Original post from October 2015
It’s a song or carol from the point of view of an underground coal miner on Christmas Eve. He’s looking forward wistfully to tomorrow, and attempting to block out the environment he’s currently in while he has a rest and his “bait”.

It comes in three different choral versions: SATB; SSAA or TTBB. Here’s a full recording of the SSAA version with photographs of Woodhorn Museum, a mining museum on the site of a former colliery in Northumberland:

Verses in a reflective mood are sandwiched between fanfares delighting firstly in the prospect of a rest and a bite to eat, and lastly in the prospect of day off in the light and cold and some Christmas treats:

Ring out the bells and bring out the bait!
Whistle a carol of bread and jam and water!
Sound the trumpet for Christmas Eve!
Don’t let the dust settle on it, and we’ll rest awhile.

I shut my eyes to this, eyes to this glare of darkness.
Turn deaf ears to this, ears to this hush of wooden creaks, rapping stones, clattering chains.
And dream instead of winking fairy lights,
And crisp, frosty footsteps.

I turn my back on this, back on this ache of stooping.
Loosen my grasp in the face of this dirge of hewing heat, rhythmic toil, grinding sweat.
And dream instead of whooping bairns,
And crisp, frosty air to breathe.

Ring out the bells, and gather yer tools!
Rap out a carol of dust and overheating!
Sound the trumpet for Christmas Eve!
Don’t look back, Alleluia! Alleluia! Into the light!

Update December 2018
During the lead-up to Christmas in 2018, this carol has been performed by two groups: Rock Festival Choir in Alnwick, Northumberland included the SSAA version in their Advent Concert; American choir Cantus from Minnesota included the TTBB version in their Christmas Lessons And Carols performances around their home state.

You can hear Christmas with Cantus (2018) on Minnesota Public Radio’s playback facility. Alleluia! Into The Light is the second item in the programme! The thrill of hearing it emerge from the reading of a poem, when I didn’t even really know whether it was going to be sung at all, was overwhelming, I must say.

Christmas With Cantus (yourclassical.org)

Update November 2022
The vocal ensemble Cantus, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, recorded my Christmas song “Alleluia! Into the Light”. I don’t know any of them, so they’ve picked this song because they really must like it, eh?! They’ve not only recorded it, but have put it on their “holiday album” “Into The Light” They’ve been performing it in all their Christmas concerts in 2022 as the first song in the programme. That song itself was played on many US radio stations that I know of and indeed one day was a featured song on one.  The album itself is full of Christmas songs, and my song is right next to Joni Mitchell’s River, so it’s all too thrilling for words, to be honest.

Signum Records say:
“Into the Light was recorded in the dark, uncertain days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the process was imbued with optimism and hope for brighter days ahead.  
In its first holiday recording in more than a decade, chamber vocal ensemble Cantus offers a thoughtful selection of old and new favorites, each sung with the group’s trademark warmth and virtuosity.  
The album reflects Cantus’ commitment to diversity of repertoire. Its selections span five languages and feature works by a broad range of composers and arrangers…”

You can hear their new recording here:

You can find their album “Into The Light” here!

Update January 2025
During the run-up to Christmas in both 2023 and 2024, lots of radio stations in the USA have continued to play this track as part of their playlists and in both years it has been on the syndicated playlist for Christmas Day. This in turn has yielded royalties, which come to me through APRA, making this song just about the the most lucrative I have ever composed!