It Came Upon a Midnight Clear chords

by Kutless

Composer: Richard Storrs Willis - 1850 in the original published key of Bb Major.
Lyrics: Edmund Hamilton Sears, 1849.
Performance: Kutless from the album This Is Christmas.
Music: Key of G# Minor in 6/8 time at 152 bpm (♪)
Easier: Key of Em
Chords in Em: Em, Emadd2 (EmaddF#), Cmaj7, B7, D, G, Am

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

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Capo on 4 if playing with the video

The Relative Major Key of Em is highlighted - Transpose to any other key.

                Em      Emadd2     Em       Emadd2
Intro: 6/8 𝄁         |          |         |          𝄁
	
      Em             Cmaj7                   Em                 B7
1. It came up-on the mid-night clear    That glor-i-ous song of old
        Em               Cmaj7                Em          D        Em
   From an-gels bend-ing near the earth    To touch their harps of gold
         B7                Em      G           Cmaj7        Am        D
   Peace on the earth good-will to men    From heav-ens all grac-ious King
       Em               Cmaj7                Em       D        Em
   The world in sol-emn still-ness lay    To hear the an-gels (sing)
     
        Em          Emadd2     Em         Emadd2
   ||   Ah...Ah  |  Ah...   |  Ah...Ah  | Ah...  ||
       (sing)

         Em                  Cmaj7                   Em                 B7 
2. Still through the clo-ven skies they come    With peace-ful wings un-furled
       Em                     Cmaj7                Em      D      Em  
   And still their heav-en-ly music floats    O'er all the wear-y world
     B7               Em     G              Cmaj7   Am         D
   A-bove its sad and low-ly plains    They bend on hov-er-ing wing
       Em               Cmaj7                Em       D       Em  
   And ev-er o-ver its  Ba-bel sounds    The bles-sed an-gels sing

         Em    Cmaj7    Em     B7   Em    Cmaj7   Em    D    Em
Instr: |     |        |     |     |     |       |     -    |     |

         B7   Em    G    Cmaj7    Am     D    Em    Cmaj7    Em    D    Em
       |    |     –    |        -     |     |     |        |     –    |     | 𝄎 | 𝄎 |

        
     Em                 Cmaj7                   Em                 B7
3. O ye be-neath life's crush-ing load    Whose forms are bend-ing low
       Em              Cmaj7                 Em       D         Em
   Who toil a-long the climb-ing way    With pain-ful steps and slow
        B7               Em      G             Cmaj7    Am      D
   Look now for glad and gold-en hours    Come swift-ly on the wing
       Em              Cmaj7              Em       D       Em
   Oh rest be-side the wear-y road    And hear the an-gels sing

      Em      Emadd2     Em       Emadd2
   𝄆 (sing) |         |        |          𝄇  ... repeat to fade

Reading the Song Charts - a closer look at reading the song charts on this site
Chord Transposer - a better understanding of how it works
Christmas Song Page - Easy traditional version in the key of C Major

Notes:

Level Of Ease: Easy with a capo - ideal for beginners
Key Signature: This version of the song is a variation of the original tune, and is played in a minor key of G#m instead of B Major (relative major). Although it sounds slightly different, it adds a different dimension to the song, while still retaining its timeless tradition. It's interesting to note that 'Sixpence None The Richer' did a similar version in the key of Am.
We have used a capo on the 4th fret and play in the key of Em. The Emadd2 (Em with an added 2nd) / Em(addF#) simply means you play an Em open chord and add your pinkie on string 4, fret 4 (F#)... see chart.
Time Signature: 6/8 - This means there are 6 eighth-note beats per bar. You can count each bar as | 1 2 3 4 5 6 | or | 1& 2& 3& 4& 5& 6& |
Tempo: 152 bpm - your metronome or click track will sound on every eighth-note or quaver.
Wherever you see a bar with a hyphen in it | - | means the chords above the bar e.g.,
E - G share half the bar count equally. In this case where the time signature is 6/8, each chord is equal to 3 eighth notes.