A census. Everybody back to the town they came from to be counted, and every house in Bethlehem full by sundown. A young girl knocks on doors till the doors run out, and has her baby out the back with the animals, on the straw.
Out on the hills the night shift is working. Shepherds, nobody’s favourite men. The sky tears open over the field and they hit the ground. Do not be afraid. Go into the town and you will find him in a feeding trough, wrapped up like anybody’s child.
Nobody sent word to the palace. The first people told were the ones nobody would have told.
She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The World English Bible. A modern English translation made from the Hebrew and Greek, in plain language, and in the public domain.
Everybody back where they started
Every road into town
Knocking on the doors till the doors ran out
And the sun went down
No room
No room
No room
No room
Count us all (the census!)
Everybody home to be counted
Knocking on the doors (we were full!)
Every house in town (we were full!)
Nobody had a bed
Nobody had a bed
And a girl in the dark (she was young!)
Out the back with the animals (out the back!)
Had a baby on the straw
No room!
Not a bed in Bethlehem tonight
No room!
So he came in a feeding trough
And the sky came open over the hills
Out on the hills (we were working!)
Night shift, nobody's favourite men
Sky tore open (we hit the ground!)
Light all over the field
Don't be afraid
Don't be afraid
Go into the town (go and see!)
You'll find him in a manger (in a manger!)
Wrapped up like anybody's child
No room!
Not a bed in Bethlehem tonight
No room!
So he came in a feeding trough
And the sky came open over the hills
Glory to God
Peace on the earth
Glory to God
Go and see
Nobody sent word to the palace
Nobody lit a lamp for us
Just a shed round the back of a full house
And the whole world starting again
No room... no room...
No room... no room...
No room!
Not a bed in Bethlehem tonight
No room!
So he came in a feeding trough
(They found him just like they were told! Just like they were told!)
He came in a feeding trough
He came in a feeding trough
No room