Christmas Carols Missing Lyrics Quiz

Answer: Makes the nations prove

Written in 1719 by English clergyman, Isaac Watts, the lyrics of "Joy to the World" are based on the Bible's Psalm 98. Psalms are basically the lyrics to sacred songs in the Old Testament, but to be honest, there isn't that much of a Christmas theme to this psalm.

The birth of the baby Jesus doesn't rate a mention at all, but with the entire psalm devoted instead to the Second Coming of Christ. That doesn't matter though, does it? The song is beautiful, it has a lovely bouncing rhythm, uplifting lyrics and has become entrenched as a joyous Christmas carol.

Answer: Triumph of the skies

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" was first introduced in 1739, in a collection of other spiritually uplifting songs and poems called "Hymns and Sacred Poems". The lyrics were written by two of the founders of Methodism, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, with the music adapted from Mendelssohn's cantata, "Festgesang", also known as "Gutenberg Cantata".

Eventually, at any rate, with the melody. Who knows to what music people sang it, or even if it was originally intended as a hymn, but for a sacred poem only, because the music we know today for this carol wasn't written until 1840 by Mendelssohn - 100 years later - and he didn't write it to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Instead, he composed the cantata to honour Gutenberg's creation of movable type which allowed the Bible and all other written works to be easily printed and available to all. But does the late arrival of the music matter? Not a bit. The carol we know today is not an analysis of composer or lyricist. It's a joyous celebration of the birth of Christ.

Answer: Back

It would be surprising if there was anyone in any of the world's English speaking countries who hasn't heard the song, or know the tune to "Jingle Bells". Written by James Lord Pierpont at a pub in Massachusetts in 1850, it was published as "The One Horse Open Sleigh" seven years later. There are various claims made about this old Christmas favourite - which wasn't written about Christmas at all, but about a young man taking Miss Fanny Bright, his young lady - unchaperoned - for a ride out in the woods and fields, and how they both ended up tossed out into the snow when their skinny horse got stuck on a drift. A likely story.

Other claims about this old favourite include that it was meant to be a drinking song - or that it was meant to be performed by a Sunday school choir. Given the somewhat indelicate nature of the lyrics, one would hope not.

Answer: Harp

Oh my gosh, people must have been a lot thirstier and lustier back in 1862, when this Welsh Christmas song was written. To be more precise, the music was written by an unknown Welshman at some time in the 16th century, and English lyrics were added to it by Scotsman, Thomas Oliphant, in 1862. All it needed would have been an Irishman to complete the Isles. Those lyrics, apart from the "fa la la-ing" all over the place, include "fill the meadcup, drain the barrel" and advising all the lads and lasses, "laughing quaffing all together" to avail themselves of the "flowing bowl before us".

By 1877, however, an updated version of the carol, printed in the Pennsylvania School Journal - the carol most of us would recognise today - had removed all references to drinking. Party poopers.

Answer: Let nothing you dismay

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", a very old carol, is also known as "Tidings of Comfort and Joy", and dates back at least to the 16th century, possibly earlier. You'll be pleased to know - or not - that the lyrics to this old number don't mention anything to do with growing tipsy on an over abundance of alcohol, but concentrate solely instead on the miracle of the birth of Jesus more than 2,000 years ago - and include the heavenly angels singing tidings of the great news, shepherds leaving their flocks in the fields, and the young child asleep in the manger.

Answer: Bright

"Away in a Manger", one of the English speaking countries' most popular carols - actually ranking at number two if you're interested in polls - was thought to have been composed by the nailing-on-the-door Martin Luther, but now it's believed to have been composed by an American instead. Nobody is quite sure who that was, but it's a toss up between James Ramsey Murray in 1887, or William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895 - with Kirkpatrick, just for the record, being born in Ireland. People have changed the lyrics to this carol so many times since it was first written in 1882 that's it's astonishing.

The essential story though - the birth of Jesus Christ - remains the same.

Answer: Beams

You would all know the creation of this carol by now, it's imagined. With the 1816 lyrics by Joseph Mohr (a priest) and the 1818 music by Franz Xaver Gruber (school teacher and organist), the gentle pensive melody of this carol combined with the sweetness, the serenity of its words - well, it doesn't get much better than this. "Silent Night" cleanses and refreshes our souls, and fills our hearts with peace.

Answer: In the east

Interestingly, "The First Noel" originated in Cornwall, England, some time around the Middle Ages but so long ago that its authorship cannot be determined. It tells the story of the shepherds and the Wise Men who followed the star to Bethlehem to worship the new born babe. Unfortunately this carol, also known as "The First Nowell" ends, in some versions, with the crucifixion as well, which is somewhat jarring when contrasted against the joy of the nativity. Also, unfortunately is the fact that most choirs performing this carol speed it up way too quickly, so that it bounces along rather like a brass band marching song, rather than a hymn.

Answer: Divine

"O Holy Night" is the most stirring and uplifting Christmas carol ever written, and when performed by a fine four part choir in particular, rings through any chapel, church or cathedral, raising the roof and covering me from head to toe in goosebumps, wonder and awe. Based on a French poem by Placide Cappeau in 1843, and with that breathtaking melody by Adolphe Charles Adam, this amazing song is more than a carol or a hymn.

It builds and builds and builds to an affirmation of universal glory to God.

It makes me want to shout with joy, and with overwhelming happiness. I just love it. It quenches a thirst in the soul.

Answer: Still

This gentle, soothing and truly beautiful carol was written in 1868 by Phillips Brooks, who was an Episcopalian priest at the Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, after he had visited the site in Bethlehem, Israel, where it was believed Christ was born. Although the visit had taken place three years earlier in 1865, Brooks had no intention of recording a song, until he was awoken one night in 1868 by a strain of music in his ear. He immediately rose, wrote down the lyrics which came to him, then had his church organist, Lewis Redner, create the music from the melody still ringing in his head - and the world has been the richer for it since.

On that Christmas Eve in 1865, Brooks had ridden a horse from Jerusalem to visit the place where Jesus was born. This would have been even more fitting if he had ridden there on a donkey.

This carol has a special place in my heart. I first sang it as a child of seven at an end of year school concert in the institution for children in which I grew up. The lights in the concert hall were dimmed but they were reflected in all the strands of tinsel spread from side to side across the ceiling, and the faces in the crowded hall of audience members waiting to take any lucky child home for Christmas holidays smiled - smiled - smiled up at us. Love was a visitor at last.