THE GIFT OF LOVE

(Rita MacNeil (m & l) )

Lyrics as released by Rita MacNeil 1993 ‘Once Upon A Christmas’.

A village of great hope and childhood dreams
There wasn’t a Christmas I didn’t see
You struggled with hard times, it just shouldn’t be
And love was the greatest gift by the tree.

A day to remember from all the rest
There wasn’t a moment that I would regret
You squandered a fortune on hard work and love
There wasn’t a corner where you didn’t shine.

Now Christmas is coming and you’re growin’ old
You were the first one who taught me to love
Tonight by the fire, the tree dressed in lights
You’re still a candle that burns in my life.

I’ll hope I’ll be able to share as you have
Gifts without ribbons whenever I can
To know in the mornin’, there by the tree
The same gift you gave me when I was a kid.

Now Christmas is coming and you’re growin’ old
You were the first one who taught me to love
Tonight by the fire, the tree dressed in lights
You’re still a candle that burns in my life.

Now Christmas is coming and you’re growin’ old
You were the first one who taught me to love
Tonight by the fire, the tree dressed in lights
You’re still a candle that burns in my life…

You’re still a candle that burns in my life.


NOTES:

Rita MacNeil is a Canadian from Big Pond on Cape Breton Island, 
province of Nova Scotia.
She composes music and lyrics together spontaneously before 
recording to tape and has over 200 BMI registrations in 38 years.

(Transcribed by David Story - December 2013)