When a Child Is Born

Johnny Mathis

About When a Child Is Born

"When A Child Is Born" is a popular Christmas song. The original melody was "Soleado", a tune from 1974 by Ciro Dammicco (alias Zacar), composer for Italy's Daniel Sentacruz Ensemble, and Dario Baldan Bembo. The tune was based on Damicco's earlier tune "Le rose blu" published in 1972. The English language lyrics were written a few years later by Fred Jay (Friedrich Alex Jacobson IPI number 00015195204, who wrote many hits for Boney M such as Rasputin and Ma Baker). They do not make specific mention of Christmas but the importance they attach to looking forward to the birth of one particular child somewhere, anywhere, suggests a reference to the birth of Jesus Christ, and the citing of "a tiny star" that "lights up way up high" may allude to the Star of Bethlehem. Fred Jay's lyrics have been sung by many artists, most successfully by Johnny Mathis in 1976, whose version was the Christmas number one in the UK. 


Year:
2018
3:41
#2

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

A ray of hope flickers in the sky
A tiny star lights up way up high
All across the land, dawns a brand new morn
This comes to pass when a child is born

A silent wish sails the seven seas
The winds of change whisper in the trees
And the walls of doubt crumble, tossed and torn
This comes to pass when a child is born

A rosy hue settles all around
You've got the feel you're on solid ground
For a spell or two, no one seems forlorn
This comes to pass when a child is born

And all of this happens because the world is waiting,
Waiting for one child
Black, white, yellow, no one knows
But a child that will grow up and turn tears to laughter,
Hate to love, war to peace and everyone to everyone's neighbor
And misery and suffering will be words to be forgotten, forever

It's all a dream, an illusion now
It must come true, sometime soon somehow
All across the land, dawns a brand new morn
This comes to pass when a child is born

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Johnny Mathis

John Royce "Johnny" Mathis (born in Gilmer, Texas, on September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts and Guinness World Record music chart historian Paul Gambaccini, confirms "Johnny Mathis has sold well over 350 million records worldwide". more »

11 fans

Written by: Alberto Salerno, Bembo A Baldan, Ciro Dammicco, Francesco Specchia, Maurizio Seymandi

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Release Year
The song "When a Child is Born" by Johnny Mathis was released in the year 1976.
Popular Christmas Song
Despite not having any explicit reference to Christmas, this song has become synonymous with the holiday season and is a popular festive standard.
Chart Performance
When it was released, the song peaked at No.1 in the U.K Singles Chart and remained there for three weeks.
Popularity in U.K
It is considered the artist’s biggest hit in the United Kingdom.
Cover Song
The version by Johnny Mathis is essentially a cover as the melody was 'Soleado', a tune from 1974 by Ciro Dammicco (alias Zacar), composer for Italy's Daniel Santacruz Ensemble. The English language lyrics were later added by Fred Jay.
Song Message
While the song does not mention Christmas, its theme of new birth and hope has often seen it interpreted as a metaphor for the birth of Jesus Christ.
Grammy Nomination
The song got Mathis a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
Charity Use
In 1990, Boney M. compiled several versions of the song to raise funds for the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, a charity initiated for aiding Romanian orphans.
Famous Covers
Apart from Johnny Mathis, the song has been covered by numerous artists including Michael Jackson, Andrea Bocelli, and Sarah Brightman.
Christmas Number One Spot
Johnny Mathis's version of “When a Child Is Born" claimed the coveted Christmas No. 1 spot on the UK Singles Chart in 1976.
Special Album
"When a Child Is Born" appears on the 1986 album "Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis," which achieved Gold certification.

Discuss the When a Child Is Born Lyrics with the community:

1 Comment
  • maryd.28545
    The ChristChild must be reborn in each one of us.......Each day of our lives is a "christmas day"..See Patrick Kavanagh,Irish poet's A Christmas Childhood.
    LikeReply3 months ago

Citation

Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"When a Child Is Born Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/35563181/Johnny+Mathis/When+a+Child+Is+Born>.

Missing lyrics by Johnny Mathis?

Know any other songs by Johnny Mathis? Don't keep it to yourself!

Watch the song video

When a Child Is Born

4.5M
19,769     1,163

Browse Lyrics.com

Quiz

Are you a music master?

»
Which of the following songs has won the Academy Award for 'Best Original Song'?
A Happy - Pharrell Williams
B Skyfall - Adele
C Memories - Maroon 5
D Everything Is Awesome - Shawn Patterson

Free, no signup required:

Add to Chrome

Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

Free, no signup required:

Add to Firefox

Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

Don't miss Johnny Mathis's

Upcoming Events

»
  • Fri • Apr 05 • 8:00 PM
    Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez, CA
  • Sat • Apr 13 • 8:00 PM
    Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA
  • Thu • Apr 25 • 8:00 PM
    Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL
  • Sat • Apr 27 • 8:00 PM
    Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, Sarasota, FL
  • Sat • May 11 • 7:00 PM
    Carolina Opry Theater, Myrtle Beach, SC
Johnny Mathis tracks

On Radio Right Now

Loading...

Powered by OnRad.io


Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!