Sir Henry Walford Davies (1869-1941), organist, composer, and Master of the King's Musick, did not write "O Little Town of Bethlehem." He wrote an arrangement for chorus and organ of what he took to be a traditional Christmas song, but the song was actually written in 1868 by Bishop Phillips Brooks, the pastor of Holy Trinity Church of Philadelphia, and Lewis Henry Redner, the church's organist. While some English choruses still credit "O Little Town of Bethlehem" to Davies, America credits the Christmas classic to Brooks and Redner, neither of whom ever wrote anything else that is still performed or recorded. The song itself has a hymn-like melody above placid perfect cadences setting lyrics that record Brooks' spiritual exultation as he entered Bethlehem during the Christmas season.

© James Leonard, Rovi