How to Play More Christmas Songs on Guitar
Chords, Lyrics, and Tips for Six Other Holiday Carols
Nov 12, 2008
In a separate article, guitarists played the five holiday songs, Silent Night, The First Noel, Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella, Felíz Navidad, and Good King Wenceslas using the five popular chords; G, C, D7, D, and Em.
In another article, they added the chords of A7, Am, Bm, and B7 to play the seven Christmas songs; Away in a Manger, Oh Christmas Tree, Go, Tell It on the Mountain, Oh Come, Oh Come, Emanuel, Deck the Halls, We Three Kings, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Now, with just the four new chords of G7, A, E, and F guitarists can raise their holiday repertoir to eighteen songs by adding the carols, The Little Drummer Boy, Jingle Bells, What Child Is This?, Angels We Have Heard on High, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and Do You Hear What I Hear?
The Little Drummer Boy
"A" is the only new chord guitarists will need to play this holiday treasure. This chord should be fairly simple, because it’s similar to the "A7" they picked up in the second part of the article.
(D) Come, they told me,
Pa rum pa pum pum.
A new born king to see
Pa rum pa pum pum.
(A) Our finest gifts we bring,
Pa rum pa pum pum
To lay be- (D) -fore the King,
Pa (G) rum pa pum pum
Rum pa pum (D) pum
Rum pa pum (A) pum
(D) So to honor him,
Pa rum pa pum pum
(A) With my (D) drum.
Jingle Bells
"E" is the only new chord guitarists will need to play this fun Christmas sing-along. Learning "E" should be a breeze, because it’s the same shape as the "A minor" chord learned in the second part of the article. All the fingers are the same, only shifted up a string.
(D) Dashing through the snow,
In a one-horse open (G) sleigh.
O’re the fields we (A7) go,
Laughing all the (D) way.
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making Spirits (G) bright.
What fun it is to (A7) ride and sing,
A sleighing song to- (D) -night.
O, jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
(G) Oh what fun it (D) is to ride,
In a (E) one-horse open (A7) sleigh.
(D) Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
(G) Oh what fun it (D) is to ride,
In a (A7) one-horse open (D) sleigh.
What Child Is This
If they’ve masterd all the previous twelve chords, guitarists can play this haunting holiday tune without learning anything new.
(Am) What child is (C) this,
Who (G) lays to (Em) rest,
On (Am) Mary’s lap is (E) sleeping.
Whom (Am) angels (C) greet
With (G) anthems (Em) sweet,
While (Am) shepherds (E) watch are (Am) keeping.
(C) This, this is (G) Christ the (Em) King,
Whom (Am) shepherds guard and (E) angels sing.
(C) Haste, haste to (G) bring him (Em) laud,
The (Am) Babe, the (E) Son of (Am) Mary.
Angels We Have Heard on High
Guitarists won’t need to learn new chords for this traditional carol, but they’ll have to do some fancy fingerwork to play the chorus up to speed.
(D) Angels we have (A) heard on (D) high,
Sweetly singing (A) o’re the (D) plaines,
And the mountains (A) in re- (D) -ply,
Echoing their (A7) joyous (D) strains.
Glo- (B7) –o- (Em) –o- (A) –o- (D) –o- (G) –o- (A) -oria!
(D) In excelsis De- (A) -o!
(D) Glo- (B7) –o- (Em) –o- (A) –o- (D) –o- (G) –o- (A) -oria!
(D) In excelsis De- (A) -e- (D) -o!
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
If they’ve masterd all the previous twelve chords, guitarists can play this old English carol without learning anything new.
(Em) God rest ye merry gentlemen,
Let (C) nothing you dis- (B7) -may.
(Em) Remember Christ our Saviour
Was (C) born on Christmas (B7) Day.
To (Am) save us all from (G) Satan’s power
While (Em) we were gone a- (D) -stray.
Oh, (G) tidings of (B7) comfort and (Em) joy,
Comfort and (D) joy.
Oh (G) tidings of (B7) comfort and (Em) joy!
Do You Hear What I Hear?
F and G7 are the two new chords guitarists will need for playing this Christmas classic.
(C) Said the night wind to the (G) little (C) lamb,
Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky (G) little (C) lamb?
Do you see what I see?
A (Am) star, a star, (Em) dancing in the night,
With a (F) tail as (G) big as a (Am) kite.
With a (F) tail as (G7) big as a (C) kite.
The festive music of Christmas inspires many musicians to give their guitars an extra workout. Once musicians work through these twelve tunes, there are plenty more holiday carols and chords to tackle. What better time to get a head start on learning an instrument than a season full of such rich musical tradition.
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