Thanks, leeneia.

FWIW, my sister Tammy likes my original lyrics better than the changes -- for the most part, anyway. For that reason and in order not to have to make her learn too many lyric changes when we recorded the song, this is the way we sang it. And with the possible exception of one line, I consider this to be the official version of the lyrics:


RAISE YOUR VOICES IN THE SONG (words & music by R. Jeanene Pratt)
4/4 time

Ma(Am)ny, many years ago, (Dm) in a time of strife and woe,
(E)In a little vi(E7)llage they call Be(Am)thleh(E)em,
G(Am)od sent down a legacy, (Dm) precious gift for you and me,
(E)Holy baby b(E7)orn to be our s(Am)avi(E)or and fri(Am)end.*

An(Am)gel voices ra(E)ng across the winter sky
(Am)Telling all the wo(Dm)rld the story o(E)f the holy bi(E7)rth!
Jo(Am)yous! Joyous! W(E)hat a celeb(E7)ration!
A(Am)ngel voices sa(Dm)ng the song of Pe(E)ace O(E7)n Ea(Am)rth!

Sh(Am)epherds toiling, so they say, (Dm) in fields not far away
(E)Heard music fl(E7)oating through the sk(Am)ies ab(E)ove.
(Am)From their labors long they st(Dm)opped to listen to the song,
(E)Then went to Be(E7)thlehem to sh(Am)ow th(E)eir lo(Am)ve.

They st(Am)opped, they hushed, they li(E)stened while the angels sang,
(Am)Telling them the gr(Dm)eatest story th(E)ey had ever he(E7)ard.**
Then j(Am)oyous! Joyous! They jo(E)ined the celebr(E7)ation,
Ra(Am)ised their voices i(Dm)n the song of "Pe(E)ace o(E7)n ea(Am)rth!

Ce(Am)nturies have gone their way. (Dm) Do the people of today
Kn(E)ow the deeper me(E7)aning of this se(Am)ason of the ye(E)ar?
M(Am)any times the neon lights h(Dm)ide the Christmas star from sight,
(E)And the song of pe(E7)ace can be so h(Am)ard t(E)o he(Am)ar.

So st(Am)op! Hu(Am)sh! L(E)isten while the angels sing.
(Am)Telling all the wo(Dm)rld the story o(E)f the holy bi(E7)rth,
Then, j(Am)oyous! Joyous! Come, jo(E)in the celebr(E7)ation,
Ra(Am)ise Your Voices I(Dm)n The Song of "Pe(E)ace n(E7)n ea(Am)rth!

Th'a(Am)ngels' song is still alive. In fa(Dm)ith and love it can survive,
(E)And it gives our he(E7)arts a reason t(Am)o rejo(E)ice.
You m(Am)ay not hear it in the air, but i(Dm)f you pause or say a prayer
(E)You will hear it e(E7)cho in that st(Am)ill, sm(E)all vo(Am)ice.

So st(Am)op! Hu(Am)sh! L(E)isten while the angels sing
(Am)Telling all the wo(Dm)rld the story o(E)f the holy bi(E7)rth!
Then, j(Am)oyous! Joyous! Come, jo(E)in the celebr(E7)ation,
Ra(Am)ise Your Voices I(Dm)n The Song of "Pe(E)ace n(E7)n ea(Am)rth!

Repeat last chorus, a cappella, softly on the first 2 lines, then fortissimo, with guitar on the last two lines.

©1993, 1999, 2002, 2003 R. Jeanene Pratt
wildenotes@gmail.com


*Tam prefers "Holy baby born to bring us life without end." I kind of prefer "Holy baby born to be our savior and friend." It really doesn't matter that much.

**In the second chorus, I kind of like "Telling them the greatest story they had ever heard." or "Telling them the greatest news that they had ever heard." My sis says it's better to keep all the lines of the chorus the same throughout the song (except, obviously) for the first line of the first chorus) so that it's easier for people to sing along with. She's probably right. : )
So if I do the song as a solo I'll probably sing it as above, but for sing-alongs, etc., I'd probably keep the chorus the same for the last 3 verses.

And here is the same video as the one I posted last, but just the two of us sitting in front of the webcam, with no cropping of the video portion.

Tam & Genie full screen - large video mp4 file of Raise Your Voices

It also may be better quality since it's a larger file?