O Holy Night

In Roquemaure in France at the end of 1843, the church organ had recently been renovated. To celebrate the event, the parish priest persuaded poet Placide Cappeau, a native of the town, to write a Christmas poem.[1] Soon afterwards, in that same year, Adolphe Adam composed the music. The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey.

Transcendentalist, music critic, minister, and editor of Dwight's Journal of Music, John Dwight, adapted the song into English in 1855.[2] This version became popular in the United States, especially in the North, where the third verse (including "Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, And in his name all oppression shall cease") resonated with abolitionists.[1]

The wide vocal range of the song makes it one of the more difficult Christmas songs to execute properly.[3] In French-language churches, it is commonly used at the beginning of the Midnight Mass.[4]

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night when Christ was born

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here came the wise men from the orient land

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend

He knows our need, to our weakness no stranger
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend
Behold your King, your King, before Him lowly bend

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

Christ is the Lord, then ever, ever praise we
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

The song has been recorded by numerous pop, classical, and religious singers. Several renditions by popular artists have appeared on record charts:

• 1971: Tommy Drennan and the Monarchs reached Christmas No. 1 in the Official Irish Singles Chart[5]
• 1994: Mariah Carey, from her first studio holiday album, Merry Christmas, reached No. 70 on the US Billboard Holiday 100 chart.[6] It was re-released as a single in 1996 and 2000; a re-recorded live rendition is included on her 2010 follow-up album Merry Christmas II You. In 2019, her single was certified Gold in the US by RIAA.[7] It reached No. 28 in Italy and it was certified Gold.[8] It reached the top-twenty in Iceland, peaking at number 19.[9]
• 1996: John Berry No. 55 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart[10]
• 1997: Martina McBride No. 74 on Hot Country Songs chart (also No. 67 in 1998, No. 49 in 1999, No. 57 in 2000, and No. 41 in 2001)[11]
• 1998: Celine Dion No. 44 on Billboard's Holiday chart;[12] in 2014, Nielsen SoundScan reported that her version had sold 240,000 copies in the US.[13]
• 2002: Josh Groban No. 1 Billboard Adult Contemporary chart[14]
• 2006: Josh Gracin No. 59 on Hot Country Songs chart[15]
• 2010–2011: Glee cast No. 1 US Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart[16]
• 2012: Ladywell Primary School in Motherwell, Scotland, released "O Holy Night" as a digital download on November 21, 2012. The school donated 90 percent of proceeds from the song to the Meningitis Research Foundation in memory of a student who had died of meningococcal septicaemia. The remaining 10 percent went to school funds.[17] It reached No. 39 on the UK Singles Chart.[18]
• 2017–2018: Lauren Daigle No. 14 US Billboard Christian adult contemporary,[19] No. 33 US Hot Christian Songs,[20] and No. 33 US Christian Airplay[21] charts

• List of Christmas carols

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

O Holy Night

•  French Wikisource has original text related to this article: Minuit chrétiens
• "Cantique de Noël": Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Free sheet music for voice and piano, Cantorion.org
• Sheet music and musical details, artsongcentral.com
• "Minuit Chrétien" on YouTube, Charles Jauquier (original French version)