Song picture
IN BETHLEHEM - Paul Thomas
Like
Playlist
Comment Share
Song for the Christmas season, but it seems to be true all year round A Christmas song called 'In Bethlehem', lyrics by Paul Thomas paul@paullyrics.com , an Englishman currently living and working in Israel, and music composed and perfo
rock producers jazz country christian original concerts songs artists christmas singers writers xmas
Artist picture
THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SONGS WRITTEN and PERFORMED by artists all over the world. We are located in WATKINS GLEN, NY.
THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SONGS FROM WRITERS, ARTISTS AND FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. RIGHT NOW OUR ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SONG BOOK IS 0VER 115 TUNES (SOME INSTRUMENTALS). IT COVERS A WIDE VARIETY OF MUSICAL TASTES FROM JAZZ, BLUES, COUNTY, FOLK, TRADITIONAL, ROCK, METAL, SOME SONGS WE CONSIDER MODERN DAY CHRISTMAS CLASSICS, AND SOME SONGS I JUST HAVEN'T FOUND THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THEM YET !!!
Song Info
Genre
Pop • Christmas/Seasonal
Charts
Peak #202
Peak in subgenre #17
Author
Paul Thomas
Rights
2007
Uploaded
November 27, 2008
Track Files
MP3
MP3 2.9 MB • 128 kbps • 3:11
Story behind the song
It is not your typical 'jingle bells' Christmas song and it tells a story, some may say a 'politcal' or 'controversial' story, about a child born in Bethlehem in our modern age. I hope you like the song and it is the aim of 'The Grils' that our songs are really demo's waiting for professional singers/bands to perform and record our songs. Paul was born and spent his teens growing up in the Swiss Cottage area of North London. After leaving school at 18 he worked as a shop manager for a while before deciding that he wanted to experience life more. He picked up and travelled to Israel to work as a volunteer on a kibbutz in the North of Israel. It was here that he met his wife to be, Dina, whilst she was a serving Israeli soldier protecting the kibbutz (ha!), and he was a Christian volunteer. He converted to Orthodox Judaism in order to marry Dina and also as his father-in-law was a survivor of Auschwitz Concentration Camp. They then moved to London to live and Paul became a London Police officer, which was what he dreamt of becoming as a child. During his police service he was awarded a number of commendations including an award for bravery for disarming an armed man. Paul began to face mounting racism from his fellow officers as he had converted to Judaism, and after more than 3 years of racial abuse he could take no more and he took his employers, the Metropolitan Police Force, to an Industrial Tribunal Court in London for their racialist anti-Semitic treatment of him whilst he was a serving officer. Paul won his case against them and he remains the only serving police officer to have successfully won a case of racial discrimination against the Metropolitan Police Force. As a result of his victory he received compensation and left the police. In 1996 he emigrated to Israel where he now lives with his wife & 3 children. Paul now works at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv as a Consular Assistant and continues to work on his lyrics daily. Paul grew up with the music of the 60's with The Beatles being the first music to affect him, thereafter he found the music of Bob Dylan who has remained his biggest musical and lyrical influence. He also likes the music of The Band, Leonard Cohen, The Jayhawks, Neil Young, Buddy Holly, The Arctic Monkeys and many more.... All the best - Paul
Lyrics
HERE'S THE LYRICS In Bethlehem A child is born in Bethlehem on Christmas Day at 6 a.m. no guiding star to show the way no wise men come to kneel and pray No angel heralds a new king no shepherds come their gifts to bring the family's poor and deep in need now there's another mouth to feed In Bethlehem, in Bethlehem In Bethlehem on Christmas morning The church bells ring in Manger Square they're calling us to Christmas prayer You need a pass to enter through The barricades where people queue The atmosphere is charged and tense the town's surrounded by a fence A curfew falls right after dark war and peace have left their mark In Bethlehem, in Bethlehem In Bethlehem on Christmas morning While gath'ring 'round the Christmas tree please raise your glass and drink to me, the child that's born in Bethlehem on Christmas day at 6 a.m. And while you wait for Santa Claus and celebrate without remorse then raise your glass and toast again to everyone in Bethlehem In Bethlehem, in Bethlehem In Bethlehem on Christmas morning In Bethlehem, in Bethlehem In Bethlehem on Christmas morning
On Playlists
Comments
Please sign up or log in to post a comment.