Angels We Have Heard on High
Words: Traditional French carol, tr. James Chadwick, 1862 · Tune "Gloria" · Public domain
Verse 1
GAngels we Chave Gheard on Dhigh,
GSweetly Dsinging Go'er the Dplains,
GAnd the Cmountains Gin Dreply
GEchoing D7their joyous Gstrains.
Refrain (sung after every verse)
Verse 2
GShepherds, why Cthis Gjubilee?
GWhy Dyour joyous Gstrains Dprolong?
GWhat the Cgladsome Gtidings be
GWhich inspire your Dheavenly Gsong?
Verse 3
GCome to CBethlehem and Dsee
GHim Dwhose birth Gthe angels Dsing;
GCome, Cadore on Gbended knee
GChrist the DLord, the D7newborn GKing.
Chords in the key of G
- G
- C
- D
- D7
About this hymn
- Words
- Traditional French carol, author unknown; English paraphrase by James Chadwick, 1862
- Music
- GLORIA, traditional French carol, composer unknown
- Meter
- 7.7.7.7 with refrain
- In
- 277 hymnals
- Scripture
- Luke 2:8-15, Luke 2:1-20, Psalm 103:20-22
The story
This one comes out of French popular tradition, and no composer has ever been identified for the melody. The dating is loose. Hymnary puts the French carol in the eighteenth century, and a related French text turns up in print as early as 1805, so the safe thing to say is a traditional French carol that was in print by the early 1800s. An 1842 printing credits the music only to the initials W. M., and the name scholars float for that would have made him a boy at the time, so I would not lean on it. James Chadwick, a Catholic bishop in England, wrote the 1862 English paraphrase. The long run of notes on the o in Gloria is the whole signature of the thing.
Where it fits in a service
Often used as a Christmas Eve or Christmas Sunday hymn, and as a choir piece where the refrain can be tossed between parts. It works anywhere the service wants a lift near the start.
Get the next chart
One email when a new hymn goes up, and the free starter guide to go with it — three chords and the shortest honest route from nothing to accompanying a congregation. It assumes you do not read music.
No cost, and unsubscribe from any email.
Take it further
Print this hymn
The same chart as a clean one-page PDF — with large-print lyrics, a guitar chart and a Nashville number chart of the same hymn.
See the printable set →Why these chords work
Gospel Piano Chords by Ear is the book behind these charts — how to hear the I, IV and V, and how to move between them without reading music.
About the book →Learn it with Henry
Online lessons, by ear, from the author of the book — a camera on the keys and this hymn ready for Sunday.
About lessons →