Chris de Burgh is mostly known for the sugary ballad "The Lady in Red," but honestly, his 1975 track "A Spaceman Came Travelling" is a much weirder, much more interesting piece of pop history. It’s a Christmas song. Sorta. Most people hear the "La-la-la-la" chorus and think it's just a catchy folk tune, but the A Spaceman Came Travelling lyrics actually tell a sci-fi retelling of the Nativity that borders on ancient astronaut theory.
It didn't even hit the charts when it first came out. Not a peep. It wasn’t until 1986, over a decade later, that it became a holiday staple.
The Mystery Behind the A Spaceman Came Travelling Lyrics
The song opens with a "spacecraft" hanging over the world. De Burgh doesn't call it a star. He calls it a "shining ship." This is where the song gets its unique flavor; it takes the biblical Star of Bethlehem and reinterprets it as a high-tech vessel from another galaxy.
"A spaceman came travelling on a ship from afar, from a distance of twenty thousand light-years or more..."
Twenty thousand light-years. That’s a specific number. It places the origin of this "angel" somewhere far outside our immediate solar neighborhood. When you look at the A Spaceman Came Travelling lyrics, you realize the "stranger" isn't a winged spirit but an extraterrestrial observer. He’s here to check in on Earth. He lands in a "village" (presumably Bethlehem) and finds a mother and child.
The lyrics describe the spaceman’s eyes as being like "fire" and his hair like "gold." This actually mirrors some of the descriptions of celestial beings found in the Book of Ezekiel or Revelation. It’s a clever mix of the Bible and 1970s sci-fi obsession. De Burgh has mentioned in various interviews that he was inspired by Peter Kolosimo’s book Not of This World, which explored the idea that ancient gods were actually aliens.
Why the "La La La" Chorus Matters
It seems simple. Maybe even lazy? But that "La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la" melody is meant to represent a universal language. The lyrics say that the spaceman played a song that "resounded through the universe."
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It’s a message of peace.
He isn't speaking English, Aramaic, or Hebrew. He’s broadcasting a frequency. The song suggests that this music stayed in the air, waiting for someone to pick it up again. The ending of the song is actually a bit ominous or hopeful, depending on how you read it. It says the song will begin again when "the whole world has to answer." That sounds a lot like a second coming, just with more silver jumpsuits and less clouds.
Where the Traditional and the Alien Meet
If you strip away the synthesizer and the sci-fi coat of paint, the narrative follows the Gospel of Luke pretty closely. You have the "peace on earth" message. You have the "goodwill to men." But de Burgh adds a layer of time-dilation. The spaceman travels for light-years. He leaves, but his song remains.
Most Christmas songs are about nostalgia—snow, fireplaces, reindeer. This one is about the vastness of the cosmos.
A Strange Success Story
It’s funny how hits happen. In 1975, the song was a flop. It was the B-side to "The Girl with Pleasurable Eyes" in some regions. It wasn't until "The Lady in Red" made de Burgh a global superstar in the mid-80s that his back catalog was raided. Suddenly, the A Spaceman Came Travelling lyrics were everywhere.
The song reached Number 1 in Ireland. It became a Top 40 hit in the UK. Ever since, it’s been covered by everyone from Gregorian (the monk-style group) to Smokie and even Celtic Woman. Each version keeps that eerie, lonely feeling of the original.
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Examining the Timeline in the Song
The lyrics span two thousand years.
- The Arrival: The ship travels 20,000 light-years to find a "peaceful place."
- The Encounter: The spaceman meets the mother and child in the village.
- The Departure: He leaves at dawn but leaves his music behind.
- The Future: The song waits for two thousand years to be heard again.
This implies that the "Star of Bethlehem" was a recurring phenomenon. Or perhaps a singular event that left a lingering echo. De Burgh’s storytelling is remarkably tight for a pop song. He doesn't waste words. Every line builds the image of a cold, silent night interrupted by something truly alien.
How to Interpret the Message Today
We live in an era of UAPs and Congressional hearings about what’s flying in our skies. In that context, the A Spaceman Came Travelling lyrics feel weirdly modern. They ask us to consider: what if the miracles we’ve heard about for millennia were just things we didn't have the science to understand yet?
It’s a bold take for a Christmas carol.
Most people just sing along to the "la la" part while drinking mulled wine. That's fine too. But if you listen to the verses, it’s a song about the heavy responsibility of carrying a message across time. The "traveller" is a witness to human history.
Essential Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to really appreciate this track next time it pops up on the radio, keep these points in mind:
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- Check the era: 1975 was the height of "space fever" after the moon landings and during the rise of "ancient alien" literature.
- The "Peace" Element: Unlike many sci-fi stories of the time (think War of the Worlds), this alien is purely a messenger of harmony.
- The Ending: The final verse suggests the song is "waiting" to be heard. It's an invitation to listen for something beyond our world.
To get the most out of the A Spaceman Came Travelling lyrics, try listening to the original 1975 version first. Notice the stark, almost lonely acoustic guitar before the synths kick in. It captures that feeling of a vast, empty sky much better than some of the more "produced" modern covers.
The song isn't just a holiday jingle; it’s a piece of speculative fiction set to music. It challenges the listener to look up at the stars during the holiday season and wonder what—or who—might be looking back.
Next time you hear it, pay attention to the silence between the notes. That’s where the "twenty thousand light-years" really lives. It’s a haunting reminder that while we celebrate things here on Earth, the universe is much, much bigger than our small stories.
To truly understand the impact of the song, look at the 1986 music video. It’s dated, sure. But it captures that specific 80s aesthetic of blending the medieval with the futuristic. It shows de Burgh wandering through snowy landscapes, looking like a man who’s seen something he can’t quite explain. That’s the core of the song: the awe of the unknown.
For those interested in the technical side of the music, the song relies heavily on a repetitive, almost hypnotic rhythm. This mimics the "travelling" aspect of the lyrics. It feels like a journey. It doesn't rush. It just moves forward, steady and inevitable, much like the ship it describes.
Take a moment to read the lyrics without the music playing. It reads like a short story. It’s one of the few pop songs that successfully bridges the gap between religious tradition and science fiction without feeling cynical or mocking. It treats the "spaceman" with the same reverence a traditional carol treats an angel. And maybe, in the world of the song, they're the exact same thing.
Stay curious about the origins of your favorite holiday tracks. Often, they have much deeper roots than a simple "Merry Christmas."