all ye citizens of heav’n above
Glory to God, glory in the highest
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
© Running Arends Music/ASCAP
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Carolyn Arends Vancouver, British Columbia
"One of the most affecting communicators in any genre." - Billboard Magazine
Carolyn Arends
has released 14 albums and is the author of 3 critically-acclaimed books. 15 of Arends’ songs have become top 10 radio singles on the Canadian pop and US Christian charts. Arends has earned 2 Dove Awards, 3 Juno Nominations, and was recognized as the West Coast Music Awards’ Songwriter of the Year.
... more
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