Rend Collective sings “In The Bleak Midwinter,” the Christmas carol built on a poem by Christina Rossetti. It begins with a cold landscape: a frosty wind made moan, the earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, and snow fell on snow, long ago.
The second part turns to who was born in that weather. Heaven cannot hold him, nor can earth sustain him, and heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. Yet a stable-place sufficed for the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. The contrast between his greatness and his lowly birthplace is the main thought of the carol. The final verse is a personal question: what can I give him, poor as I am? The singer says that if he were a shepherd, he would bring a lamb, and if he were a wise man, he would do his part. The answer is that all he can give is his heart. Rend Collective's version keeps the folk warmth that fits the tune, with gentle instruments and harmonies that suit a quiet Advent evening. The carol suits those who feel they have little to offer at Christmas, since its message is that a sincere heart is the gift that counts.
The baby laid in a manger is Luke 2:7. Heaven and earth passing away is Psalm 102:25-26, and the gifts brought to the child is Matthew 2:11.