Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. It appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739. The original opening line was "Hark! how all the welkin rings"; the version known today is the result of alterations by various hands. The most popular arrangement of the Mendelssohn tune for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is probably that by David Willcocks (published 1961) which adds a descant for the third verse. The song is a staple in Christmas movies and TV shows that carry a religious message to some degree, usually as a spirited finale: