From Tragedy to a Classic Christmas Carol: The Story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “I Heard The Bells”

On this episode of Our American Stories, the song has been recorded by Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams, Johnny Marks, and Frank Sinatra, to name a few. Here to tell the story is Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
And we continue with our American stories. Our next story
is about the famous Christmas Carol. I heard the bells
on Christmas Day. The song's been recorded by Harry Belafonte,
Johnny Cash, Andy Williams, Johnny Marks, and Frank Sinatra, to
name a few. You to tell the story is Robert Morgan,
who's the author of one hundred Bible verses that made America,

(00:32):
defining moments that shaped our enduring foundation of faith. Let's
take a listen.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
The famous Longfellow brothers were born and raised in Portland, Maine,
in the eighteen hundreds. Henry Wadsworth was born in eighteen
oh seven and Samuel in eighteen nineteen. Henry became a
Harvard Professor of literature and one of America's greatest writers,
authoring works like Paul Revere's Ride.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
You know the rest in the books you have read,
how the British regulars fired and fled, how the farmers
gave them ball for ball from behind each fence and
farm yard wall, chasing the red coats down the lane,
then crossing the fields to emerge again under the trees
at the turn of the road, and only pausing to
fire and load. So through the night rode Paul Revere.

(01:22):
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
to every Middlesex village and farm, a cry of defiance
and not of fear, a voice in the darkness, a
knock at the door, and a word that shall echo
for evermore, forborne on the night wind of the past,
through all our history to the last. In the hour

(01:45):
of darkness and peril and need, the people will waken
and listen to hear the hurrying hoof beats of that
steed and the midnight message of Paul Revere.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
There were over twenty four different companies that published his works.
His writings became immensely popular throughout Europe, and one of
his most loyal fans was President Abraham Lincoln. While Henry
was publishing his books, dark clouds were gathering over his
life and over the United States. In eighteen sixty one,

(02:21):
his wife tragically died when her dress caught on fire
in their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That same year, the
Civil War broke out, tearing the nation apart. Two years later,
during the fiercest days of the conflict, Henry sung Charlie seventeen,
ran away from home and hopped a board a train
to join the Union Army. Charlie proved a brave soldier

(02:45):
in a popular one. He saw action at the Battle
of Chancellorsville in eighteen sixty three, but in early June
he contracted typhoid, fever and malaria and was sent home
to recover. By August, Charlie was well enough to returned
to the field. On November twenty seventh, during the Battle
of New Hope Church in Virginia, he was shot through

(03:08):
the left shoulder. The bullet nicked his spine and came
close to paralyzing him. He was carried into the church
and later taken to Washington to recover. Receiving the news
on December first, Henry left immediately for Washington. He found
his son well enough to travel, and they headed back
to Cambridge, arriving there on the eighth. For weeks, Henry

(03:31):
sat by his son's bedside, slowly nursing his boy back
to health. On Christmas Day, December twenty five, eighteen sixty three,
Henry gave vent to his feelings, writing a reflective carol
that can only be understood against the backdrop of the war.
Two stands as now omitted for most hymnals speak of

(03:53):
the cannons thundering in the south, and of hatred tearing
apart the hearthstones of the continent. The poet feels light,
dropping his head in despair.

Speaker 4 (04:07):
The cannon thundered in the south, and with a sound
the carous drowned, and in despair about my head. There

(04:38):
is no piece on earth, I said, for hate is
strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill.

(05:06):
Two men.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
But then he hears the Christmas bells. Their triumphant pealing
reminds him that God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
God who lives.

Speaker 5 (05:27):
And peeled the pills more loud and deep. God is
not dead, nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall say.

Speaker 4 (05:48):
The right prevail with peace on earth goodwill.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
The Sunday school children of Longfellow's local church in Boston
first sang this song during that year's Christmas celebration. I
heard the bells on Christmas Day reminds us that no
matter how deep our painters sorrow, we are but a
breath away from the sweet bells and singing of Heaven.

Speaker 6 (06:23):
Then pee the bells more loud and deep. God is
not dead, nor do heasleep. The wrong shelf fail the.

Speaker 7 (06:44):
Roll prevail with Peace Earth Good with.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
Two and a terrific job on the production, editing and
storytelling by our own Greg Hengler, and a special thanks
to Robert Morgan who's the author of one hundred Bible
verses that made America and what a story he told here.

(07:18):
God is Not Dead, the story of Longfellows. I heard
the bells here on our American Stories. This is Lee Habib,
host of our American Stories. Every day we set out
to tell the stories of Americans past and present, from
small towns to big cities, and from all walks of

(07:39):
life doing extraordinary things. But we truly can't do this
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