NEW  ZEALAND
FOLK*SONG
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The Southern Cross looks down

O little town of Bethlehem,
the Southern Cross looks down,
As once a star shone bright and clear
above an Eastern town,

The hearts of Bethlehem are cold,
the streets are hushed with snow,
The doors are locked, there is no room,
dear Lord, where will you go?

Oh come sweet Jesus, come to us,
New Zealand's shores are warm,
And here are loving hearts enough
To shield you from the storm.

Come we will give you all we have,
Each bird and flower and tree
The breeze that stirs the mountain tops (I'm not sure here??)
The music of the sea.

Tune:

This is a variant the old carol by Philip Brooks O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by...

And I think the tune has been altered a bit too.
If you can send me information on the tune, that phrase I am not sure of, I would appreciate it.

Other NZ Christmas songs

Te Harinui
Not on a snowy night
By star or candlelight...
Backblocks Nativity
...So her kid was born in that roadman's shack
By the light of a lamp that'd hardly burn...
A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A pukeko in a ponga tree...
Sticky Beak the Kiwi
He's notified old Santa Claus to notify the deer
That he will pull the Christmas sleigh in the southern hemisphere...
Märie Te Pö   Silent Night
Märie te pö, tapu te pö
Marino, marama
Ko te Whäea, me te Tama...
Peaceful night, holy night,
calm, bright.
See the mother and baby boy...
One on a Tractor
We three kings of Orient are
One on a tractor, two in a car...
An Upside Down Christmas
Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas;
Snow is not falling and trees are not bare...
The Jersey Cow Came Mooing
The jersey cow came mooing, mooing, mooing.
The jersey cow came mooing to the old shed door...
Christmas in New Zealand
A chance to share the good times in the summer sun
Another family holiday's begun
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Published 15 October 2003