God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Old London, English Carol
adapted by the Philadelphia Spirit Experiment

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (MP3)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Alternative Version)

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day

To save us all from Satan's pow'r
When we were gone astray
Oh... tidings of comfort and joy
... comfort and joy
Oh... tidings of comfort and joy

Restless People?

God rest ye merry gentlemen? I suppose that means -- God, please help calm our restlessness? Hmmm... what would make people restless?

Politicians, War and Global Warming?

David wrote us and said:
Your interpretation of the meaning of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" is incorrect. Merry in the old english of this carol did not mean "Happy" it meant "Mighty" or "Powerful" (Think Robin Hoods Merry Men - They weren't happy because they were wearing tights you know they were a powerful fighting unit) The word "Rest" in the old english also meant to invest a property in or in other words to "make"

So the first line of the carol in modern English would be "God Make You Mighty Gentlemen" Similary the term "Merry Christmas" means have a "Powerful" Christmas. Kind of gives the phrase a whole new meaning doesn't it?

An Alternative Version

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