Lullabies to Jesus: Song #20 "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head"

Lullabies to Jesus

The next set of songs are lullabies written for Jesus, usually about how Mary holds him tenderly and sings him to sleep. 

Luke 2:17-19 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 

Song #20 "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head"



The tune and lyrics of this carol were transcribed by John Jacob Niles from local folk singers. He kept the original dialect of the performers with it. I'm a big believer that you should only sing or act with a dialect/accent if you can do it really well and make it sound truly authentic. I don't fall into that category with this song, so I've modified the lyrics a bit. Here are mine.

Jesus Jesus rest your head, lying in a manger bed. All the mortal folk on earth sleep in feathers at their birth.

Have you heard about our Jesus? Have you heard about his fate? How his mother went to the stable on that Christmas Eve so late? Winds were blowing, cows were lowing. Stars were glowing, glowing, glowing.

To that manger came then wise men bringing gifts from hin and yon for the mother and the father and the blessed little son. Shepherds left their fields and flocks and sat beside the ass and ox. 

Jesus, Jesus rest your head. Lying in a manger bed.

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