Full Lyrics
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."
About This Song
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poem was written during the American Civil War, giving it a deeply emotional context of seeking peace in troubled times.
The melody most commonly associated with the carol was composed by John Baptiste Calkin in 1872. The song's journey from despair to hope makes it one of the most powerful Christmas hymns ever written.
Children connect with the imagery of ringing bells and the triumphant message that goodness will prevail, making it a meaningful addition to any holiday singing tradition.