I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day chords

by Casting Crowns

Song Key: Bb Major

Key Signature: 2 flats (Bb, Eb)

Piano Chords: B♭, D7/A, Eb, F, Fsus4, Gm

Time Signature: 4/4 (♩)

Tempo: 73 bpm (Moderately)

Vocal Range: C4 - F5


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner

Guitar Chords: G, B7/F#, C, D, Dsus4, Em

Capo: 3rd fret (to play along with the video in Bb Major)

Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
G Major B7/F# C Major D Major Dsus4 Em
G Major - LH B7/F# - LH C Major - LH D Major - LH Dsus4 - LH Em - LH

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
                Em       C       G              
Intro: 4/4  |        |       |       |    

B7/F#                             Em
1. I heard the bells on Christmas Day
 C                              G
   Their old fa-mil-iar ca-rols play
 D                                   Em
   And mild and sweet their songs re-peat
 C                                G
   Of peace on earth good will to men
   

    B7/F#                           C        G
Chorus: And the bells are ring-ing (Peace on Earth)
                                       C        G
        Like a choir they're sing-ing (Peace on Earth)
                           
        In my heart I hear them 
        C        Em                   D
       (Peace on earth), good will to men

 D                            Em
2. And in des-pair I bowed my head
 C                              G
   There is no peace on earth I said
 D                                  Em
   For hate is strong and mocks the song
 C                                 G
   Of peace on earth, good will to men

   B7/F#                            C        G 
Chorus: But the bells are ring-ing (Peace on Earth)
                               C        G
        Like a choir sing-ing (Peace on Earth)

        Does a-ny-bo-dy hear them?
        C        Em                   D     
       (Peace on earth), good will to men |   𝄎   |

      C                                 
Bridge: Then rang the bells more loud and deep
                                     Em              D
        God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth)
      C
        The wrong shall fail, the right pre-vail
                      G                   D     Dsus4
        With peace on earth, good will to men |       |

  D                              Em
3. Then ring-ing sing-ing on its way
 C                                   G 
   The world re-volved from night to day
 D                               Em
   A voice, a chime, a chant sub-lime
 C                                 G
   Of peace on earth, good will to men


    B7/F#                               C        G
Chorus: And the bells they're ring-ing (Peace on Earth)
                                       C        G
        Like a choir they're sing-ing (Peace on Earth)
                                           
        And with our hearts we'll hear them
        C        Em                   D
       (Peace on earth), good will to men

      D                                          C        G
        Do you hear the bells they're ring-ing? (Peace on Earth)
                                      C        G
        The life the angels sing-ing (Peace on Earth)

        Open up your heart and hear them
        C        Em                   D      D 
       (Peace on earth), good will to men |  𝄑  |


        C        G           C        G 
        Peace on earth,      Peace on earth

        C        Em                       D
        Peace on earth,      Good will to men
                                          𝄑
    Song Details:
  • Lyricist: Originally written as a poem in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (American Poet & Educator), titled "Christmas Bells".
  • Composer: The poem was set to music in 1872 by English organist, John Baptiste Calkin.
  • Songwriters (Current Version):  Bernie Herms, Mark Hall, Dale Oliver
  • Lyrics Begin: I heard the bells on Christmas day their old familiar carols play, and mild and sweet their songs repeat of peace on earth, good will to men.
  • Artists: Casting Crowns
  • Album: Peace On Earth
  • Date: 2008

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and mild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

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