Song Leading Failure

We always sing a song together at school at the end of the day--unless Mr. Schrock decides to lead a prayer instead.  The other day when he had to leave school a few minutes early, he asked me to take care of dismissal.  I made a few announcements and then said we'd sing "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" for dismissal.

When I confidently caroled out the first few words, I soon noticed a distinct lack of participation on the students' part.  Even Norma, my co-teacher was not helping out much.  I plowed through to the end of the first stanza before asking, "Don't you know that song?"  They didn't.  Not one of them.  I couldn't believe it.

I'm pretty sure I've known the song ever since I was about six years old, although I can't remember for sure when I learned it.  Maybe in poem form in the 1950's Childcraft, Volume one or two.  I looked online to see what I could learn about the words and  music.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words during the Civil War. His son had enlisted as a Union soldier, against his father's wishes.  Longfellow did not favor the South, but he simply wanted no part of war.   By Christmas of 1863, Longfellow's wife Frances had died recently in an accidental fire, and his son had been severely wounded in the war.  The words fairly ache with the poet's longing for peace--a longing anyone experiencing grief or strife in this season can identify with. Hope and affirmation appear just in time.

Here are the words most commonly sung:


I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Written on Christmas Day, 1863

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."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

The music I'm familiar with can be found here.  Verses 4 & 5 were part of the original poem, but are not nearly as familiar as the above verses.

Andrew S. told me at school yesterday that his dad loves this song, so there's at least one other person close by who knows it.

I'm curious how many of you blog readers know "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day?"  If you know it, do you remember when or where you learned the song?