[Dixielandjazz] OT: The Holy City

[Don Kirkman]

On Mon, 4 Oct 2010 01:44:47 EDT, you wrote:

>Hi Stan,
>I think it's the same "The Holy City" you're asking about that  you can 
>find on YouTube sung by artists such as Charlotte Church and  Mahalia Jackson.  
>I've pasted the words below.  I heard it sung more  than once as a church 
>anthem in my childhood, several times at church  funerals.  It's not usually 
>considered a Christmas song in my mind, as the  lyrics are more about 
>Christian resurrection than the birth of Jesus -- or  maybe even about some 
>Christian theology of end time???
>Ginny
>PS:  I liked Mahalia Jackson's rendition more than Chrarlotte  Church's.
> 
> 
>Last night I lay a-sleeping
>There came a dream so  fair,
>I stood in old Jerusalem
>Beside the temple there.
>I heard the  children singing,
>And ever as they sang,
>Me thought the voice of  angels
>>From heaven in answer rang.
>Me thought the voice of angels
>>From  heaven in answer rang.
>
>Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
>Lift up your gates and  sing,
>Hosanna in the highest!
>Hosanna to your King!

>And then me  thought my dream was changed,
>The streets no longer rang,
>Hushed were the  glad Hosannas
>The little children sang.
>The sun grew dark with  mystery,
>The morn was cold and chill,
>As the shadow of a cross  arose
>Upon a lonely hill.
>As the shadow of a cross arose
>Upon a lonely  hill.

>Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
>Hark! How the angels sing,
>Hosanna in  the highest!
>Hosanna to your King!

>And once again the scene was  changed;
>New earth there seemed to be;
>I saw the Holy City
>Beside the  tideless sea;
>The light of God was on its streets,
>The gates were open  wide,
>And all who would might enter,
>And no one was denied.
>No need of  moon or stars by night,
>Or sun to shine by day;
>It was the new  Jerusalem
>That would not pass away.
>It was the new Jerusalem
>That would  not pass away.

>Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
>Sing for the night is  o'er!
>Hosanna in the highest!
>Hosanna for evermore!
>Hosanna in the  highest!
>Hosanna for evermore!

The imagery is closer to the Biblical story of Jesus' entry into
Jerusalem shortly before his death, and nowadays commemorated by
Christians as Palm Sunday.
-- 
Don Kirkman
donsno2 at charter.net