Lyrics Silent Night - Tom Paxton

Silent Night

I was sleeping when they came
The warning was the same
They’ve crossed the border
Grandpa’s dignity intact
Never once did he look back
We moved in order
Down the steps the lamps were lit
We found space where we could sit
There was no talking
We heard bombs begin to fall
We could hear the trembling wall
Like God was walking
The night was calm
The stars were bright
It was a calm
And peaceful night
Little bits of ceiling fell
And I thought if this is hell
Then where’s the fire
Grandpa held me in his lap
Till I heard s sudden snap
Like a breaking wire
Then I heard a giant roar
And I felt the shelter floor
Come up to meet me
I struggled with my fright
There was something in the night
That meant to eat me
The night was calm
The stars were bright
It was a calm
And peaceful night
When I found myself again
I could hear the sounds of men
Soft words were spoken
I was lying on the ground
Trying to move myself around
Something was broken
When I finally raised my head
I could see that all were dead
If not dead, dying
There were strangers all about
Trying to dig the shelter out
And some were crying
The night was calm
The stars were bright
It was a calm
And peaceful night
On the southern edge of town
I could hear it coming down
The earth was quaking
When I knew that I would live
I thought, what are we to give
For what we’re taking
I saw flashes in the sky
I saw something up there die
All red and leaping
Grandpa lay beside me there
And I straightened out his hair
He seemed to be sleeping
Of the diggers, there was one
Found the body of his son
And held it to him
Grandpa lay upon his back
With his dignity intact
I hardly knew him
The night was calm
The stars were bright
It was a calm
And peaceful night
The night was calm
The stars were bright
It was a calm
And peaceful night