In the first part of this article, guitarists played 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. Now, it’s time for seven new Christmas songs with the chords of A7, Am, Bm, and B7.
Away In A Manger
A7 is the only new chord guitarists will need to learn before they can add the beautiful tune Away in a Manger to their holiday play list.
(D) Away in a manger,
no (G) crib for a (D) bed
(A7) The little Lord Jesus
lay (G) down his sweet (D) head
(D) The stars in the sky
look (G) down where he (D) lay
The (A7) little Lord (D) Jesus
(Em) asleep on (A7( the (D) hay
Oh Christmas Tree
Guitarists who’ve mastered the previous Christmas songs, no all the chords they’ll need to play Oh Christmas Tree.
Oh (D) Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your (Em) leaves are so (A7) un chang- (D -ing.
(A7) Oh (D) Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your (Em) leaves are so (A7) un chang- (D -ing.
Not only (G) green when (A7) summer's here,
But also winter's cold and (D) drear;
(A7) Oh (D) Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your (Em) leaves are so (A7) un chang- (D) -ing.
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Adding the A minor chord will allow guitarists to strum along with the fun Christmas spiritual, Go, Tell It on the Mountain.
(G) Go tell it on the mountain
(D7) Over the hills and (G) every- (D) where
(G) Go tell it on the mountain
That (Am) Jesus (D7) Christ is (G) born
Verse:
When (G) I was but a seeker, I (C) sought both night and (G) day
I (G) asked the Lord to (A7) help me, and (D( He showed me the (D7) way
Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
B minor is the only new chord guitarists will need to render the haunting carol, O Come, O Come, Emanuel. When strumming the B minor chord, they’ll want to avoid striking the two thickest bass strings.
Oh (Em) come, Oh (Am) come, E- (D) mmanu- (Em) el
And (G) ransom captive (Am) Isra- (Em) el
That (Am) mourns in lonely (G) exile (D) here
Un- (Em) til the Son of (Am) Go- (D) -d a- (G) -ppear
Re- (D) -joice! Re- (Bm) -joice! E- (Am) –mmanu- (Em)-el
Shall (G) come to thee O (Am) Isra- (Em) -el
Deck the Halls
Guitarists are already set to play Deck the Halls with the chords they’ve learned in the previous carols.
(G) Deck the halls with boughs of holly
(D7) FA LA LA LA (G) LA, LA (D7( LA LA (G) LA
'Tis the season to be jolly
(D7) FA LA LA LA (G) LA, LA (D7( LA LA (G) LA
(D7) Don we now our (G) gay apparel
(Bm) FA LA LA, (Em) LA LA LA, (A7) LA LA (D) LA
(G) Troll the ancient yule tide carol
(D7) FA LA LA LA (G) LA, LA (D7) LA LA (G) LA
We Three Kings
We Three Kings is another fun Christmas song with a beautiful minor sound. To play this, guitarists will need to pick up the four finger chord of B7. When strumming the B7 chord, they’ll want to avoid striking the thickest bass string.
(Em) We three kings of (B7) Orient (Em) are
Bearing gifts we (B7) traverse a- (Em) -far
Field and (D) fountain, (G) moor and mountain
(Am) Following (B7) yonder (Em) star
(D) O- (D7) -oh
(G) star of wonder (C) star of (G) night
Star with royal (C) beauty (G) bright
(Em) Westward (D) leading (C) still pro- (D) -ceeding
(G) Guide us to thy (C) perfect (G) light
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Of course, the last song has to be We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and it’s ready for the playing with no new chords.
We (G) wish you a Merry (C) Christmas,
We (A7) wish you a Merry (D7) Christmas,
We (B7) wish you a Merry (Em) Christmas,
And a (C) Happy (D7) New (G) Year.
Good (G) tidings we (D) bring to (A7) you and your (D7) kin,
We (G) wish you a Merry Christmas and a (Am) Happy (D7) New (G) Year.
Guitarists in the Christmas spirit won’t want to stop with these twelve holiday tunes. In the third part of this article, they’ll only need four additional chords, to play guitar along with 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?
Marcy Paulson - From the moment Marcy Paulson picked up a recorder in fourth grade music class, she was hooked. Since then, her passion for music has ...
