The First Noel Traditional English carol, 1823
6 verses and a refrain, sung to The First Noel (Irregular), public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. The first Nowell the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell!
Born is the King of Israel!
Verse 2. They looked up and saw a Star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Verse 3. And by the light of that same Star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the Star wherever it went.
Verse 4. This Star drew nigh to the north-west
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right o’er the place where Jesus lay.
Verse 5. Then entered in those wise men three
Most reverently upon their knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Both gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Verse 6. Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our Heavenly Lord,
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought,
And with His blood mankind hath bought.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from Christmas Carols: Old English Carols for Christmas and Other Festivals (1922). They were published in 1823, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind The First Noel
The First Noel is an English carol of unknown authorship, probably from the 1600s. The earliest known copy is a manuscript John Hutchens wrote for Davies Gilbert around 1816 or 1817. It has nine stanzas and a melody. Gilbert printed the nine stanzas, without the tune, in the 1823 edition of Some Ancient Christmas Carols.
William Sandys printed the words with a melody in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern in 1833. That tune is the one churches sing today. Sandys never said where he found it. Some writers say he collected it in Cornwall in 1827, but no one has cited a source for that claim.
The harmony in most books comes from Christmas Carols New and Old by John Stainer and Bramley. Hymnary.org dates it to 1871 and the Hymnology Archive dates it to 1868, so sources disagree.
Hymnologists have argued about the tune. One theory in 1915 linked it to a treble part by Jeremiah Clarke. The New Oxford Book of Carols (1992) calls it a blend of parts from oral tradition.
"Nowell" comes from the Latin word for birth. Hymnary.org notes that the second stanza implies the shepherds followed the star, which the Gospels do not say. The hymnologists at the Hymnology Archive trace the idea of three shepherds to medieval plays.
- Hymnology Archive, The first Nowell , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, The first Noel, the angel did say , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Baptist Hymnal 1956, hymn 63 , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in The First Noel
The Bible passages behind the words.
- Luke 2:8-14
- Matthew 2:1-2
- Numbers 24:17
- Isaiah 60:3
The First Noel videos
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The First Noel • Congregational Daniel Baptist, Congregation
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The First Noel, arr. Mack Wilberg (2018) - The Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Choir
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The First Nowell 🎶 King’s College Choir Cambridge (Christmas 2013) spiritdei, Choir
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Pentatonix - The First Noel (Official Video) Pentatonix, A cappella
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The First Noel - Christmas Hymn on piano Kaleb Brasee, Piano
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The First Noel | Phil Wickham The Worship Initiative, Modern arrangement
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Downloads, printing and slides
Sheet music files
- Sheet music PDF 164 KB. Words and all four parts, ready to print.
- Lead sheet PDF 109 KB. Melody, words and chord symbols for piano or guitar.
- MusicXML score XML 89 KB. Opens in MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius and Dorico to change the key or print parts.
- MIDI, all parts MIDI 3 KB. Plays the four-part harmony in any MIDI player or notation app.
- MIDI, melody only MIDI 1 KB. The tune alone, for learning it.
Practice tracks for each voice part, as MIDI: Alto , Tenor , Bass .
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in D or C.
Questions people ask
Who wrote The First Noel?
No one knows. It is an English carol, probably from the 1600s. Davies Gilbert printed the words in 1823 and William Sandys printed words and tune in 1833.
What is the story behind The First Noel?
Hutchens copied it for Davies Gilbert around 1816, Gilbert printed it in 1823, and Sandys published the tune in 1833. John Stainer's harmony from the 1860s or 1870s became the standard.
What does Noel mean?
It comes from the Latin word for birth. About half of hymnals spell it Noel and half spell it Nowell.
Is The First Noel in the public domain?
Yes. The words were first printed in 1823, the tune in 1833, and the standard harmony by 1871.
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