The First Noel – A Practical Guide to the Lyrics and Their History
The carol The First Noel is one of the best-known English-language Christmas hymns. People sing it every December without much thought about where it came from, and that's fine. The lyrics are simple enough that they work for anyone with a choir, a family gathering, or just a desire to fill a holiday moment with something familiar. Here are the standard lyrics as they appear in most hymnals and carol collections: The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
In fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay
Keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep;
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!
Born is the King of Israel. And shepherds at this hearing
Hastened to the place with fear;
And in the manger there they found
The holy Child of Mary bound;
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!
Born is the King of Israel. Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his tongue sent Mary's Child
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!
Born is the King of Israel.
Some printed editions include a verse about the Magi — the three wise men who followed the star and brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That verse isn't in every version, which matters if you're preparing for a performance and need to know exactly which lyrics your congregation or audience expects. I once had to rearrange a church service because the choir director insisted on including the Magi verse, but the congregation was using a hymnal that only had the four-verse version above. We ended up cutting the extra verse from the printed program and just adding it to the choir binder as an optional add-on. It wasn't a big deal, but it taught me to always verify the edition before printing anything. The exact origin of the melody is disputed. Some sources point to French or Cornish folk traditions. The earliest known printed appearance of the lyrics is in Carols Old and Carols New by Samuel Sandon, published in 1823. The tune most commonly associated with the carol today appears in John Stainer and Richard Helmore's Carols for Choirs, first published in 1872. That arrangement is the one most choirs learn today.
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If you're looking for a PDF or an audio recording to learn the melody, the hymnal Carols for Choirs is available in print, and many public domain recordings exist online. The version arranged by Sir David Willcocks and Reginald Jacob is probably the most widely performed. It's also worth noting that the carol is traditionally sung in G major, which sits comfortably for most voice types. A few things to keep in mind if you're preparing this for performance. The melody has a lot of long, sustained notes on the word "Noel," which can be tricky if your choir isn't used to holding pitch for more than two beats at a time. Also, the key change in some modern arrangements isn't part of the original tune — stick with the traditional G major version unless you have a specific reason to transpose. The lyrics are public domain, so there are no copyright issues to worry about when printing or distributing them. I've found that the most common mistake people make with this carol is rushing the tempo on the "Noel" refrain. It's meant to feel processional, not brisk. If you treat it like a march, it loses the sense of awe that the words are supposed to carry. Slow it down just a little. Let the singers breathe between phrases.
The carol has been covered and adapted many times over the years. You'll find versions by artists ranging from traditional folk groups to orchestral arrangements. None of them change the fundamental meaning — it's a straightforward announcement of the nativity story, told from the perspective of the shepherds who were the first to hear the news.
