Winter Solstice Secular 2015 Songs

Compliments of Tampa Bay Coalition of Reason

This idea was started by Ryan Cragun, Ph.D, in his book "How to Defeat Religion in Ten Easy Steps". He gave a talk and challenged us to rewrite Christmas carols in a secular form without being disrespectful. He had written a secular version of Silent Night. At that time, Kayt Kennedy, Dave Vangsness and Jeri Beth Maxie re-wrote "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and changed it to "Oh Rest Ye Merry Gentle Ones". Jeri Beth shared Ryan's idea with Mark Brandt and Bill Norsworthy and later had them over, along with Barbara Brandt and Marie Chapman, and they re-wrote a few other Christmas carols to make them secular. They plan on adding three new ones each year until they have about 20. It really was a lot of fun doing it.

AWAY IN THE FOREST

Away in the Forest

No lights except stars.

The Solstice is coming,

It isn’t too far.

The stars in the sky,

Look down where we live

The love that we wish for

We also must give.

The Solstice is special

It brings us all hope

We all come together

Including the Pope.

The sun is returning to brighten our days.

The world, it ain’t ending

It’ll be here always.

DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Troll the ancient Yule tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I tell of Yule tide treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.


Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow
On a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tail ring,
making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy to the world, Richard Dawkins has come.

Let all the earth rejoice.

First came Charles Darwin

A leader to the light,

And Carl Sagan too, and Carl Sagan too.

And Carl, and Carl

Sagan too.

Joy to the world, Dan Dennett has come.

Let all the earth rejoice.

We all know Stephen Hawking

Who came up with the Big Bang,

And Sam Harris too,

And Christopher Hitchen too,

And Neil…………

And Neil……………..

Tyson too.

Silent Night (Secular) - Ryan Cragun

Silent night, lowly night,

All is calm, all is right

Strong is the urging, parents and child

Cuddle infants, so tender and mild

Sleep in comforted peace,

Sleep in comforted peace.

Silent night, lowly night

Parents awake through the night.

Bonds formed through trials of love

Lullabies sung in the ears of.

A human child is born,

A human child is born.

Silent night, lowly night

Fully awed by love’s pure light,

Radiance beams from your lovely face

With the dawn, the night leaves no trace,

Child, loved at thy birth,

Child, loved at thy birth.

WE WISH YOU A MERRY SOLSTICE

We wish you a Merry Solstice
We wish you a Merry Solstice;
We wish you a Merry Solstice and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Solstice and a Happy New Year.

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Solstice
We wish you a Merry Solstice
We wish you a Merry Solstice and a Happy New Year.