G                                
A frosty Christmas eve, when the stars were shining
  Em                           C                  D
I traveled forth alone, where westward falls the hill
         C           D               C                 D
And for many, many a village, in the darkness of the valley
         G                           C        G
Distant music reached me, peals of bells were ringing.


     G                                             
Then sped my thoughts to olden times, to that first of Christmases
      Em                                C            D
When shepherds who were watching, heard music in the fields
          C                  D                  C                   D
And they sat there and they marveled, and they knew they could not tell
        G                       C              G
Whether it were angels, or the bright stars a-singing


    G                             
But to me heard afar, it was starry music
    Em                         C              D
The singing of the angels, the comfort of our Lord
         C                D                 C             D
Words of old that come a traveling, by the riches of the times
      G                     C              G
And I softly listened, as I stood upon the hill
                            C               G
And I softly listened, as I stood upon the hill