Ding Dong Merrily on High, from Family Christmas Online^TM

This song is often included in medleys of "French Carols" because the tune is from a traditional French melody. But, ironically, this song was not a Christmas carol in France. Though it may be a folk tune that goes back centuries, the first time this tune appeared in print, it was in a dance called "Bransle l'Officiale," part of a collection by sixteenth-century French composer Jehan Tabourot.

In 1924, Englishman George Ratcliffe Woodward married this tune to English verses of his own creation. Woodward loved to read older English poetry. For this song, he used archaic language that might fool a listener into thinking that the words were centuries old instead of decades. Most people find it hard to believe that these words are only sixteen years older than Irving Berlin's "White Christmas."

This page provides only the English lyrics as we haven't been able to track down a French version of the song as a Christmas carol. We hope that's not too confusing.

Ding dong! merrily on high in heav'n the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky is riv'n with Angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

E'en so here below, below, let steeple bells be swungen,
And "Io, io, io!" by priest and people sungen.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

Pray you, dutifully prime your Matin chime, ye ringers;
May you beautifully rime your Evetime Song, ye singers.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

If you know of any French lyrics for this carol, or if you have any corrections or comments you would like to make about this page, or if my brief attempt to summarize this history has troubled you in any way, please contact me and I will be glad to hear from you. God bless - Paul