While You Were Sleeping chords

by Casting Crowns

Song Key: F Major

Time Signature: 4/4 & 2/4

Tempo: 84 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate

Chords: F, Bb, C, Csus4, Dm, Dm7

Arrangement Song Details Beginners
Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
F Major F Major Bb Major Bb Majorbarre chord Bb Major barre chord V2 C Csus4 Dm Dm7
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
F Major-LH F Major-LH Bb Major-LH Bb Major barre chord-LH Bb Major barre chord V2-LH C-LH Csus4-LH Dm-LH Dm7-LH
Speed: x0.1

While You Were Sleeping

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
              F     Csus4  C    Dm7   Bb           
Intro: 4/4  ‖ 1&2&  3&     4& | 1&2&  3&4& ‖...  x3 
              F     Csus4  C    Dm7     Bb
            ‖ 1&2&  3&     4& | 2/4  |  4/4  ‖

 F             C               Dm
1. Oh, lit-tle town of Beth-le-hem
                Bb                      F     C    Dm7   Bb 
   Looks like a-no-ther si-lent night |    -     |     -     |
 F             C                   Dm
   A-bove your deep and dream-less sleep
           Bb                   F          C    Dm7   Bb 
   A giant star lights up the | sky-y-y -     |     -     |

 F                  C             Dm
2. And while you're ly-ing in the dark
         Bb              F               C      Dm7      Bb 
   There shines an e-ver-last-ing li-i-i-ight |      -       | 
 F         C                 Dm
   For the King has left His throne
          Bb              F                 C          Dm       Bb
   And is sleeping in a | man-ger to-ni-i-i-ight, | to-night -     |

      F            C                  Dm                    Bb
Chorus: Oh Beth-le-hem, what you have missed while you were sleep-ing
            F             C                   Dm               Bb
        For God be-came a man and step-ped in-to your world to-day
      F            C                Dm             Bb
        Oh Beth-le-hem, you will go down in his-to-ry
             F             C              Dm        Bb
        As a ci-ty with no room for its | King  -      |
                          F            C    Dm       Bb    
        While you were | sleep-ing -      |      -       |  
                         F             C     Dm       Bb
        While you were | sleep-ing -      |  2/4  |   4/4    |

 F       C               Dm
3. Ma-ry shi-vers in the cold
              Bb                  F        C     Dm       Bb  
   Try-ing to keep the Sav-iour | warm  -     |       -       | 
   F               C         Dm                Bb
   Born a-mong the an-i-mals wrapped in dir-ty rags be-cause
         F               C
   There was no room for Him
          Dm               Bb
   In the world He came to save

      F            C                  Dm                    Bb
Chorus: Oh Beth-le-hem, what you have missed while you were sleep-ing
            F             C                   Dm               Bb
        For God be-came a man and step-ped in-to your world to-day
      F            C                Dm             Bb
        Oh Beth-le-hem, you will go down in his-to-ry
             F             C              Dm        Bb
        As a ci-ty with no room for its | King  -      |
                          F            C     Dm       Bb    
        While you were | sleep-ing -      |      -        |  
                         F             C     Dm       Bb
        While you were | sleep-ing -      |  2/4  |   4/4    |

 F          C                 Dm               Bb                F        C    Dm    Bb  
3. U-ni-ted States of A-me-ri-ca, looks like a-no-ther si-lent | night -     |   -      |
 F                   C                 Dm
   As we're sound as-leep by phil-o-so-phies
                 Bb                 F            C    Dm     Bb  
   That save the trees and kill the child-ren -     |    -      |
 F                 C              Dm
   And while we're lay-ing in the dark
             Bb                     F                C    Dm    Bb  
   There's a shout heard 'cross the east-ern sky-y-y-y  |    -      |
 F         C                  Dm
   For the Bride-groom has re-turned
           Bb                   F                C            Dm        Bb
   And has car-ried His bride a-way in the night... In the  | night  -      |

       F         C                Dm                Bb
Chorus:  A-me-ri-ca, what will we miss while we are sleep-ing?
              F             C
         Will Je-sus come a-gain
                      Dm                    Bb 
         And leave us slum-ber-ing where we lay?
       F         C              Dm             Bb
         A-me-ri-ca, will we go down in his-to-ry
              F               C              Dm        Bb
         As a na-tion with no room for its | King?  -     |
                      F             C     Dm       Bb   
         Will we be | sleep-ing? -     |      -        |  
                       F             C     Dm       Bb
         Will we be | sleep-ing? -      |  2/4  |   4/4    | 

       F          C                 Dm               Bb                F       C    Dm     Bb
         U-ni-ted States of A-me-ri-ca, looks like a-no-ther si-lent | night -    |     -   𝄑 |

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: F Major - 1 flat (Bb)
  • Time Signature: 4/4 and 2/4 Four quarter-note and two quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately
  • Metronome: ♩ = 84
  • Voice Range: C4 - F5
The song is basically a 4 or 5 chord turnaround depending on your skill level.
Any of the following formats will sound fine.
    1.   F     Csus4  C    Dm7   Bb           
       | 1+2+  3+     4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    2.   F     Csus4  C    Dm    Bb           
       | 1+2+  3+     4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    3.   F     C      Dm7   Bb           
       | 1+2+  3+4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    4.   F     C      Dm    Bb           
       | 1+2+  3+4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |

Beginners

Beginners may find it easier to play in D Major with chords D, G, A, Asus4, Bm, Bm7. If you are playing with the video, place a Capo on the 3rd fret. The format will look like this:
    1.   D     Asus4  A    Bm7   G           
       | 1+2+  3+     4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    2.   D     Asus4  A    Bm    G           
       | 1+2+  3+     4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    3.   D     A      Bm7   G           
       | 1+2+  3+4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |
       
    4.   D     A      Bm    G           
       | 1+2+  3+4+ | 1+2+  3+4+ |

Chords in D Major - RH

D Major G Major A Major Asus4 Bm Bm7

Chords in D Major - LH

D Major-LH G Major-LH A Major-LH Asus4-LH Bm-LH Bm7-LH

Song Details:

>Peace On Earth Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Songwriter: Mark Hall
  • Lyrics Begin: Oh little town of Bethlehem, looks like another silent night.
  • Genre: Contemporary Worship, Sacred Ballad, Christian Reflection
  • Featured Artists: Casting Crowns
  • Album: Peace On Earth
    Recorded: 2008
    Released: October 7, 2008
Songs by Casting Crowns on this site:
Back to Praise Songs Back To Top

Contact Me


Santa's baby reindeer