God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

5 Dec

This is a Christmas song from the early 19th century. Thus, its English is not particularly useful to today’s students. You can see the old form for plural “you” (ye) which isn’t too handy nowadays, for instance.

God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye, merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

In the first recording version, the melody repeats 3 times, with singing in the middle one.

Students can sing along, and of course, if they like, write their own words to the karaoke version.

In the audios below, you’ll also find another version of the song. There is also a karaoke version on this.

to sleep in = to sleep late

Here are some of the words. Have your students find the rest.

God Bless You, Fellow English Students

God bless you, fellow English students
It’s all (1) __________ and no (2) __________
Put down the (3) __________ lists
It’s time for a (4) ___________
(5) __________ stay up (6) ____________
On the dance (7) __________
(8) __________ homework will have to wait
And (9) __________ the morning
We’ll sleep (10) __________ very late
Very very late. (repeat last line)

Key: (1) work, (2) play, (3) vocabulary, (4) holiday, (5) We’ll, (6) till, (7) floor, (8) our, (9) in, (10) in

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This song was recorded before 1923, and is in the public domain. It means I’m free to record it and publish it on my web site, and you’re free to use it.