Star Child (AOV 2/43)

I have a soft spot for this song because we played it at Christmas every year for a decade or so.  It’s a Christmas song with a text by Shirley Erina Murray from New Zealand and a tune by Carlton R. Young.* I’m not the only one who likes it – see here and here   – well the publisher has to like it:

Shirley Erena Murray, New Zealand’s premier hymnwriter, first introduced the words to “Star-Child” on her Christmas card in 1994. Within 24 hours, Carlton R. Young responded and composed a simple lilting tune to the socially conscious text. Ms. Murray explained the genesis of her poem like this: “The carol grew out of increasing concern at the market values dictating our welfare system, now creating more and more ‘social reject.'” This relevant Christmas anthem can be embellished with various optional instruments or simply sung with piano accompaniment. Either way, the result is glorious.

 

This is the right text with the wrong music. (ie by David Haas) This is the right music and the children are very cute. This is a nice version (the song starts at 2:18).

We found we had to repeat the last two bars an an interlude between verses so I put that in my backing.

Verse 1

Star Child, earth Child, go between of God,

love Child, Christ Child, heaven‘s lighting rod,

This year, this year, let the day arrive

when Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive!

Verse 2

Street child, beat child, no place left to go,

hurt child, used child, no one wants to know,

This year, this year, let the day arrive

when Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive!

Verse 3

Grown child, old child, memory full of years,

sad child, lost child, story told in tears,

This year, this year, let the day arrive

when Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive!

Verse 4

Spared child, spoiled child, memory full of years,

wise child, faith child, knowing joy in store,

This year, this year, let the day arrive

when Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive!

Verse 5

Hope-for-peace Child, God‘s stupendous sign,

down-to-earth Child, Star of stars that shine,

This year, this year, let the day arrive

when Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive!

© Hope Publishing Co. and Shirley Erena Murray

NB Shirley Erena Murray’s work may be accessed here at Hope Publishing and may be printed as a one off copy. Absolutely no alterations are to be made to the text. Any other use requires permission from the author.

*corrected 24/12/2017 – thanks Lauren Blankers.