SUSSEX CAROL

Music and Text: English carol
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

The folk melody of the “Sussex Carol” originally came from the town of Monk’s Gate in Sussex, and the lyrics are from a 1684 publication, A Small Garden of Pious and Godly Songs by Irish bishop Luke Wadding. The melody was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in the early 20th century, and Vaughan Williams included “Sussex Carol” in his Fantasia on Christmas Carols from 1912, even before it was published as a stand-alone carol. 

A festive and triumphant song, “Sussex Carol” proclaims to the world the message of peace and goodwill given by angels to the shepherds that first Christmas night. Mack Wilberg wrote an arrangement of “Sussex Carol” in 2008 for The Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert with The King’s Singers. The Choir’s performance at the 2021 concert is an adaptation of that earlier arrangement.

On Christmas night all Christians sing, 
To hear the news the angels bring. 
On Christmas night all Christians sing, 
To hear the news the angels bring: 
News of great joy, news of great mirth, 
News of our merciful King’s birth. 

Then why should we on Earth be so sad, 
Since our Redeemer made us glad, 
Then why should we on Earth be so sad, 
Since our Redeemer made us glad, 
When from our sin He set us free, 
All for to gain our liberty? 

When sin departs before His grace, 
Then life and health come in its place, 
When sin departs before His grace, 
Then life and health come in its place. 
Angels and Earth with joy may sing, 
All for to see the newborn King. 

All out of darkness we have light, 
Which made the angels sing this night, 
All out of darkness we have light 
Which made the angels sing this night. 
Glory to God resounds again 
Now and forevermore. 
Amen.