Ever get that eerie, rhythmic feeling when "We Three Kings" starts playing? It's not your typical "Jingle Bells" vibe. It’s haunting. It’s almost a little dark. Honestly, it’s one of the few Christmas carols that feels like it has actual weight to it.
You’ve probably sung it a thousand times, but the story behind the we three kings lyrics original is way more interesting than just a bunch of guys on camels. Most people assume this is some ancient British hymn passed down from the Middle Ages. Nope. It’s actually a 19th-century American "indie" hit written by a guy who was basically a one-man creative studio.
The Man Who Did It All
John Henry Hopkins Jr. wasn’t just a clergyman. He was a journalist, a lawyer, a book illustrator, and a music teacher. Back in 1857, while he was working at the General Theological Seminary in New York City, he decided his nieces and nephews needed a cool Christmas present. So, he wrote them a song.
Most carols from that era were a team effort—one person wrote the lyrics, and another person wrote the tune. Hopkins was a bit of a rebel. He did both.
He didn't just want a catchy melody; he wanted something that felt old. If you listen to the verses, they’re in a minor key. It feels like a slow, dusty trek across a desert. But when the chorus hits? It flips to a major key. It’s like the musical version of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
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We Three Kings Lyrics Original: The 1857 Text
When Hopkins first penned this, he didn't just write a song; he wrote a mini-drama. He actually intended for it to be performed by three separate male voices. Each "king" would step forward to sing his specific verse about his specific gift.
Here is the original phrasing as it appeared in his 1863 collection, Carols, Hymns, and Songs:
The First Verse (The Trio)
We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
The Chorus (The Hook)
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
The Second Verse (The Gold - Casper/Gaspard)
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain.
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
The Third Verse (The Frankincense - Melchior)
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.
The Fourth Verse (The Myrrh - Balthazar)
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume.
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
The Fifth Verse (The Finale)
Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
Why the "Myrrh" Verse Is So Metal
Let’s be real. The fourth verse is a total mood killer. "Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying"? That’s heavy stuff for a holiday about a baby in a manger.
But that’s why the we three kings lyrics original version is so respected by historians and theologians. Hopkins wasn't just fluffing up a story. Myrrh was an embalming spice. By including it, he was basically foreshadowing the entire life and death of Jesus right at the birth.
It’s gritty. It’s real. It’s why the song doesn't feel like a Hallmark card.
Breaking the Myths
The Bible never says there were three of them. Seriously. Read Matthew 2. It just says "Magi" or "Wise Men." We only assume there were three because there were three gifts mentioned: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Also, they probably weren't "kings." Magi were more like court astrologers or priestly scholars from Persia. But "We Three Court Astrologers" doesn't really have the same ring to it, does it? Hopkins leaned into the "king" tradition because it made for a better pageant.
He also got some flak for the term "Orient." In the mid-1800s, that was just standard English for "The East." Today, it feels a bit dated, but in the context of 1857, it was meant to evoke the mystery of the distant Arabian and Persian lands.
Why It Still Works
This was the first American Christmas carol to really "make it" in the UK. It crossed the Atlantic and became a staple in the Oxford Book of Carols.
The structure is basically perfect. You have:
- The Setup (The journey).
- The Symbolism (Gold for royalty).
- The Spirit (Incense for divinity).
- The Sacrifice (Myrrh for mortality).
- The Resolution (The Resurrection).
It’s a complete narrative arc in five short stanzas. Kinda brilliant.
Taking It Beyond the Page
If you're planning on using these lyrics for a church service or a school play, remember that the "original" way to do it is as a trio. Have your singers actually move during the "Field and fountain, moor and mountain" line. It adds that sense of pilgrimage Hopkins was obsessed with.
Check the sheet music for that 6/8 time signature too. If you play it too fast, it sounds like a circus. If you play it with that "plodding" rhythm, you get that authentic 1850s caravan feel.
To get the most out of this classic, try listening to a version that emphasizes the transition from the minor key of the verses to the major key of the chorus. It’s a great way to appreciate the "theological shift" Hopkins was trying to create between the struggle of the journey and the joy of the destination.