Babyface

Released: October 27, 1998

Songwriter: Traditional Edmund Hamilton Sears Richard Storrs Willis

Producer: Babyface Walter Afanasieff

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

It came upon a midnight clear
And glorious song of old
From angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold

Peace on the Earth, goodwill to men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing

And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing

The First Noel

The first noel, the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep

Noel, noel, noel, noel
Born is the King of Israel
Noel, noel, noel, noel
Born is the King of Israel

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far

Noel, noel, noel, noel
Born is the King
Said born is the King
Born is the King of Israel

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds (born April 10, 1959 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a Grammy Award-winning producer, singer, and songwriter responsible for a string of hits in the 1980s and 1990s. He has written and produced more than 20 number-one hits and won 11 Grammys—including three for Producer of the Year—for his work with Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton, Alicia Keys, and Toni Braxton, as well as his own work as an artist.

Babyface got his nickname from funk legend Bootsy Collins after joining his backing band in the 1970s. He joined the group Manchild in the late ‘70s—a group that also included his frequent collaborator Daryl Simmons—before moving out West and working with the group The Deele in the early 1980s, forming a bond with his bandmate and future production partner L.A. Reid. After producing the hit “Two Occasions” for The Deele, L.A. & Babyface broke off and became one of the biggest superproducer duos in R&B, rivaling the hits of fellow superproducer duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

L.A. & ‘Face had their hands in a string of #1 R&B hits in the late '80s and early '90s from artists such as Pebbles (“Girlfriend”), Karyn White (“Superwoman”), The Whispers (“Rock Steady”), Johnny Gill (“My, My, My”) and many more. They were also instrumental in the success of post-New Edition era Bobby Brown as they produced his #1 hits “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Every Little Step,” “On Our Own,” and “Humpin' Around.” They made history with Boyz II Men in 1992 as they wrote and produced “End of the Road,” which spent a record-breaking 14 consecutive weeks atop the pop chart.

more tracks from the album

Christmas With Babyface

From the album

Christmas With Babyface (1998)

Babyface popular songs

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear / The First NoelBabyface

Babyface

Christmas With Babyface