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The Story of... 'A Spaceman Came Travelling' by Chris de Burgh

3 December 2020, 13:15 | Updated: 16 November 2022, 16:27

By Tom Eames

"Peace and goodwill to all men, and love for the child..."

It might not be as iconic as 'Fairytale of New York' or 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday', and you might not even know it by name, but you'll no doubt know (and love) this festive track's soaring chorus.

But what is this intriguing song by Chris de Burgh all about and how did it become a Christmas favourite? Here's all the big facts:

Who wrote 'A Spaceman Came Travelling'?

Chris de Burgh wrote this song for his second album Spanish Train and Other Stories , released in 1975.

The British-Irish singer would not achieve any mainstream success in the UK until 'The Lady in Red' over 10 years later.

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' meaning: What is the song about?

Chris de Burgh - A Spaceman Came Travelling

De Burgh had just signed his first recording contract with A&M Records, and was broke and "staying at a friend's flat" when he read Chariots of the Gods? by Erich von Däniken.

The book made him ponder, "what if the star of Bethlehem was a space craft and what if there is a benevolent being or entity in the universe keeping an eye on the world and our foolish things that we do to each other?".

Already a fan of Irish poet William Butler Yeats, whose work 'The Second Coming' states that every two years or so there would be a major cataclysmic event, de Burgh saw the birth of Christ as "such an event and then 2,000 years later there would be a similar" one.

He imagined "the nativity scene, the thing hovering over and I could see the shepherds in the fields and this weird, ethereal music was drifting into the air and they were 'what the heck is that'?"

How did it perform in the charts?

The song was not a success in the UK and failed to chart entirely. However, it topped the charts in Ireland in 1976.

In 1986, following his huge success with 'The Lady in Red', a reissue reached number 15 in Ireland and number 40 in the UK.

He said: "I had no ideas about trying to write a hit record". Despite it never reaching higher than 40 in the UK, it has since grown to become a Christmas classic thanks to its use in various festive compilations.

He added that it's been "much better to have a regular recurring song than a hit for three weeks."

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' cover versions: Who else has recorded it?

John Gibbons - A Spaceman Came Travelling (feat. Nina Nesbitt)

A handful of artists have covered the song, including rock band Smokie and Irish vocal group Celtic Woman.

In 2018, Irish producer John Gibbons released an electronic dance version with singer Nina Nesbitt on vocals.

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' lyrics

A spaceman came travelling on his ship from afar, 'Twas light years of time since his mission did start, And over a village he halted his craft, And it hung in the sky like a star, just like a star He followed a light and came down to a shed, Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed, A bright light of silver shone round his head, And he had the face of an angel, and they were afraid Then the stranger spoke, he said "Do not fear, I come from a planet a long way from here, And I bring a message for mankind to hear, " And suddenly the sweetest music filled the air And it went La La Peace and goodwill to all men, and love for the child

This lovely music went trembling through the ground, And many were wakened on hearing that sound, And travellers on the road, the village they found, By the light of that ship in the sky, which shone all round And just before dawn at the paling of the sky, The stranger returned and said "Now I must fly, When two thousand years of your time has gone by, This song will begin once again, to a baby's cry" And it went La La This song will begin once again To a baby's cry And it goes La La Peace and goodwill to all men, and Love for the child Oh the whole world is waiting, waiting to hear the song again, There are thousands standing on the edge of the world, And a star is moving somewhere, the time is nearly here, This song will begin once again, to a baby's cry

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A Spaceman Came Travelling

• Chris De Burgh

Lyrics submitted by Bobo192

A Spaceman Came Travelling Lyrics as written by Chris De Burgh

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

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First off, it never mentions a light year; it's "thousand years" not "light years". Misheard lyrics 4tw.

As for 'two thousand years' being a prediction well... predictions don't generally come true. Especially not ones with a timer attached, unless they're self-fulfilling prophecies.

Regardless, the idea isn't that "god" himself is an alien, but that the ANGEL that visted was. This's been explored many times before, since supposedly angels were made before humans, had a little war in their home, that kind of stuff. Now, since the universe supposedly wasn't even made until AFTER this war, that seems kind of odd; one would think they lived 'somewhere' right? Soooo an easy enough explaination is that it's just a misinterpretation and that it wasn't the universe that was created after the angels' war, but rather earth itself, which would mean that angels were just an alien race as the 'first attempt that went bad'. To be honest it makes more sense than the more literal translation that's generally accepted.

Also, just in referance to redcoat, the big bang's not really all that disputed; there's more than enough evidence to pretty much say that's pretty likely where things started... the question then becomes, how did it start? If it was all the matter and energy in the universe existing compacted incredably tightly, even more dense than a black hole, then WHY did it just randomly explode? One could claim that the big bang was the equivilent to god dumping out a box of lego parts onto the ground to make stuff with, and that the big bang itself was divine in nature, rather than a natural occurance. Of course that doesn't neccesarily mean it's true either, though there's only a handful of theories which even make the most vague of sense in explaining how it could even happen. Even the whole m-branes don't make total sense as it still relies on a previously infinite amount of time wherein nothing happened at all before the big bang.

So was the angel an alien? Was the big bang caused by god? Or is it all just a myth like everything else people used to believe and in a few thousand years we'll just look back on this in schools as foolishness? Guess we all find out eventually, shame by that point yeu're dead and it's not very useful information anymore XD

Anyways, nice song, the angel's singing lines are very nicely done, haunting and etherial, quite beautiful in their own way. Shame the lyrics only briefly touch on the concepts given, rather than exploring them more fully. But that's why it's a song and not an essay I suppose, any thought provocation at all is better than whot most artists can claim, so even if it's a bit blunt, it works well enough.

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No, whoever submitted these lyrics, he had the face of an angel, not an angle. Also, from what I can make out it's "love for a child" rather than "the child".

But it seems a handful of lyrics sites, and even one YouTube video, have copied each other and so ended up with these errors in them.

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"When two thousand years of your time has gone by" - Okay, expecting it was the sound that could be heard on Jesus' birth nearly 2000 years has gone by when Chris der Burgh sang it (once again) on his album "Spanish Train and other Stories 1975) and the mankind (a part of course) heard it "again".

This powerful song was divinely inspired at a time when the general atmosphere was prickling with a sense of Christ's return. The meaning is absolutely clear. He speaks of the 2nd coming being born 'in the flesh' (a baby's cry) 2,000 years after the 1st coming. It WAS the case: The Messiah and 2nd coming was born 1920, and the marriage of the lamb took place in 1960. ...I leave the rest for those who want to do their homework to find out for themselves who I'm talking about and what is happening providentially.

It's Christian science, claiming God is an alien hence the references to spacemen refering to the bible. Of course it's all aload of rubbish, BIG BANG RULES.

"When two thousand years of your time has gone by, This song will begin once again" I'm still waiting.

it's just a beautiful song. im glad it's christian friendly, more people can enjoy it.

The great Monobrowed one getting high on 'La Bise' again whilst reading the bible.

for further info see 'Lonely Sky' by de burgh.

"He followed a light and came down to a shed, Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed" is worthy of the great McGonagall. The whole lyric is so portentious and so deeply dreadful it brought me out in a thin sweat of embarassment. Also betrays basic ignorance of writer as a light year is a measurement of distance, not time.

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A Spaceman Came Travelling

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" A Spaceman Came Travelling " is a song by Chris de Burgh . It first appeared on his second studio album, Spanish Train and Other Stories , which was released in 1975. It has been released numerous times as a single, becoming a popular Christmas song , and has appeared on many festive compilation albums.

• 1 Single release
• 2 Composition
• 3 New versions
• 4 Cover versions
• 6 References

Single release [ ]

The song was not an initial success in the UK and failed to chart. After its first release in 1976 it reached the top position of the Irish single charts staying 15 weeks in the Irish charts [1] and climbed to number 22 in the Canadian airplay charts. [2] However, in 1986, following de Burgh's huge success with " The Lady in Red ", its reissue reached number 15 in Ireland charting for only 1 week. The song was also issued as a double A-side with the song " The Ballroom of Romance " and charted for the first time in the UK in 1986, reaching number 40 and staying on the chart for five weeks. [3] It was also released as a single in the Netherlands in 1985. Template:Citation needed

Composition [ ]

De Burgh, who had just signed his first recording contract with A&M Records , was broke and "staying at a friend's flat" when he read Chariots of the Gods? by Erich von Däniken . The book made him think "what if the star of Bethlehem was a space craft and what if there is a benevolent being or entity in the universe keeping an eye on the world and our foolish things that we do to each other?" A fan of Irish poet William Butler Yeats , whose work " The Second Coming " avers that every 2,000 years or so there would be a major cataclysmic event happening, de Burgh saw the birth of Christ as "such an event and then 2,000 years later there would be a similar" one. He imagined "the nativity scene , the thing hovering over and I could see the shepherds in the fields and this weird, ethereal music was drifting into the air and they were 'what the heck is that'?" But he "had no ideas about trying to write a hit record." The song failed to chart when it was first released as a single, but de Burgh says it's been "much better to have a regular recurring song than a hit for three weeks." [4]

The space angle is reflected in the use of a string synthesizer on the track. [5]

New versions [ ]

Following the success of "The Lady in Red" , a reworked version of the song was released as a single for Christmas 1986, backed with a remixed version of "The Ballroom of Romance". [6] This version features a re-recorded vocal track (highlighting de Burgh's improved voice, thus matching the style of his 1980s work) overlaid with a remix of the original backing, and has a slightly different rendition of the final chorus. This version was subsequently included on the compilation albums Spark to a Flame , Notes from Planet Earth and Now And Then , on all of which it is listed with a publishing date of 1989, although some more recent compilation albums have reverted back to the 1975 version.

A further new version was released as a download-only single in 2010 under the title "A Spaceman Came Travelling 2010". This version features a newly-recorded vocal and is somewhat more downbeat than the original, consisting largely of keyboards and acoustic guitar.

Cover versions [ ]

• Austrian band Eela Craig covered the song on Hats of Glass in 1976.
• Taiwanese singer Chyi Chin released " Template:Lang " (Until the end of the world) on his 1994 album Template:Lang .
• Another Taiwanese singer, Samuel Tai, covered the song in English on his album Looking for a word to replace . [7]
• English rock band Smokie released a cover of the song on Light a Candle – The Christmas Album in 1996.
• Icelandic singer Páll Óskar and harpist Monika Abendroth covered the song on their 2003 Christmas album Template:Lang ( Lights at home ). [8]
• Polish dance singer Mandaryna released her version of the song on her 2005 album Mandarynkowy sen and as a Christmas radio single.
• Gregorian released a cover of the song on their Christmas Chants album in 2006.
• Celtic Woman released the song as a bonus track on the German release of their 2010 album Songs from the Heart . It also featured on their 2011 DVD, Believe , performed by Lisa Lambe, as well as the soundtrack released in 2012.
• An abridged version of the song was performed near the end of the Mrs Brown's Boys 2012 Christmas special.
• Akira the Don recorded a version of the song for his 2016 Christmas EP, Litmas . [9]
• Irish producer John Gibbons released a version of the track, featuring Nina Nesbitt , on 29 November 2018.
• Hong Kong singer Sam Hui covered the song on Sam Hui Came Travelling in 1977.

See also [ ]

• 1975 in music

References [ ]

Template:Reflist

Template:Chris de Burgh

Template:Authority control

• ↑ Template:Cite web
• ↑ David Roberts. British Hit Singles & Albums . Guinness World Records Limited
• ↑ " The stories of the Christmas hits " by Liam Allen, BBC News, December 25, 2010.
• ↑ A Spaceman Came Travelling synths Vintage Synth Explorer accessed 15 December 2020
• ↑ Chris De Burgh – A Spaceman Came Travelling (New Version) www.discogs.com , accessed 15 December 2020
• ↑ www.youtube.com Template:Deadlink www.youtube.com
• ↑ Template:Cite news

• Movie Characters
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Maria Brown

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Maria Brown (née Nicholson): is Dermot's wife. She's very posh, but still a nice girl.

• 1 Background
• 2 Mrs Brown's Boys Original Series
• 3.1 1.  The Mammy
• 3.2 3.  Mammy's Merchandise
• 3.3 5.  Mammy of the Groom
• 3.4 6.  Mammy's Miracle
• 3.5 7. Mammy's Ass
• 3.6 1.  Mammy Pulls It Off
• 3.7 3.  iMammy (Batteries Not Included)
• 3.8 4.  SuperMammy
• 3.9 5.  Mammy's Going
• 3.10 6. New Mammy
• 3.11 7.  Mammy Christmas
• 3.12 8.  The Virgin Mammy
• 3.13 Season 3 (2013)
• 3.14 1.  Mammy's Spell
• 3.15 2.  Mammy's Inflation
• 3.16 3.  Mammy's Break
• 3.17 4.  Mammy's Valentine
• 3.18 5.  Mammy?
• 3.19 6.  Mammy Swings!
• 3.20 7. Buckin' Mammy
• 3.21 8. Who's a Pretty Mammy?

Background [ ]

Maria Brown (formerly Maria Nicholson) is the wife of Dermot Brown  and mother to John, George and Ringo Brown. Maria comes from a very wealthy and posh family with her mother being Hilary Nicholson . Maria married Dermot in the episode " Mammy of the Groom ". Up until then they were engaged.

Mrs Brown's Boys Original Series [ ]

1. The Last Wedding Part 1

Maria is engaged to Trevor However, with weeks to go till the wedding, Trevor became more concerned with the many thousands of people in the world who were dying from starvation

2. The Last Wedding Part 2

Trevor eventually revealed to a priest that he had applied to go to Rwanda as a volunteer missionairy. When his application was accepted, Trevor broke off his engagement to Maria, who had been getting close to Dermot, so she married him instead.

3. Believe it or not

4. Good Mourning Mrs Brown

5. Triple Trouble

In the begining of Triple Trouble, Maria is in labour, with Dermot and the rest of the Brown family encouraging Dermot.

6. How Now Mrs Brown

7. The Seven Year Itch

Maria plans Sharon Mcgoogan's hen party and wedding

Mrs Brown's Boys BBC Series [ ]

Season 1 (2011)

1.  The Mammy [ ]

First appearance, having split up with Dermot because he wouldn't move in with her. By the end of the episode, however, they're engaged.

3.  Mammy's Merchandise [ ]

Initially disapproves of Dermot's decision to select his best friend Buster Brady as his Best Man

5.  Mammy of the Groom [ ]

She and Dermot marry.

6.  Mammy's Miracle [ ]

She is desperate to move out of the Brown household, but Dermot won't come and look at houses with her.

7. Mammy's Ass [ ]

Sings Silent Night .

Season 2 (2012)

1.  Mammy Pulls It Off [ ]

Is revealed to be pregnant.

3.  iMammy (Batteries Not Included) [ ]

Tells Dermot that she thinks she might be carrying twins.

4.  SuperMammy [ ]

Does not appear.

5.  Mammy's Going [ ]

She and the rest of the family try to organize a surprise birthday party for Mrs. Brown.

6. New Mammy [ ]

Goes into labour and gives birth to triplets.

7.  Mammy Christmas [ ]

Plays a part in Cathy's ruse to punish Mrs. Brown for reading other peoples mail.

8.  The Virgin Mammy [ ]

Appears in the Nativity and sings A Spaceman Came Travelling .

Season 3 (2013) [ ]

1.  mammy's spell [ ].

Her and Dermot's triplets, John, George, and Ringo are christened.

2.  Mammy's Inflation [ ]

Is first seen during the scene in Foleys, and later at the Brown household when everybody was expecting Thomas Clowne to propose to Cathy.

3.  Mammy's Break [ ]

Is not seen until near the end when everybody is expecting Agnes to drop dead in the pub.

4.  Mammy's Valentine [ ]

Dermot overhears her saying that he isn't romantic, so he decides to prove that he loves her with a message plastered on a bus.

5.  Mammy? [ ]

When the Brown children suspect one of them may be adopted, she jokingly tells Dermot "Come on, Dermot Brown, or whoever you really are". Suffice to say, Dermot is unamused,

6.  Mammy Swings! [ ]

She pitches ideas for Rory and Dino's wedding.

7. Buckin' Mammy [ ]

Attends Mrs. Brown's Christmas bash, but things take a disastrous turn when Mrs. Brown nearly loses her temper with Maria's mother.

8. Who's a Pretty Mammy? [ ]

Her aunt, Mary Sheridan, is killed in a car accident. She is unable to attend Mrs. Brown's New Years party as the funeral takes place in Killkenny on New Years Eve.

Although several members of Maria's family have been mentioned throughout the series, none have actually appeared on-screen with the exception of her mother Hilary . Other family members include:

Jonathan Nicholson: Maria's father, mentioned in Mammy Pulls it Off and New Mammy . He and Hilary met in France .

Bethany: Maria's cousin, mentioned in Mammy's Merchandise . She was Maria's bridesmaid at her and Dermot's wedding. She clearly doesn't have a high opinion of Dermot; in fact, when Maria told her family she and Dermot were getting married, Bethany apparently said "You're not gonna marry that scumbag, are you"?

James Nicholson: Mentioned in Mammy Pulls it Off. It isn't known exactly how he is related to Maria, though one can assume he could be her uncle seeing as Hilary mentioned Maria is an only child and Maria stated previously Bethany is her only cousin. He works for Celtic Insurance.

Mary Sheridan: Maria's aunt and Hilary's sister, mentioned in Who's a Pretty Mammy? ; Dermot tells Agnes that she has died in a car accident and they may have to close down her clinic/whorehouse. She owned a pet parrot named Lulu whom Agnes, following some badgering, agreed to take in. When Lulu was shown to be familiar with cranky new priest Father McBride , hinting that he visited Mary's "clinic" frequently. Agnes saw this as an opportunity to blackmail Father McBride into signing a form that would enable grandson Bono to go to school outside the parish. The bird went to Father McBride in return.

Thomas Clowne :  in the original series Thomas is Maria's cousinn, but she hasn't seem him for years as she thought he was a drip

Gallery [ ]

Dermot and Maria's wedding

• It seems odd until explained, but Maria and her mother have different accents from one another. Maria's is Irish and her mother's is English. Maria’s mother is English, met her father in France and moved to Ireland where Maria grew up.
• Maria has appeared in every episode except Mammy's Secret , SuperMammy and Mammy's Widow Memories .
• Maria also has a beautiful singing voice which she displayed in Mammy's Ass , The Virgin Mammy and Buckin' Mammy .
• Maria's actress Fiona O'Carroll is the daughter of Brendan O'Carroll (actor of Agnes). Therefore Jennifer Gibney (actress of Cathy) is Fiona’s stepmother.
• Fiona O'Carroll is married to Martin Delany who plays Trevor Brown in the show.
• 1 Agnes Brown

Mrs Brown's Boys

Christmas specials 2012.

• The Virgin Mammy

The Virgin Mammy Mrs Brown's Boys

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Solo and accompaniment tracks available at:  https://music.justinreeve.com/a-spaceman-came-travelling/

While not traditionally considered sacred Christmas music, "A Spaceman Came Travelling" is about the prophesied birth of the Christ child, with an angelic visitor traveling across time and space to deliver the Good News, and a heavenly choir singing music to herald His coming.

Written by Chris de Burgh in 1975, the idea for the song came to him when he had just signed his first recording contract, and he read  Chariots of the Gods?  by Erich von Däniken. The book made him think "what if the star of Bethlehem was a space craft and what if there is a benevolent being or entity in the universe keeping an eye on the world and our foolish things that we do to each other?" The song also draws inspiration from William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming," and tells a story of the birth of Christ being a recurring 2000-year event, with the messenger returning to signify His coming.

If the sheet music isn't playing or is out of sync, try viewing it here: https://musescore.com/user/4683651/scores/6555458

A spaceman came travelling on his ship from afar, 'Twas light years of time since his mission did start, And over a village he halted his craft, And it hung in the sky like a star, just like a star...

He followed a light and came down to a shed Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed A bright light of silver shone round his head And he had the face of an angel and they were afraid...

Then the stranger spoke, he said, "Do not fear! I come from a planet a long way from here, And I bring a message for mankind to hear!" And suddenly the sweetest music filled the air...

And it went La La... Peace and goodwill to all men, and love for the child... This lovely music went trembling through the ground, And many were wakened on hearing that sound, And travelers on the road, the village they found By the light of that ship in the sky, which shone all round...

And just before dawn at the paling of the sky, The stranger returned and said, "Now I must fly! When two thousand years of your time has gone by, This song will begin once again, to a baby's cry..."

And it went La La... This song will begin once again to a baby's cry... And it goes La La... Peace and goodwill to all men, and love for the child...

Oh the whole world is waiting, waiting to hear the song again, There are thousands standing on the edge of the world, And a star is moving somewhere, the time is nearly here, This song will begin once again, to a baby's cry...

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