Story Behind The Song

A song about the shepherds "abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night."

Song Description

"Because they tended sheep, you see, they got the message first." This simple Irish-sounding folk song tells the tale of the shepherds on Christmas Eve. Johnny Schaefer wrote the lyrics and Lynn Kowal wrote the music and the two sing the song together to the accompaniment of an autoharp.

Lyrics

Shepherd's Light (J. Schaefer/L. Kowal)
I sent this poem to Lynn Kowal, who is a hard-working advocate for composers in the music industry and a wonderful musician herself. She came back to me almost instantly with this lovely melody and after hearing her sing on the demo, I knew she had to sing it with me!
The night the world received the gift
A star shone strong and bright
All other orbs that glowed seemed dimmed
By such a wondrous sight
The shimmering waters danced and gleamed
With silvery hills in sight
To those who watched the sheep it beamed
'til they were filled with fright

"What can it be?" they said in fear,
Still tending to their flocks
"We've nothing to defend us here
But rod, and staff, and rocks."
Then, brighter still, than that same star
A being filled their sight
In brilliant splendor from afar
An angel of great light.

The angel sang "Glory to God
And peace to all on earth!
Not fear, but joy should fill your hearts
At this, your savior's birth."
Because they tended sheep, you see,
They got the message first
Of Him, who would good shepherd be
To humans, best and worst.

Just like those shepherds long ago
God calls us all to be
No longer sheep, but shepherds now
To guide, protect, and feed.

© 2016 Lynn Kowal, Curly Girl Music, ASCAP/Johnny Schaefer, Auditory Verve Music, ASCAP

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