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
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.
