About the song
“When a Child Is Born” is a beloved Christmas song with a unique origin and history. Its melody comes from a 1970 German song titled “Tränen lügen nicht” (Tears Don’t Lie) by Michael Holm. This original song, written in German, tells a heartfelt story about a man being urged to reconsider his decision to end a relationship, as the tears of his partner reveal genuine emotion.
The melody was adapted into English a few years later by Austrian composer Fred Jay, who transformed it into a Christmas song. Interestingly, despite its association with Christmas, the song itself does not specifically reference the holiday in its lyrics. This English version, titled “When a Child Is Born,” became widely recognized for its uplifting and hopeful message.
The song gained significant popularity when Michael Holm recorded his version in 1974. However, it was Johnny Mathis’s rendition that truly captured the public’s heart. Released in 1976, Mathis’s version, known as “When A Child Is Born (Soleado),” became a major hit in the UK. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top, including the coveted Christmas number one spot. The single sold an impressive 885,000 copies during that time.
In the United States, the song appeared on the Record World survey during the Christmas seasons of 1976 and 1977, peaking at number 123 and staying on the charts for ten weeks. Johnny Mathis later re-recorded the song as a duet with Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1980, which also found its way onto the UK Singles Chart.
The melody of “When a Child Is Born” has also been used in other contexts, including a 1995 dance hit by Mark ‘Oh, further demonstrating the song’s enduring appeal and versatility.
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Lyrics
A ray of hope flickers in the sky
A tiny star lights up way up high
All across the land, dawns a brand new morn
This comes to pass when a child is born
A silent wish sails the seven seas
The winds of change whisper in the trees
And the walls of doubt crumble, tossed and torn
This comes to pass when a child is born
A rosy hue settles all around
You’ve got to feel you’re on solid ground
For a spell or two, no one seems forlorn
This comes to pass when a child is born
And all of this happens because the world is waiting
Waiting for one child
Black, white, yellow, no one knows
But a child that will grow up and turn tears to laughter
Hate to love, war to peace and everyone to everyone’s neighbour
And misery and suffering will be words to be forgotten forever
It’s all a dream, an illusion now
It must come true, sometime soon somehow
All across the land, dawns a brand new morn
This comes to pass when a child is born