It Came Upon a Midnight Clear chords

by Kutless

Song Key: G#m – Relative Minor of B Major

Key Signature: 5 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)

Piano Chords: F#m, A, C#7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E

Time Signature: 6/8 (♪)

Tempo: 152 bpm (Moderate rock beat)

Vocal Range: D#4 - D#5


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner

Guitar Chords in E Minor: Em, Emadd2 (EmaddF#), Cmaj7, B7, D, G, Am

Capo: 4th fret (to play along with the video in G#m)

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
Em Em(addF#) Cmaj7 B7 D Major G Major Am
Em-LH Em(addF#)-LH Cmaj7-LH B7-LH D Major-LH G Major-LH Am-LH

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

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

Notes:

  • 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 charts above.
  • Time Signature: 6/8 - This means there are 6 beats in each bar, each with the value of an eighth-note (quaver). 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, e.g.,  |    -     | 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.
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