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Songbook available at Lulu.com

The First Christmas Morning

 

PRODUCED,  ARRANGED  &  PERFORMED  BY  DAN  FOGELBERG

FOR  MORNING  SKY  PRODUCTIONS

Recorded March 1998 to April 1999 at Mountain Bird Studios, Colorado

Released October 1999 by Chicago Records

Re-released October 2018  by Nether Lands Records 
Contains seven original compositions by Dan Fogelberg (© 1999/Sacred Circle Music-ASCAP) - "At Christmas Time", "Winterskol", "The First Christmas Morning","Feast Of Fools", "Snowfall", "Yule Dance", and "Christ The King". 


Bell Fantasy/Hark The Herald Angels Sing
At Christmas Time
Winterskol
The First Christmas Morning
This Endris Night
Feast Of Fools
I Saw Three Ships
Snowfall
In The Bleak Midwinter
Yule Dance
What Child Is This?
O, Tannenbaum
We Three Kings
Christ, The King

Credits

Dan Fogelberg - guitars, mandolin, piano, keyboards, autoharp, percussion, vocals
Hugh Marsh - violins on tracks 2,5,7,9,11
Philip Boulding - harp on tracks 4 and 5 ; penny whistle on tracks 2 and 7
Pamela Boulding - hammer dulcimer on tracks 2 and 7
Mark Clark - drums on track 15
Jan McDonald - baroque trumpet on track 15
Santa Fe Desert Chorale, under the direction of Jack Manno (recorded at Stepbridge Studios, Santa Fe, NM)
String arrangements by Dan Fogelberg
Choral arrangements by Jack Manno and Dan Fogelberg

Produced by Dan Fogelberg for Morning Sky Productions.
Recorded March 1998 to April 1999 at Mountain Bird Studios, Colorado

Engineered and mixed by DAN FOGELBERG

Additional engineering by JAMES TUTTLE and TIM STROH

Orchestral arrangements by DAN FOGELBERG

Choral arrangements by JACK MANNO and DAN FOGELBERG

Mastered at Capitol Mastering by DON MURRAY and ROBERT VOSGHEN

Digitally edited by ROBERT VOSGHEN

Package design by JEAN FOGELBERG

Cover painting ~ “Adoration of the Magi” by Antonio Vivarini

 

 SPECIAL THANKS TO:  Howard Kaufman, Nina Avramides, Harold Sulman, Charlie Fernandez, Irwin Rennert, Rick Mozenter, Ilga Berzins, Ed McPherson, Jim Wilson, Laurie Gorman and everyone at HK, Howard Rose and Steve Smith, Magical Strings, Westwood Music L.A., Audio Consultants of Denver CO, Allen Baca, David Soran, Jerry Nelson, Eric Fruits, Kenny Passarelli, Jerold Launer, Todd Pasquin, Dixie Newmann, and Mom for the ginger snaps. With my very special thanks (and love) to Jeanie.

Executive Producer: Remington Buckaroo Boone

 

Lyrics

At Christmas Time 

 

At Christmas time 

We raise our hearts and celebrate the solstice 

At Christmas time 

We raise our hearts and celebrate the solstice 

At Christmas time 

We welcome friends and give good cheer of the season 

At Christmas time 

We welcome friends and give good cheer of the season 

At Christmas time 

We lift our glass and toast the health of our loved ones 

At Christmas time 

We lift our glass and toast the health of our loved ones 

At Christmas time 

We join the feast and give our thanks for the bounty 

At Christmas time 

We join the feast and give our thanks for the bounty 

 

(Bridge) 

At Christmas time, at Christmas time, at Christmas time 

At Christmas time, at Christmas time, at Christmas time 

At Christmas time.... 

At Christmas time 

 

We join the feast and give our thanks for the bounty 

At Christmas time 

We sacrifice and give to those who are needy 

At Christmas time 

We sacrifice and give to those who are needy 

At Christmas time 

We dance and sing and let our spirits be merry 

At Christmas time 

We dance and sing and let our spirits be merry 

 

(Bridge) 

 

At Christmas time 

We dance and sing and let our spirits be merry 

At Christmas time 

We praise the Lord and count His blessings so many 

At Christmas time 

We praise the Lord and count His blessings so many 

 

(Bridge) 

 

At Christmas time 

We praise the Lord and count His blessings so many 

At Christmas time 

We praise the Lord and count His blessings so many 

Winterskol 

(Instrumental) 

 

The First Christmas Morning 

 

Away in the east shines a star in the sky 

That leads us to where He is born 

And bearing good tidings and gifts we shall give 

To Him on this first Christmas morning 

To Him on this first Christmas morning 

 

Holy our journey and holy our love 

That takes us to find and adore Him 

And blessed the baby that sleeps in his bed 

And wakes on this first Christmas morning 

And wakes on this first Christmas morning 

 

Ahhh-Ahhh Alleluia 

Ahhh-Ahhh Alleluia 

Ahhh-Ahhh Alle 

Ahhh-Ahhh Alle 

Ahhh-Ahhh Alleluia 

 

The Lord in His wisdom, the Lord in His grace 

Has given to man a redeemer 

To save us from sin and to show us the light 

That shines on this first Christmas morning 

And will shine ever each Christmas morning 

(Repeat Alleluia) 

This Endris Night 

 

This endris night I saw a sight 

A star as bright as day 

And 'ere among a maiden sang 

Lullay bye bye lullay 

This lovely lady sat and sang 

And to her child did say 

"My son, my brother, father, dear 

Why liest thou thus in hay" 

 

The child then spoke in his talking 

And to his mother said 

"Yea, I am known as Heaven's King 

Though I in crib be laid" 

Methinks it right that king or knight 

Should lie in good array 

And then among, it were no wrong 

To sing bye bye lullay 

 

Mary, mother, I am that child 

Tho' I be laid in stall 

For lords and dukes shall worship me 

And so shall kings all 

Now tell, sweet son, I thee do pray 

Thou art my love and dear 

How should I keep thee to thy pay 

And make thee glad of cheer 

My dear mother, thou hold me warm 

And keep me night and day 

And if I weep and may not sleep 

Thou sing bye bye lullay 

Thou sing bye bye lullay 

 

An English medieval lullaby

Words - Late 15th Century

Music - around 1600

 

Feast Of Fools 

(Instrumental) 

 

I Saw Three Ships 

 

I saw three ships come sailing in 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

I saw three ships come sailing in 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

And what was in those ships all three 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

And what was in those ships all three 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

'Twas Joseph and his lady fair 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

'Twas Joseph and his lady fair 

On Christmas Day in the morning (Hey) 

 

Oh he did whistle and she did sing 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

Oh he did whistle and she did sing 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

Saint Michael was the steersman 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

Saint Michael was the steersman 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

Pray, whither sailed those ships all three 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

Pray, whither sailed those ships all three 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

O they sailed into Bethlehem 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

O they sailed into Bethlehem 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

 

And all the bells on earth shall ring 

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day 

And all the bells on earth shall ring 

On Christmas Day in the morning 

(Repeat First Verse) 

Snowfall 

(Instrumental) 

 

In The Bleak Midwinter 

 

In the bleak mid-winter, the frosty wind did moan 

The earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone 

Snow had fallen softly, snow on snow on snow 

In the bleak mid-winter, oh so long ago 

 

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him nor the earth sustain 

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign 

In the bleak mid-winter a stable place sufficed 

For the Lord almighty, Jesus Christ 

 

Oh what can I give Him, woeful as I am 

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb 

If I were a wiseman, oh I would do my part 

Yet, what can I give Him -- I will give my heart 

Oh what can I give Him -- I will give my heart 

 

Music by Gustav Holst 1905

Words Christina Rosetti

 

Yule Dance 

(Instrumental) 

 

What Child Is This

 

What child is this who laid to rest 

On Mary's lap is sleeping 

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet 

While shepherds watch are keeping 

 

This, this is Christ the King 

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing 

Haste, haste to bring Him laud 

The Babe, the Son of Mary 

 

Why lies He in such mean estate 

Where ox and ass are feeding 

Good Christian fear for sinners here 

The silent word is pleading 

 

Nails, spears shall pierce Him through 

The Cross be borne for me, for you 

Hail, hail, the Word made flesh 

The Babe, the Son of Mary 

 

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh 

Come peasant, King, to own Him 

The King of Kings, salvation brings 

Let loving hearts enthrone Him 

 

Raise, raise the song on high 

The Virgin sings her lullaby 

Joy, joy for Christ is born 

The Babe, the Son of Mary 

 

Lyrics by William Dix 1865

 

O, Tannenbaum 

 

(Old German Rendition)

Words: Ernst Anschütz, 1824

Melody: old German folk tune

 

 

We Three Kings

 

We three kings of orient are 

Bearing gifts we traverse afar 

Field and fountain, moor and mountain 

Following yonder star 

 

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain 

Gold I bring to crown Him again 

King forever, ceasing never 

Over us all to reign 

 

Oh... 

Star of wonder, star of night 

Star with royal beauty bright 

Westward leading, still proceeding 

Guide us to thy perfect light 

 

(Repeat) 

Guide us to thy perfect light 

 

Words & Music by Dr. John H. Hopkins 1857

Christ The King 

 

Christ the King, born in a manger 

Christ the King is born on this day 

All of nature joins the rejoicing 

Banish misfortune away 

Banish misfortune away 

 

Lift your voice, join in the singing 

Lift your voice in a song of goodwill 

Lift your heart to the glorious season 

Bid all your sorrows be still 

Bid all your sorrows be still 

(Repeat First Verse) 

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