once upon a christmas eve
a shepherd who believed
that peace could come to any man
made a promise to the star above
the day that love began
i will give to him my lamb
a shepherds all i am
and so he walked the lonely sand
to find the place his heart was dreaming of
the day that love began
over meadows over mountains
they came from valleys and from streams
every poet and every king
and one little shepherd with a dream
but as the shepherd knelt to pray
his lamb just ran away
and tear drops filled his empty hand
he broke his promise to the star above
the day that love began
then the smiling face of mary
beckoned the shepherd to her side
today you gave him the best gift of all
the moment that you cried
once upon a christmas eve
a shepherd who believed
that peace could come to any man
found the place his heart was dreaming of
and he kept his promise to the star above
the day that love began