Away In A Manger

Michael Hancock © 2004

2

This work was written to compromise two settings of an American hymn tune, incorrectly believed to have been written by Martin Luther. The first setting used is credited to Mr. James R. Murray(1887), while the second first appeared in Pennsylvania Lutheran literature after 1880. In my experience, they are today recognized as the Roman Catholic version and the Protestant version. In reality, they are both excellent examples of original American music, and denomimational differences are small and unimportant, especially during the time we set aside to remember the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head. The stars in the sky look down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes; but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. My mother is singing to lay me to bed, my father has told me of the words Jesus said, "To Love One Another in Beautiful Ways;" may the Lord let us do so till the end of our days. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay; close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care and take us to Heaven to live with you there.

Michael Hancock © 2004

3

Away in a Manger [Cradle Hymn] Verses 1 and 2 anonymous Verse 3 by Michael Hancock Verse 4 by John Thomas McFarland

JAMES. R. MURRAY/American Traditional Arranged by MICHAEL HANCOCK

Sweetly, q = 95 - 105 3

mp

S. A. A - way

in a

man - ger, no

crib for a

bed,

the

lit - tle Lord Je - sus, lay down his sweet head.

The

A - way

in a

man - ger, no

crib for a

bed,

the

lit - tle Lord Je - sus, lay down his sweet head.

The

mp T. B.

12

S. A. stars

in the

sky

look down where he

lay,

the

lit - tle Lord

Je - sus

a - sleep on the

hay.

The

stars

in the

sky

look down where he

lay,

the

lit - tle Lord

Je - sus

a - sleep on the

hay.

The

T. B.

20

SOPRANO

S. cat

-

tle

are

low

- ing

low

- ing

the

poor

Ba

-

by

wakes,

poor

Ba

-

by

wakes,

but

TENOR T. cat

-

tle

are

the

Michael Hancock © 2004

but

4

24

S. lit

-

tle Lord

Je - sus

no

cry - ing

he

makes.

I

love

thee, Lord

Lord

Je - sus

no

cry - ing

he

makes.

I

love thee,

Je - sus, look

T. lit - tle

Lord

Je - sus,

look

30

S. down

from

the

down

from

the

sky.

And

stay

by

stay

by

my

cra

-

dle

till

mor - ning

is

till

mor - ning

is

T. sky.

And

my

cra

-

dle

35

S. A. nigh.

My

moth - er

is

sing - ing

to

lay

me

to

moth - er

is

sing - ing

to

lay

me

to

bed,

My

fath - er

has

My

fath - er

has

T. B. nigh.

My

bed,

41

S. A. taught

me

of the

words

Je - sus

said,

"To

love

one

an

-

o - ther

in

taught

me

of the

words

Je -

said,

"To

love

one

an

-

o - ther

in

T. B. sus

Michael Hancock © 2004

5

46

S. A. beau - ti - ful

ways,"

May the Lord let

us

do

so,

till

the end

of

our

days.

Be

beau - ti - ful

ways,"

May the Lord let

us

do

so,

till

the end

of

our

days.

Be

T. B.

52

S. near

me, Lord

Je - sus,

I

ask

you

to

stay,

close

by

me

for -

A. Stay

close

by

me for -

T. near

me,

Lord

Je - sus,

I

ask

you

to

stay,

close

by

me

for -

B. Stay

close

by

me for -

57

S. A. ev

-

er

and

love

me,

I

pray.

Bless

all

the

dear

chil - dren

in

ev

-

er

and

love

me,

I

pray.

Bless

all

the

dear

chil - dren

in

thy

ten - der

care

and

take

us to

Heav - en

to

live

with

You

there.

thy

ten - der

care

and

take

us to

Heav - en

to

live

with

You

there.

T. B.

62

S. A.

T. B.

Michael Hancock © 2004