The Two Lives

Two babes were born in the self same town

Author: James McGranahan
Tune: [Two babes were born in the self-same town] (McGranahan)
Published in 8 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. Two babes were born in the self-same town,
On the very same bright day,
They laughed and cried in their mothers’ arms,
In the very self-same way;
And both seemed pure and innocent,
As falling flakes of snow;
But one of them lived in a terraced house,
And one in the street below.

2. Two children played in the self-same town,
And the children both were fair,
But one had curls brushed smooth and round,
The other had tangled hair.
The children both grew up apace,
As other children grow;
But one of them lived in a terraced house,
And one in the street below.

3. Two maidens wrought in the self-same town,
And one was wedded and loved,
The other one saw through the curtains’ part,
The world where her sister moved;
And one was a smiling happy bride;
The other knew care and woe;
For one of them lived in a terraced house,
And one in the street below.

4. Two women lay dead in the self-same town,
And one had tender care;
The other was left to die alone,
On her pallet so thin and bare;
The one had many to mourn her loss,
For the other few tears would flow;
For one had lived in a terraced house,
And one in the street below.

5. If Christ who died for the rich and poor,
In wondrous holy love,
Took both of the sisters in His arms,
And carried them home above;
Then all the difference vanished quite,
For in Heaven none would know
Which one of them lived in a terraced house,
And which in street below.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #6985

Author: James McGranahan

James McGranahan USA 1840-1907. Born at West Fallowfield, PA, uncle of Hugh McGranahan, and son of a farmer, he farmed during boyhood. Due to his love of music his father let him attend singing school, where he learned to play the bass viol. At age 19 he organized his first singing class and soon became a popular teacher in his area of the state. He became a noted musician and hymns composer. His father was reluctant to let him pursue this career, but he soon made enough money doing it that he was able to hire a replacement farmhand to help his father while he studied music. His father, a wise man, soon realized how his son was being used by God to win souls through his music. He entered the Normal Music School at Genesco, NY, under… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Two babes were born in the self same town
Title: The Two Lives
Author: James McGranahan
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #6985

Include 7 pre-1979 instances
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