Carol of the Bells – English Lyrics

• By: Pentatonix

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the magical world of a cappella with Pentatonix's 'Carol of the Bells.' This song is an excellent way to appreciate the artistry of vocal music, showcasing how voices alone can create complex harmonies, rhythmic textures, and powerful emotions without any instruments. You can learn about vocal blending, beatboxing, and intricate arrangements that make this traditional carol sound fresh and exciting, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the nuances of English lyrics and vocal interpretation.

[English]

(acapella harmonizing)

♪ Hark how the bells ♪

♪ Sweet silver bells ♪

♪ All seem to say ♪

♪ Throw cares away ♪

♪ Christmas is here ♪

♪ Bringing good cheer ♪

♪ To young and old ♪

♪ Meek and the bold ♪

♪ Ding-dong, ding-dong ♪

♪ That is the song ♪

♪ With joyful ring ♪

♪ All caroling ♪

♪ One seems to hear ♪

♪ Words of good cheer ♪

♪ From everywhere ♪

♪ Filling the air ♪

♪ Oh, how they pound ♪

♪ Raising their sound ♪

♪ O'er hill and dale ♪

♪ Telling their tale ♪

♪ Gaily they ring ♪

♪ While people sing songs of good cheer ♪

♪ Christmas is here ♪

♪ Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas ♪

♪ On on they send ♪

♪ On without end ♪

♪ Their joyful tone ♪

♪ To every home ♪

♪ Ah, ah, ah ♪

♪ Ding-dong, ding-dong ♪

♪ Ding-dong, ding-dong ♪

♪ Hark how the bells ♪ ♪ Sweet silver bells ♪

♪ All seem to say ♪

♪ Throw cares away ♪

♪ We will throw cares away ♪

♪ Christmas is here ♪

♪ Bringing good cheer ♪

♪ To young and old ♪

♪ Meek and the bold ♪

♪ Oh how they pound ♪

♪ Raising their sound ♪

♪ O'er hill and dale ♪

♪ Telling their tale ♪

♪ Gaily they ring ♪

♪ While people sing songs of good cheer ♪

♪ Christmas is here ♪

♪ Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas ♪

♪ On on they send ♪ ♪ On without end ♪

♪ Their joyful tone ♪

♪ To every home ♪

♪ Ah, ah, ah ♪

(acapella harmonizing)

(acapella harmonizing continues)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bell /bɛl/ A1	noun - a hollow metallic instrument that makes a ringing sound when struck
cheer /tʃɪr/ A2	noun - a shout of joy or support verb - to shout in joy or support
joyful /ˈdʒɔɪfəl/ B1	adjective - feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness
merry /ˈmɛri/ A2	adjective - cheerful and lively
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
sound /saʊnd/ A2	noun - what you hear verb - to make a noise
raise /reɪz/ B1	verb - to lift or move to a higher position
pound /paʊnd/ B2	verb - to hit or strike heavily
carol /ˈkɛrəl/ B1	noun - a song of joy or praise, especially one sung at Christmas
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for a short time
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - having lived for a long time
everywhere /ˈɛvriˌwɛr/ B1	adverb - in or to all places
tale /teɪl/ B2	noun - a story, especially one that is imaginary or fictitious

Key Grammar Structures

• Hark how the bells

  ➔ Interrogative pronoun + adverb + noun

  ➔ Uses the question word "how" to inquire about the manner in which the bells sound.

• All seem to say

  ➔ Infinitive verb form in the clause after "seem"

  ➔ The verb "seem" is used with the base form of a verb to express appearance or impression.

• That is the song

  ➔ Relative clause introduced by "that"

  ➔ Uses a relative clause to specify which song is being referred to.

• While people sing songs of good cheer

  ➔ Present participle phrase indicating simultaneous action

  ➔ The use of the present participle "sing" shows an ongoing or concurrent action.

• Filling the air

  ➔ Present participle phrase showing ongoing descriptive action

  ➔ The phrase "Filling the air" describes an ongoing action contributing to the atmosphere.

• On on they send

  ➔ Repetition of adverb "on" for emphasis, and simple present tense

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes continuous action through repetition of "on" with a simple present tense verb "send".