God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", sometimes called "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" was an ancient Earth Christmas carol. The lyrics were:


 * God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
 * For Jesus Christ our saviour was born upon this day
 * To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray
 * Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
 * Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. (AUDIO: Voyage to Venus)

It was this song that was being played by a group of robotic Santas before they attacked Rose Tyler and Mickey Smith on Earth. (TV: The Christmas Invasion) The Santas also played it just before abducting Donna Noble in a taxi. (TV: The Runaway Bride)

A group of children were singing this song when the Tenth Doctor arrived in London on Christmas Eve 1851, just before his encounter with the Cybermen. (TV: The Next Doctor)

The song was also playing before Wilfred Mott entered a church commemorating "the Sainted Physician" where he first met the woman. It was also played by a brass band shortly before the Tenth Doctor regenerated. (TV: The End of Time)

A group of carol singers sang "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" outside Maisie Johnson's house. (PROSE: The Gift)

Carol singers sang "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" in Cardiff on Christmas Eve 1869. (TV: The Unquiet Dead)

The melody of the carol was the same as that of the "Venusian lullaby" occasionally used by the Third Doctor to lull his foes into a state of tranquility. (TV: The Dæmons, The Curse of Peladon, PROSE: Venusian Lullaby) Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot sang the song to a herd of Shanghorn on Venus to stop them from stampeding. After hearing the song, Ursina planned to change the lyrics and use it as the basis of the lullaby. (AUDIO: Voyage to Venus)

Professor Capra sang a version of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" to himself. (AUDIO: Flip-Flop)