The Christmas Song chords

by Nat King Cole

Music & Lyrics: Robert Wells & Mel Tormé
Date: 1944
Original Published Key: C Major
First Recorded: 1946 by Nat King Cole
Music: C Major in 4/4 time at ~72 bpm (♩)
Chords: C, C6, C7, Dm7, Eb, Ebmaj7, E, F, Fmaj7, Fm7, F#m7, G7, Gm7, Am, Am7, Bb7, B7

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

The Christmas Song

Capo on 1 if playing with the video

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key

   C6         G7              C6        Dm7
1. Chest-nuts roas-ting on an o-pen fire
   C6         Gm7      C7      F     Bb7
   Jack Frost nip-ping at your nose
   Am   Am7  Bb7           C         F#m7   B7
   Yule-tide car-ols being sung by a choir
       E             Fm7     Bb7   Eb     Dm7    G7
   And folks dressed up like Es-ki-mos... Ev'-ry-bo-dy

   C6      G7               C6          F
2. Knows a tur-key and some mis-tle-toe
   C6      Gm7      C7      F      Bb7
   Help to make the sea-son bright
   Am    Am7  Bb7        C          F#m7  B7
   Ti-ny tots with their eyes all a-glow
        Em7     A7      Dm7   G7   C6
   Will find it hard to sleep to - night

                       Gm7   C7          Fmaj7
Bridge: They know that San - ta's on his way
                     Gm7              C7              Fmaj7 
        He's loa-ded lots of toys and goo-dies on his sleigh
                  Fm7       Bb7              Ebmaj7
        And every mo-ther's child  is gon-na spy
                  Am7               D7          Ab7  G7
        To see if rein-deer real-ly know how to fly

       C6     G7              C6             G7 
3. And so I'm of-fe-ring this sim-ple phrase
      C6        Gm7    C7      F    Bb7
   To kids from one to nine-ty-two
      Am7              Bb7        C      Am7   F#m7
   Al-though it's been said ma-ny times, ma-ny ways
   F7      C         Dm7  G7  C6
   Mer-ry  Christ-mas     to  you

Instrumental: Repeat Bridge

       C6     G7              C6             G7 
4. And so I'm of-fe-ring this sim-ple phrase
      C6        Gm7    C7      F    Bb7
   To kids from one to nine-ty-two
      Am7              Bb7        C      Am7   F#m7
   Al-though it's been said ma-ny times, ma-ny ways
   F7      C         Dm7  G7  C6
   Mer-ry  Christ-mas     to  you...

Reading the Song Charts - a closer look at reading the song charts on this site
Chord Transposer - a better understanding of how it works

Notes:

Although the video is included, many of you may find it difficult to play along with due to the free singing style of Nat King Cole. Sometimes he comes in, on, or after the beat making it quite difficult to follow. He sings it as he feels it... and beautifully may I add!

If you find yourself in this situation, it may be easier to follow the orchestra, although that may be a little tricky as well. Due to the song's slow pace, there is a great deal of room for 'poetic license'... the orchestra included!

If you are familiar with the tune, you may prefer to play without the video... much easier.

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