The Holly and the Ivy chords

Annie Lennox

Song Key: C Major

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: 120 bpm


Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Chords: C, C/G, Dm7, F, G, G7, Am

Arrangement Song Details
R-H Chord Charts
Chord Chart Legend: Chord Chart Legend
C Major C/G Dm7 F Major F Major barre chord G Major G7 Am
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
C Major-LH C/G-LH Dm7-LH F Major-LH F Major barre chord-LH G Major-LH G7-LH Am-LH
Music Video
Speed: x0.1

The Holly and the Ivy

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
             C     F    C        C     F    C
Intro: 3/4 ‖ 1+2+  3+ | 1+2+3+ | 1+2+  3+ | 1+2+3+ ‖
                                                (The)
       C          F   C
1. The hol-ly and the i-vy,
        C             F    C
   When they are both full grown,
   G  C             Am       Dm7    G
   Of all the trees that are in the wood,
   Dm7  C/G          G7    C       F
   The  hol-ly bears the | crown.  3+ |
     C     Dm7  C    F    C     Dm7
   | 1+2+  3+ | 1+2+ 3+ | 1+2+  3+ |

           C          F   C
CH: Oh the ris-ing of the sun
            C           F   C
    And the run-ning of the deer,
    G   C           Am  Dm7    G
    The play-ing of the mer-ry or-gan,
          C/G         G7    C       F
    Sweet sing-ing in the | choir.  3+ |
      C     Dm7  C    F    C    Dm7
    | 1+2+  3+ | 1+2+ 3+ | 1+2  3+ |

       C            F  C
2. The hol-ly bears a  blos-som,
      C               F   C
   As white as the li-ly  flower,
   G   C          Am    Dm7    G
   And Ma-ry bore sweet Je-sus Christ,
   Dm7  C/G          G7  C    
   To   be our sweet Sav-iour... CH

       C            F  C
3. The hol-ly bears a  ber-ry,
      C          F   C
   As red as  an-y   blood,
   G   C          Am    Dm7    G
   And Ma-ry bore sweet Je-sus Christ
   Dm7  C/G       G7   C     
   To   do us sin-ners good... CH

       C            F  C
4. The hol-ly bears a pri-ckle,
      C           F   C
   As sharp as an-y   thorn,
   G   C          Am    Dm7    G
   And Ma-ry bore sweet Je-sus Christ
   Dm7  C/G            G7       C    
   On   Christ-mas Day in the | morn |  %  |... CH

       C            F  C
5. The hol-ly bears a bark,
      C            F   C
   As bit-ter as a-ny  gall,
   G   C          Am    Dm7    G
   And Ma-ry bore sweet Je-sus Christ
   Dm7    C/G     G7   C     
   For to re-deem us   all... CH

       C          F   C
6. The hol-ly and the i-vy,
        C             F    C
   Now  both are full well grown,
   G  C             Am       Dm7    G 
   Of all the trees that are in the wood,
   Dm7  C/G          G7  C      
   The  hol-ly bears the crown |  %  |

           C          F   C
CH: Oh the ris-ing of the sun
            C           F   C
    And the run-ning of the deer,
    G   C           Am  Dm7    G
    The play-ing of the mer-ry or-gan,
          C/G         G7   C 
    Sweet sing-ing in the  choir.

           C          F   C
CH: Oh The ris-ing of the sun
            C           F   C
    And the run-ning of the deer,
    G   C           Am  Dm7    G
    The play-ing of the mer-ry or-gan,
          C/G         G7    C      F
    Sweet sing-ing in the | choir  3+ |
     C        C    F    C        C    F
   | 1+2+3+ | 1+2+ 3+ | 1+2+3+ | 1+2+ 3+ |
     C        C    F   C        C
   | 1+2+3+ | 1+2+ 3+ |1+2+3+|  𝄑 |

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: C Major - No sharps or flats
  • Time Signature: 3/4 — Three quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Gaily
  • Metronome: ♩ = 120
  • Voice Range: G4 - A5
  • Beginner Guitarists: You can replace C/G with C if you find the chord a bit of a stretch.
    Timing counts have been introduced throughout the song to help with timing and chord placement within specific bars—namely the Intro and parts where vocals are not present.

Chord Types in This Arrangement:
Chord Types Formula Chords
Major 1-3-5 C, F, G
Dominant 7th 1-3-5-b7 G7
Minor 1-b3-5 Am
Minor 7th 1-b3-5-b7 Dm7
Slash chord 1-3-5/bass C/G

Song Details:

A Christmas Cornucopia Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Composer: English Traditional
  • Lyricist: English Traditional
  • Lyrics Begin: The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,
  • Genre: Christmas Carol
  • Featured Artist: Annie Lennox
  • Album: A Christmas Cornucopia
    Released: 12 November 2010
Song / Artist Capo Key Core Chords
Deck The Halls - Julien Neel +3 D D, Bm, A, E, G
Ding Dong Merrily On High - Celtic Woman +1 A A, Asus4, Asus2, D, F#m, Bm, E, E7
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole +1 E→F E, B7 → F, C7
O Christmas Tree - Boney M - G G, Am, Bm, C, D, D7, Em, E7
The Little Drummer Boy - Faith Hill - A A, E, D, B, F#
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Unknown +3 D D, Dsus4, E7, G, A, A7
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