Mama wanted NOEL on the front of our house
in pretty bright lights that sparkle and blink,
that sparkle and blink all through the night,
but we ran out of lights before lighting the "L"

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

To light up NOEL she bought four strands of lights:
One strand for each letter of that short French word,
One strand for each, but the "N" took two strands,
so we ran out of lights before lighting the "L"

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

We got in our car for to go to the store
to buy us more strands of those little bright lights.
But the car would not start on that cold winter's night
‘cause the batt'ry was dead'er than cold canned pork.

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

We strapped on our boots for to walk to the store,
because Mama said that the neighbors would laugh.
They would laugh at our lights and poke great fun,
so we headed out into the worst winter's storm.

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

We walked in the snow for a great long time
'till my fingers were hurting and my toes were all froze,
But that was not all: after all that long walk,
When we got to the store we found it was closed.

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

Now Mama' we tried, there just ain’t no store
Where to buy them lights, so please don’t yell,
And if the neighbors all laugh us to scorn,
Well my toes are thawin’ and feel just swell.

No-L on NOEL, no-L on NOEL
We ran out of lights so there is no-L
No-L on noel, no-L on Noel
We ran out of lights so there is no-L

©James Garner Dec 1994