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Song Information:
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" was first published in 1833 when it appeared in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, a collection of
seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys.
The lyrics are reputed to date back to the 15th century, and are written in Early Modern English. The author is unknown. The words of the song had
different meanings in the time of its writing than in contemporary use; rest meant "keep," while merry meant "mighty" or "strong"—thus, the
title in modern English means "May God keep you gentlemen strong." It is believed that the song was sung to the gentry by town watchmen who earned additional money
during the Christmas season.
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