WU da tat Wd, BA oa ie ddr i tat 5 fii i fay he Readers | erry (Phristmas Sendeboek Editor: William L. Simon Music arranged and edited by Dan Fox Editorial Associates: Mary Kelleher. Elizabeth Mead, Natalie Moreda ‘Art and Design: Karen Mastropietro Annotated by Dorothy Horstman and the Editors Me Reet THE READER'S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC. Pleasantville, New York / Montreal Copyright © 1081 The Reader's Digest Assocition, Ine Copyright © 1081 The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Led Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, i prohibited. Library of Congress Catalog Card Nomber 1.51285 ISBN G-895T7- 105. Reapnt’s Dicest and the Pegasus logo are registered ‘radematks of The Reader's Digest Association, Ine Printed io the United States of Americe Founeenth Printing, September 1995Music ‘Adeste Fideles (0 Come, All Ye Faithful) 24 All Hail to Thee - : 200 ‘Angels from the Realms of Glory 168. ‘Angels We Have Heard on High 30 ‘As Lately We Wstched 175 ‘AS with Gladness Men of Oid 183 ‘Auld Lang Syne 251 ‘Away in a Manger 28 Blue Christmas 54 Brezilian Sleigh Bells 242 Break Forth, © Beauteous, Heavenly Light 240 Being Torch, Jeannette, Isabella 186 Buon Natale (Merry Christmas to You) 202 Burgundian Carol 198 rol of the Bells 158 ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire ‘The Chsisteaas Song) a1 Children, Go Where ISend Thee 210 Christians, Awake Salute te Happy Morn 172 CHRISTMAS 70 Christmas for Cowboys 62 ‘Chsistmas in Killacaey 48 Christmas Is... 64 Christmas Island, 80 Christmas Song, The (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) 41 ‘Coventry Carol, The 190 Deck the Halls... 13 First Noél, The aoe) For Thy Mercy and Thy Grace 250 Friendly Beasts, The 193 Frosty the Snow Man 99 Go TellIt on the Mountain 207 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 8 Good Christian Men, Rejoice 178 Good King Wenceslas 32 ‘Hanover Winter Song 138 Happy Birthday, Jesus 118 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 10 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 44 Hawaiian Christmas Song, The (Mele Kalikimaka) .. 188 Here Comes Santa Claus 9. Here We Come A-Caroling (The Wassail Song) 34 Hey, Ho, Nobody Home 194 Holly andthe Ivy, The «+ 174 Holly Jolly Christmas, A oars) Index to Sections OUR BEST-LOVED CAROLS POPULAR CHRISTMAS HITS FOR CHILDREN AT CHRISTMASTIME |. CHRISTMAS IS A WINTER FESTIVAL MODERN CAROLS FAVORITE CAROLS OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY CHRISTMAS ROUND THE WORLD CHRISTMAS FOLK SONGS AND SPIRITUALS CHRISTMAS CLASSICS AND INSTRUMENTAL FAVORITES RING OUT THE OLD! RING IN THE NEW YEAR! Index to Songs 38 82 11 150 162 184 206 219 246 Story Behind the Song, 188 12 162 162 246 38 219 219 184 134 184 150 39 206 162 38 38 38 38 38 39 184 246 185 2 206 162 121 82 39 185 2 185 163 82 Huron Christmas Carol. The (Twas in the Moon of Wintestime) 1 Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 1Saw Three Ships [Wonder As I Wander Ti Be Home for Christmas ItCame Upon the Midnight Clear Its Beginning to Look Like Christmas Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling Jingle Bells ‘ingle-Bell Rock ‘Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild ‘oy to the World Let It Snow! Let It Saow! Let Snow! Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot, The tle Drummer Boy. The (0, How a Rose E’er Blooming March of the Kings, March of the Toys Marshmallow World, A Mary’ Little Boy Child ‘Mele Kalikimaka (The Hawaiian Christmas Song) Merry Christmas Polka, The My Favorite Things {AIL Want for Christinas i) My Two Front Teeth Night Before Christmas Song, The Nutcracker Sweets Nuttin’ for Christmas ‘Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum) 2... O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) © Come, Little Children © Come, O Come Emmanuel O Holy Night Q Little Tawn of Bethlehem OSanctissima © Tannenbaum (0 Christmas Tree) Once in Royal David's City Out of the Fast ‘Over the River and Theaugh the Woods. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers Pat-A-Pan Peace Carol, The Ring Out, Wild Bells. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Fallow Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Santa Claus, Indiana, U.S.A. Santa Claus Ts Comin’ to Town ‘Silent Night Silver and Gold Skaters Waltz, The Sleep Wel, Litle Children Sleigh Ride Suzy Snowflake Sweet Little Jesus Boy Take Me Back to Toyland ‘That's What I Want for Christmas Toyland “Twasin the Moon of Wimertime (The Huron Christmas Carol) Twelve Days of Christmas, The Upon the Housetop Virgin's Slumber Song, The We Need a Little Christmas We Three Kings of Orient Are We Wish You a Merry Christmas What Are You Doing New Year's Eve What Child Is This? ‘When Santa Glaus Gets Your Letter While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night Will Santy Come to Shanty Town? Winter Masie 196 14 165 220 122 wm 206 Ez naman nm Po Te yuINTRODUCTION hristmas is a special time — a time of rejoicing, of solemn thanksgiving, of gift-giving, of pleasures both modern and traditional, of feasting and of being together with family and friends. And Christmas is a time of special music. What better way to celebrate the birthday of Jesus than to join together and raise our voices in the special songs of Christmas — or to tune our musical instruments and play the timeless melodies that have come to us over the years? That's what The Reader's Digest Merry Christmas Songbook is all about, sharing with loved ones and fellow worshipers the joy of this most precious time of the year. Here, within the covers of this book, is a collection of 110 favorite songs and instrumentals that, year after year, will help to make the holiday season even more memorable. Take a minute now to thumb through the book, and you'll find most of your familiar favorites, as well as many songs you've always wanted to learn to play and sing. There are songs of every kind, specially selected to touch the heart of every member of the family — from your favorite carols to classic instrumentals, from novelties that will make the children laugh to traditional favorites that will bring a tear to the eyes of their elders. Santa Claus is here, of course, as well as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snow Man, King Wenceslas, the Three Kings, the little drummer boy and, most important, the Christ Child. This is a Christmas songbook that will remain open long after the magic day has passed, forit aiso contains many popular winter songs and even some songs to welcome in the New Year. There are popular songs, modern carols that are well on their way to becoming classics, folk songs and spirituals, lus an international selection of favorites, several in the original language as well as in English. In addition to the outstanding selection of Christmas songs, this volume offers a number of other features. As with the five other Reader's Digest music books, we have used the convenient spiral binding that enables the pages to lie flat when the book is open. We have taken special pains to make most of the songs self-contained on one page or on facing pages to keep page-turning to a minimum. Another feature that gives the Merry Christmas Songbook its unique readability: Wherever a song has more than two stanzas, a faint tint runs through each alternate line, making it easy to keep your eyes on the proper place when singing. And on special tinted pages at the beginning of each section, you wi find insightful annotations for the songs in that section. Also, we have taken the usual care with the arrangements to make them easy to play and sing, yet truly professional-sounding and musically interesting. For this, we have arranger and composer Dan Fox to thank. Dan is familiar to buyers of The Reader's Digest music books for his arrangements for those books, as well as for more than 200 other publications. He is a “serious” composer, too, and has scored a symphony, an opera, acantata and many chamber works. You'll be able to detect his skillful hand throughout. Now, just a few words on how to use this book to gain the greatest enjoyment. Except for the strictly instrumental numbers, every song features a vocal melody line with piano or organ accompaniment. The melody line is easy to recognize because the stems of the notes go up, while on the harmony notes, the stems go down. This same line can be followed by any solo C-melody instrument including violin, flute, recorder, oboe, accordion and harmonica. For guitarists, three systems of notation are provided: chord names, simple diagrams and, of course, the melody line. Dan Fox himself is a master guitarist, which explains the smooth progressions and expert voicings of these arrangements. Players of electronic organs (not the limited “by-the-numbers” chord models) will find appropriate pedal notations at the bottom of the bass clef. They're the smaller notes, with the stems turned downward. These notes are only for organ pedals; don’t try to play them on the piano. ‘Accordionists should play the right hand as written and use the chord symbols as a guide for the left-hand buttons. And bass players, whether string or brass, can play the root note of each chord symbol, except where another note is specified, as “GID bass.” ‘As you can see, this single musical volume can serve an entire instrumental ensemble, a soloist or an old-fashioned sing-along. Whatever your ¢aste in music, whatever your proficiency with a musical instrument, whether you like to sing alone or sing along, you will find much in this volume thatis rewarding. We hopeit gives you as much joy at this holiday season — and for many years to come — as it gave us in putting it together. Merry Christmas! —THE EDITORS 3Section One Our Best-Loved Carols Angels We Have Heard ou High (Traditional) Page 30 ‘Many years ago. shepherds tending their flocks in the winery hill of southern France hada custom of calng toone another on Christmas Eve, each fram his own peak, singing “Gloria in excelsis Deo, gloriain excelsis Deo,” justas the angels might have fir announced the birth of Christ. The tradicional tune che shepherds used, probably froma late medieval Latin chorale is the refrain of “Angels We Have Heard on High.” The ‘musiefor the verse — probably 18th century — comes froma different source (apopular tune ofthe time). as does the cox itself a translation of the old French carol “Les Anges dans nos Campagnes.” They were first published together in a carol collection dated 1855. Away in a Manger (Traditional) Page 29 Martin Luther the German religious reformer, wrote a number of beautiful and stirring hymns and hymn ‘exts, but his sweet lullaby is not among them — although ithas been widely credited to him. For reasons of his own, one James R. Murray published this versein 1887 in acollection called Dainty Songs for Lads and lasses, labeling i “Lathers Cradle Hyman. compased by Martin Luther for his children, and sil sung by German mothers to their litle ones,” andthen adding his own initials, R.M., to confuse the matter further. The poem, however, was not Luther’ ar Murray’, but rather was “borrowed” from a children’s Sunday school book published a couple of years earlier in Philadelphia. The origin of the tune used here is also uncertain, alehough itis possible chat Murray was its composer. The words are also often sung to the melody used far the Scottish poem "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton.” Deck the Halls (Old Welsh Air) Page 13 Although most of us now live in rooms rather than vast, vaslted halls, we still deck them out at Chrisemastime — with holly, reaths, flowers color, anything our imaginations ean conjure up. The old traditions suggested by this song would seem ro ndicate hat itis of ancien English vintage. But although ‘heorginsofthe melody areshrouedin antiquity withinciatont that rorigimatedin Wate, thefontiar ‘vords whore origins areatso obscure are believedto be American, Andifyon wonder why American 57ics tcould make such apoint of celebrating old English custome, the answers that they were produced inthe United States the 13h vencery when Washington Insing was glorifying English customs and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was atthe height of te first popularity. The First Noél (Traditional) Page 22 The Christmes song elling the story of “The First Noe!”{“Nodl” isthe French word for Christmas andstems from the Latin naastis, meaning “Birthday") is thoughe to date from as early as the 13th or 14th century, ‘when the Miracle Plays, dramatizations of favorite Biblestories for special holidays, were growing popular The tune, which may be English or French, is undoubtedly very old. It was first published with words by William Sandys in his 1833 edition of Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Traditional) Page 8 “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is one of the carols that was sung by the waits, those municipal watchmen inold England who, like the town eriers, were licensed to perform certain duties, such a singing seasonal songs, including those of Christmas, ta the proper people. It was fist published in 1827 ax “an ancient bersion,sunginthe street of London” Charles Dichene eeditin A Christmas Caral: Ebenezer Scrooge, the rich but miserly curmudgeon, hearsiesung jauntilyin thestreet and threatens to hit thesinger with araterif he does not cease immediately. Fortunately, Serooge is about to be voucheafed the te meaning of Christmas, ond vo be made merty— and generous himself. Good King Wenceslas (Words by John Mason Neale; Music Traditional) Page 32 Yes, Virginia, there wasindeed anoble Wenceslas. le was nota king, however bute Duke of Bohemia. He tease good end honest andstrongly principled man. as thesong about him indicates —to0 good, perhaps, Becausein 929 heres musderedby his enovousand wicked younger rother fn 1653. John Maron Neale, an English dane, selected the martyr Wenceslas os the subjecoracildren’:song exemplify generosity I dulekly becomea Christmas favorite, even thoughts words clearly indicate that Wenceslas "Took out” on Se Sephent Day the day ofr Chrismas For atune Nenl peda going cro. originally sung ath the Latin fect “Tempusadestfloidum,”or Spring has unssrapped her flowers” which was first published in 1542 in a collection of Sedlsh church and school song.Hark! the Herald Angels Sing Page 10 (Words by Charles Wesley; Music by Felix Mendelssohn) Felix Mendelssohn composed the energetic tune to which we now sing "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” in 1840 as part of a cantata commemorating printer Johann Gutenberg. Fifteen years later an English ‘musician, WH. Cummings, applied Mendelssohn musical phrases oq hymn written in 1739 by Charles Wesley. (“Hark, howal he welkin (heaven rings” was how Wesley wrote the line; fortunately, a colleague substituted the opening line we knowand sing today) The devout Wesley, the Poet Laureate of Methodism, ‘composed about 6,500 hymnsin hecourseofhislife. Heand his equally devout brother John, who founded Methodism in England, might have been dismayed by the sprightly character ofthe music, but ther text would have pleased Mendelssohn, who always elt that his tune deserved a ‘merry subject.” Here We Come A-Caroling (The Wassail Song) (Traditional) Page 34 “Here We Come A-Caroling"is an old English wassail song, or a song to wish good health, which is what “wassail” means. In days of yore, the Christmas spirit often made therrich a litle moregenerous than usual, and bands of beggars and orphans used to dance their way through the snowy streets of England, offering 10 singgood cheerandto el!good fortune'f he householder wouldgive them a drinkfrom his wassail bowl, or ‘penny, or aporkpie or, better yet, let them stand for a few minutes beside the warmth of his hearth. The wassail bowitselfwasa hearty combination of hot ale or beer and spices and mead, justalcoholicenough (0 ‘warm the tingling toes and fingers of the singers. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Page 18 (Words by Edmund Hamilton Sears: Music by Richard Storrs Willis) Oliver Wendell Holmes once declared this hymn by Edmund Hamilton Sears to be “one of he finest and ‘most beautiful ever written.” Sears, a retiring young Unitarian minister in Massachusetts, was dismayed by such public praise, saying he preferred to lead a quiet life in some half forgotten parish. Fame dogged kimi, ‘however, as wellit might when "Tt Came Upon the Midnight Clear” was one of his early efforts. Thepaem twas first published in 1849 in a church magazine and was adapted the following year toa tune composed by Richard Storrs Willis. Willis, by that time an eminent editor and critic for the New York Tribune, had studied music in Europe as a young man, with, among others, Felix Mendelssoh, who so much admired Willis’ work that he rearranged some of i for orchestra. Joy to the World (Words by Isaac Watts; Music by Lowell Mason) Page 20 Though the triumphant words “Joy to the world” exemplify the Christmas feeling, this familiar text is actually a translation based on five verses from Psalm 98 in the Old Testament. Isaac Watts, the English hymnist and cleric, published his Psalms of David. which contains these verses, in 1719. More than a century later in 1839, American composer and music educator Lowell Mason decided to set them to music, modestly including the phrase "From George Frederick Handel,” apparently to honor his idol, the composer of Messiah and many other masterpieces. For nearly 100 years, the world accepted this aserption, until musicologists pointed out that not a single phrase in the music can be said to have come straight from any work of Handel’. O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum) (Traditional) Page 16 Centuries ago alovely egendarosethat onthe night Jesus was born allthetresin the forest everywhere — idiron where thentght wus waym.tn iceland cherethenightnsfovg Bloomed and borethetr mast ‘elicatefruit, Another legend exits to, that Martin Luther striding though the woods late one Christmas Eve, notcedkowexqustelypurethestarlightseemed hen glimpted rough the tree, soe took homean spec age reerbrnce of ta Christma nga ort ath can il the er fatever the true story of the first Christmas tree, the custom of decorating tres at Christmas arose in Germany Today cherebonemertunivarelhelideyderstaton The moulpoptircerlabeuttie Chris trees this one rom Germany, "O Christmas Tree," also noun as “O TortenBaum.” O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) Page 24 (English words by Frederick Oakeley; Latin words attributed to John Francis Wade; Music by John Reading) John Francis Wade was ax 18th-century British exile who moved to a Roman Catholic community in France, where he eked out an income by copying and selling music, and by giving music lessons to children. Perhapshehimselfrotethe Latin stanzas, beginning “Adestefideles,” which have made hisname known; perhans they were a text he was called upon to translate. In any case, he combined the text with a bit of ‘music, probably by another Englishman, John Reading, and published the resulting hymn around 1751. ‘More than a century later the English version, “O Come, All Ye Faithful," was turned out by Frederick Oakeley, a British clergyman who felt chat if congregations had good literary texts to sing, they would sing well. This hymn proved his point.Section One: Our Best-Loved Carols Little Town of Bethichem Page 12 (Words by Phillips Brooks; Music by Lewis H. Redner) Phillips Brooks, one of 19th-century America’ best-loved preachers, was ministering to a Philadelphia church when he wrote his now-jameus verses at Christmastime in 1868. He had journeyed to the HolyLand ‘three years earlier, and the memory was, hesaid, ‘still singing in my soul.” His organist, Lewis Redner, who ‘was professionally a highly successful real-estate broker and on Sundays a leader in the Sunday school, set Brooks’ words to musiefor the church’ children’ choir, and” QLittle Town of Bethlehem" was subsequently ‘taken up by the rest of the world. Silent Night Page7 (English words adapted from the original German of Joseph Mohr: Music by Franz Gruber) On the afternoon of Christmas Eve in 1818, in ating village high in the Austrian Alps, Joseph Mohr the local Catholic priest, wrote some appropriate stanzas forthe season. The church pipe organ had given out andcouldnotberepairedin ime orthat evening sodhe church organist, Franz Graber wrote asimple une, Setting the words fora tenor, a bass and two guitars. That very evening, atthe midnight service, “Silent Night” was heard for the fist time. The song soon made its way beyond the town of Oberdorf. but ‘anonymously, without mention of composer or poet. Until the 1850, neither Gruber nor Mohr, living in theirremotevillage, knew that their song was rapidly becoming the most beloved piece of Christmas music ‘ever written — nor did the world know of Gruber and Mohr. The Twelve Days of Christmas (Traditional) Page 26 Inthe Middle Ages, religious holidays were practically the only holidays, so lord and peasant alike tried to extend such happy times as long as possible. Christmas became not one day of celebration but 12, extending from Christmas Day o the Epiphany, when the Wise Men arrived with their gifs (thereby initiating the ‘custom of giving presents at Christmas). In the castles of the wealthy, a gifton each of the 12 days was not lnusual Hence the appeal of "The Twelve Days of Christmas, "since even thore who couldn't afford o give thesgfs could atleast sing about them. The carol is very old, dating probably from the 16th century, when such sprightly counting songs were very much in fashion. We Three Kings of Orient Are (Words and Music by John Henry Hopkins) Page 14 In 1857, John Henry Hopkins, Jr, assembled an elaborate Christmas pageant, for which he wrote both wordsand music, forthe General Theological Seminary in New York City, where he was instructorin church ‘music. One of the selections dealt with the Wise Men who came fram the East, and for this part of the pageant, Hopkins ereated one of America’ mest beloved carols, The three kings, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, brought: gold, traditionally the metal of royalty; frankincense, an aromatic bark whose smoke was thought to reach thegates of heaven; and myrrh, an unguent usedin the preparation of bodies for burial. The gifts thus signified Jesus’ kingship, His oneness with God, and His eventual death on the cross. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Traditional) Page 36 Inthe days of Merrie Olde England, « good part of life went on to the sound of music. Rick merchants hired Band to acompeny then on sos per enhanced theses phe ith song anda muntcpal orus ofsingers called waits, were licensed a sing out the hours of day or night to greet visiting dignitaries, ndin cain weg: ofttorichandacarsieh Wass werecy iets has at Otamasting eteneting on frosty nights, telling the Nativity story in song, and generally making the festivities of that favorite holiday even merit In return they might receive coins oa bitof Ae pudding pied ale or roasted Pt Many of the oldest carols are waits'carols, including "We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”B-sk Tar Gently, Silent Right English words adapted from the original German of Joseph Mohr; Musie by Franz Gruber ar Guitar—~o Capo poe eas eR Piano— Bl = Tent night, i - lent night, ~ lent night, | ho — ly night, ho - ly night, ho - ly night, All is calm, all is bright. Shep-herds quake | at the sight. Son of God, _ |love's pure light; ) £9 5 (Q) Round yon Vir - @) Glo- ries stream_from (3) Ra-diant beams_from gin Moth-er and Child, heav-en a - far, Thy ho-ly face, Ho - ly In-fant so |ten-der and mild, Heav'n-ly hosts_sing| Al- le - lu - jas With the dawn_ of | re-deem-ing grace, = = > Fa () Sleep in heav-en-ly (2) Christ the Sav ~ior is (3) Je - sus, Lord, at Thy| Sleep in heav-en-ly Christ_ the Sav-ior is Je - sus, Lord, at Thy| | oe re r oprih 18 Are Manic Pung r * aryGod Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen ‘Traditional TT Qj] rest ye mer - ry, Q) @) God our heav'n-ly | F. bles: noth -/ing you dis| may. Re- ~edan~ gel |came; And See So eae oS En En ()mem- ber, Christ our | Sav r ior was |born /on Christ-mas |Day To @un- to cer- tain] shep - \herds brought! tid/-ings of the same; Howit e 7/DF Ei D/FE Re ea o (save us all from} Sa-tan's pow'r when| we were gone a -| stray i o_— @that in Beth-le-[hem was born the [Son of God by | name. com-fort and D/Ft g. Br/De BTWords by Charles Wesley Music by Felix Mendelssohn Hark! , the Herald Angels Say Moderately &. 5 A, lf] Hark! the ner - ald | an - gels sing,___[ "Glo - 2] 3[ Hail the heav'n - born} Prince of Peace! a g AR FAG (1) new = born King! Peace on earth (@)Righ - teous ~ ness! Light and fe brings T Tf rT Tp 10 Copprih 18 Arde Mane Padang a(God and sii es full 6 @)Risn with i i i Mild He lays — His Pycrese. more may, Li "Christ is born in_|Beth - te - Ja| Born to——give them| sec - ond birth. T iT Hark, the her-ald | en - gels sing, "Glo- ry to _the| new-born King!" T t u*3= O Little Town of Bethlehem ‘Words by Phillips Brooks; Music by Lewis H. Redner Moderately F Fdim F Gm F a a a 3 = ogo r fir lit - tle town of /Beth-le- hem, How | still t- ti we see th Christ is born of | Mer ~ ‘s y, And|gath-er'd_ all a - ho- ly Child of |Beth-le-hem, De-|scend to__ us, we ——————— mp| pee jt Dr Gm cr fim Aan F f + - = : oe 3 SS 4 t 7 e P ()bove thy deep and |dream-less sleep, The | si- lent_stars go (@) mor~tals sleep, the | an - gels keep ‘Their|watch of won-d'ring (3) out our sin and] en - ter im; Be |born to si to ~ D= car — up = or T ; = Ffdim Gm Gfdim Asus AT Dm (A. F_ Gm Asus4 wit GAH HR OHH # 2 —S : |? pry f : (1) in thy dark streets} shin - eth The ev - er - last -ing (2)morn-ing stars to -\ geth - er Pro-|claim the ho - ly (3)hear the Christ-mas |/an - gels, The |great glad tid - ings wy (es Be : SS SS et Tires ae = eee ae FB © C7 Fo a RR Re | ~ [ae g a =e ( reana) mee ie ly (hopes and fears of all the years Are | met in thee to -|night. ; (2) prais- es sing to the King And |peace to ~ men on jearth. i (3) come to us, a -| bide with uP Our ae at ~ man - u-| el. = = + ae —— ; f = + ; 12 Copyciaht © 198 Ardi ted a DECK THE HALLS ae Aa (Old Welsh Air Brightly 7—) oq Pp Bm, PN Ae Bn PRR Deck the halls with|boughs of hol-ly,| Fa lala la la la| la la ia. See the blaz-ing| Yule be-fore us,| Faia la lala la| la la mf Bm Aq, Aye 7D. a a ee ae ‘Tis the sea-son | to be jol- ly, | Fala la lala la| la la a. Strike the harp and |join the cho-rus,|Fa la la lala la| la la la. = F ? r = efi Don we now our|gay ap-par-el, | Fa_ la, fa— la | Ia la la. Fol - low me in | mer- ry mea-sure,| Fa la, fa— la | la la la. t t T Ss Fa 5/ i 4 44 i ie a ? Troll the an-cient|Yule-tide car - ol, | Fala lala la la | la la ia. While I tell of |Yule-tide trea-sure,| Fala la la la la | la la la. re r u enpeh 8 Adee Matic Pig 13We Three Kings f Orient A : 5 Words and Music by John Henry Hopkins 5 En, BL Em 7 a f ; aa 1. We three kings of | O- ri - ent 2. Born a |King on | Beth-le-hem’s 3.Frank - in -|cense to of - fer have PP 4.Myrrh is mine, its bit - ter per- 5. Glo - rious | now be -| hold Him a - ad. + —— 2 ee a a Br Em G D En za ci + tH — - + f + = == oe — pee oT I Tt fd + f P SSI 1 |@) Bear - ing | gifts we | tra~verse a-| far, Field and | foun - tain, 2 Gold 1 joring to |crown Him a-|gain, King for-| ev - er, (3) In ~ cense | owns a De - i - ty | nigh, IPray'r and | prais - ing, (@Breathes of | life of | gath- er - ing | gloom Sor-row-ing,| sigh - ing, ®) King and | God and| Sac ~- ri-| fice, Al - le-| lu - ia, 4d} 4 4] i Em > Fm = er - - ae x Se — - moun - tain, | Fol- low- ing yon - der star. nev - er, | O-ver us ali to. treign. rais ing, | Wor-ship Him, | God most | high. 0. dy - ing, |Sealed in the stone - cold | tomb. lu - ia, | Earth to |heav'n re -| plies a ¢ | \ SSS ge So f -ing, | still } D.C. for G additional wordsoe OG epapes Teg O Tannenbaum ‘Traditional V- a _ Moderately aa oO 1 = ©. |Christ-mas tree, thy |leaves are so un-|chang-ing. Tan - nen-baum, O | Tan - nen-baum, wie | treu sind dei - ne | Blat - ter. Christ-mas tree, O |Christ-mas tree, thy [leaves are so__un -|[chang-ing. (Instrumental to - - ~ 16 Coigh 19851 Arde Mase Pela. In mMm im mn - L t= ¢ DT a Fe 3 oo h 2 ‘ — — a ——s = — = 1 I on - iy green when) sum-mer's here, tis a Christ-mas Day you |stand so _ tall, to griinst nicht nur zur | Som - mer ~ zeit, - ter a +} | 4 td 4 E J —— eS x “*t ——F ae ! t ¥ : G D G7 7 z i He ARR = _ — . a = = : 2 =| id = = = = 1 a cold and drear. O Christ-mas tree, 0 Christ -mas tree, thy one and all. oO Christ-mas tree, oO Christ-mes tree, you a wenn es schneit, O Tan - nen-baum, oO Tan - nen-baum, wie z ah ol de} TF T tf Er at tthe a | | leaves are 50 un -|chang - ing. 2.0 fil all hearts with | gai - treu sind dei - ne ta lat bast $= yaa ga ae yee T r 1 eS (gai | + iar 1 ~ tat lat dat Mate LtIt Came Upon the Midnight Clear Words by Edmund Hamilton Sears Music by Richard Storrs Willis Moderately | 29 £ came up-on__ the | mid - night clear That} gio - rious song of through the clo - ven/skies they come With] peace - ful wings_ un- fof the days are| has-t'ning on, By | proph - ets seen of pt ty 4 2S é F. ie ie G7 Cc ee Cc FL Gt me Pe |. —} — J +- 53 +; = <— —— A : oa = = cori tt itt From| an-gels bend - ing |near the earth To |touch their harps_ of And | still their heav'n- ly mu-sic floats O'er} all the wea- ry i Mold, @ furl @ old,. When|with the ev - er-| cir-cling years Shall]come the time—fore- veling ye LAR bj 4} 4d J) = a a — ——— —— ——— = r te >.ah WIL 2 — - = ¥ 3 = z 7 "Peace | on. the earth,_ good -| will to men, From 3 A -|bove its sad and | low - ly plains, They = When | the new heav'n_ and fearth shall own The = ———s_| ac ne aS : ; a na — = Jj» =E. 7 = A roto () heav'ns_ all~ gra - cious} King.".____ The world in sol - emn A @bend_— on hov - ‘ring ev - er o'er. its (3) Prince. of Peace,_ their whole of world— send| = — - | rr = F GT ab a = » = +, as —— a | a () stili-ness lay To | hear the an - gels| = (@) Ba -belsounds The | bless - ed an - gels| = @®back the song Which] now the an - gels| = 4d 1 tif 4 2 2S Fr rr 19Jou To the o World ey Words by Isaac Watts; Music by Lowell Mason Majestically 2-4 z 5 tf -3|\4- 28 mmm msm mo om om om om om om om om om om om om om ™(1) room ,. (3) ness. ()heav'in and na = ture (@) won- ders of — HisQ)cold win - ter's (3) o'er the Chorus 23O Com Ml Ye Shetfid Adeste Fideles English words by Frederick Oakeley; Latin words attributed to 4-18 John Francis Wade; Music by John Reading T-Jp Broadly a) mm Joy - ful and tri- Lae = ti tri - um- m™ = 1 = Come and _be -|hold ———] Na - tum wi-lae - 24 Compih 181 Andes Man PeinBe emt dd) Lk} D aa sil born the King gels. 0 go me 2 ~~ chorus come, let Re - gem an ~ rum. Ve -|| ni - te 7 HH. f br et at 4 D Ga Di G fm Bm Ph Be Ae come, let us ni-te a Sf a -|dore - do-| re 2, Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation; Sing all ye citizens of heav'n above: Glory to God in the Highest. Chorus 3. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be glory giv'n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. Chorus 254. The Twelve Days of Christmas 4- 1% ‘Traditional + % SG Briskly F Dm7 Gm7 c7 FE a HH 1,0n the |first day true love sent to mp par - tridge_in a pear | | < Gm7 cr F cr F. Bb Fr cr fel LER xe FRR FL RY FRR > true love sent to me Two tur-tle doves and a | par - tri in a pear Dm? Gm7 cr Fr of Fe xc AOR A FFE $ | tree._3, On the|third day of Christ-mas, my|true love sent to me |Three French_hens, ee 7 f fe z 26 epyeh i) 1981 Ande Mane Pah Ie. (a fal Ll | fra eta tatFooctooF tur-tle doves and a | par - plage ip a pear Dm7 Gm7 cr Fr cr a fourth day of Christ- mas, my | true love sent to me Four call- ing birds, 7 t F EF cl F fa at BR RR 7 = ‘Whee Fronch_hens, Two tur-tle doves Anda| par - triage. 9 a pear| tree.—5, On the| Te fT Re ? — ry DZ Gm7 cr F F/A — Gtdim cr/a H a tt Ta., FRB fH ' | fifth day of Christ-mas, my|true love sent to me F Dm Bb cr af ia a NC, ¥Your_ call-ing birds, |Three French hens, lightly ghtly tT 7F Bb F Ge FE Dm? it #¢ = a } i SS cH - Pa sith day of Citist-mes, my sev-enth day of Christ-mas, my eighth day of Christ-mas, my ninth day of Christ-mas, my tenth day of Christ-mas, my lev-enth day of Christ-mas, my twelfth day of Christ-mas, my ¢ = a r ¥ Repeat a3 nec : Gmt cr Fr er ee Ea Chaim =f fe isu i FHF on, EE aS == ae t T £ T true love gave to me ix geese a - lay - ing, Five gold-en (7) true love gave to me Sev-en swans a- swim-ming, (to 6) (8) true love gave to me Eight maids a - milk - ing, (to 7) (9) true love gave to me Nine la - dies dane - ing, (to 8) (10) true love gave to me Ten lords a- leap - ing, (to 9) true love gave tome E-f] lev-en pip- ers pip - ing, (to 10) (12) true love gave to me Twelve drum-mers drum-ming, (to 11) d a : ees —| Ds = he = rp = if aT t z z f cv/G Dm Bb C7 mm oe re xe. Four_ call-ing birds,|Three French hens,| Two— tur-tle doves And a lightiy 28Traditional F Bb F cr SS a 1, A-|way in a |man ~ ger, no |erib for a | bed, ‘The | lit - tle Lord 2.The |cat - tle are }low - ing, the |poor Ba- by |wakes, But | lit - tle Lord’ 3. Be |near me, Lord| Je - sus, I ask Thee to stay Close] by me for-| P : ft 4 —e PRS ae = : z po + 7 F os aS t @) Je - sus laid }down His sweet| head. The |stars inthe | sky. looked @Je-sus no | cry-ing We |makes. I | love Thee, Lord] Je - sus, look @ev-er and|love me I |pray. Bless the ' dear|chil - dren in == g i = re rye ait pote ye @ down where He | lay, The | lit - tle Lord] Je-sus a-|sleep on the | hay. @ down from the | sky, And|stay by my | cra-dle till | morn is | nigh. @ Thy ten-der |care, And|take us to |heav-en to live with Thee| there. | = | | | _—— = 4 = f ae a t — fe opr 8 ee Mase Ring I 29en ‘Traditional Joyously D aH SH 9! ES sa rerTtit tt | a F F TRE PRPRP PPP ee eee 1.) An - gele we have|heard on high |Sweet-ly si o'er the plains, 2.iShep-herds, why this| ju - bi-lee? | Why your j strains pro - long? 3.$[Come to Beth-le-| hem and see Him whose birth the an - gels sing. * 4 = | TF ae (cam Em By OE D G D7 G D & DT aa } fy ARG] ER tH FF | | h 1 j 1 « =e —— = =e a a a i = @ And the moun-tains| in re - ply | Ech ~ o - ing their| joy - ous strains. @What the glad-some| tid - ings be [Which in- spire your|heav'n-ly song? @€ome a - dore on |bend~ed knee |Christ the Lord, the | new-born King. . - a ale ee 3031 ad ex - cel - sis in af meee ee Oe oe OO Oe oe oe Oe Oe oe om oe om om oe om omGood ‘King Wenceslas Words by John Mason Neale; Music Traditional F_ Dm cr, _F, Bb OF, Bb cz, F rin i 1 Wen - ces-| las look'd out onthe feast of | Ste - phen, flesh and|bring me wine, |bring me pine logs |hith - er. a ii (When the snow lay |round a- bout, | deep and crisp and @Thou and I will | see him dine, | when we bear him |thith 7 Fa a (Bright -ly shone the that night, |though the frost was @ Page and mon - arch they went, [forth they went to - ae Pe hee oe ee fe fee Sim Ee Bee t () When a poor men in sight, | gath-'ring win - ter uf e pes a (@)Through the rude wind’s la ment | and the bit - ter tT FT +l = oprah 88 Are Mas Pabihig VW ™ Tah am AD oa a att ot oth ot oth oath oth oh a)SE ereee SEES SE Eee er See EE SESE EI Erte EES Eero enn ETErIETeTE No chord 4 srr HIE I al|sire, the night is |dark-ér now, 5]| In his mas - ter's|steps he trod, ae Ah ay oe G - iB @ and the wind blows|strong - Fails my heart, I |know not how, @where the snow lay |dint - + [Heat was in the | ver - y sod aM AM a BM gs ae ah eRe @ 1 can go no | long - er." |"Mark my foot - steps,] my good page, @which the Saint hed | print - ed. There-fore, Chris - tian | men, be sure, J ¥ 7 TF G Cc DT & Em. DT c G Am. RUM ea SORE na Re @ tread thou in them [bold - ly. [Thou shalt find the | win-ter's rage @wealth or rank pos -|sess - ing; Ye who now will |bless the poor D 1 rR @freeze thy blood less © shall your-selves find T Ertt . 33,_ DeRe we COME 1) A-CAROLING the WASSAIL SONG Traditional (22) + fy i 1] Here we come a- - Qf] Pless the mas -ter oo a a @Here we come a -| wan- d'ring so | feir___to be 5 @ all the lit - tle | chil - dren that jround the ta - bleto ! | And God | bless you and | send you TT |) Uf TOTRW RRs Re A We AR Wea Re Resch Reh Re é We Wish You a Merry Christmas 3 a aaa gating ia aati, ata wa, et, Ya ye 30 Traditional a. 2 Brightly, with spirit ee ¥ 1 Ht a 7S == =F a= = FS = 2 ye Tie? f —F (@]] wish you a Mer-ry |Christ-mas; We |wish you a Mer-ry |Christ-mas; We @J} bring us a fig-gy | pud-ding; Oh, |pring us a fig- gy | pud-ding; On, @]] won't go un-til we've] got some; We |won't go un-til we've] got some; We fd dad |) hd td # y FA HEH vis HH a wie. = a a a oe a a a a : z ——— xa - e eo 3 (@® wish you a Mer-ry |Christ-mas and a @bring us a fig-gy | pud-ding and a | cup of good | cheer Good @) won't go un-tilwe've| got some, so bring some out | here. a ee ee 2 eat — pT 36 ie) a nun ei wed= # . = je ie {fag ag a = = = a ~y a a WT Tr a tid- ings for |Christ-mas and a | Hap- py New |Year. 2. Oh,(repeat) = 3. We (repeat) - 4. We (continue) i SS Ss ? f i 5 u t T S G ET, AT DT war ar Christ-mas; We We = 5 = G7 Cc G Am. DT & fe FF = Ht FHT fi 3 t ; a = wish you a Mer-ry |Christ-mas and a | Hap - py New | Year. = |i—., - 2 z _ = 738 Section Two Popular Christmas Hits Blue Christmas (Words and Music by Billy Hayes and Jay Johrison) Page 54 ‘Most Christmas songs are filled with warmth, hope and good cheer in celebration of our most beloved holiday. But there’ another side to Christmas, to0, with special appeal to the country and western music audience. The theme of lost and unrequited love is familiar eo all country fans, and here it is given a poignant twist by songwriters Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson. “Blue Christmas” was written in 1948, and country singer Ernest Tubb made it a hit that same year. Both Elvis Presley and Hugo Winterhalter had popular versions of che song, but it remains steadfastly a country classic. C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S (Words by Jenny Lou Carson; Music by Eddy Amold) Page 70 Countrysinger Eddy Arnold’ contribution to Christmas, which he wrote in 1949 with Jenny Lou Carson. is a reminder of the day’ true meaning. "CH-RI-S-T-M-A-S" makes an acronyre of the true symbols of Christmas: C forthe Christ Child; H forthe herald angels: Rforthe Redeemer: Ifor Israel, where Christ was, born: $ for the star that guiced T, the three Wise Men: iM for the manger where Jesus lay; A for all Christ ‘means to each of us; and S for the shepherds, the first to enter the stable in worship, Both Eddy Arnold and Jan Reeves made classic recordings of ths litle song with its simple melody: Christmas for Cowboys (Words and Music by Steve Weisberg) Page 62 Stew ibe was orm an raised in Daas, but he makes no cart being a cody chowgh he does ‘think chat cowboy boots are the only appropriate footwear). In 1975, Weisberg, playing dead guitar, was recording a Christmas album in Los Angeles with singer John Denver Though Denver usually writes and records his own material, the album was one song shor, and Weisberg got his chance. Using a melody that he had had in mind fora while, he stayed up all night and came up with "Christmas for Cowboys,” which soon became a part of Devers Rocky Mountain Christmas album. Christmas in Killarney (Words and Music by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon) Down in the southwest corner of Ireland, not far from Tralee and Killorglin and Gahirciveen, is the picturesque town of Killarney: Spring is greener there and summeris lovelien the residents say, just because its Killarney (rhymes with “blamey"). And in Killarney Cirristmas is more Christmasy agree the writers of this song, John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon (Irishmen all). Dennis Day, the Irish tenor whose voice is compounded of the greenest shamrocks, introduced this lyrical ballad in 1951 with a recording chat quickly became a best-seller Page 48 Christmas Is (Words by Spence Maxwell; Music by Perey Faith) Page 64 Percy Faith, so well known for his lush, super-symphonic arrangements of popular and semiclassical favorites, also turned his hand to songwriting. In 1966, with Ipricist Spence Maxwell, he composed “Christmas Is,” agleaming compendium of some of the things chat make Christmas Christmas —the sights of holly, tinsel, sparkling snow and Santa, and the sounds of bells, carols and children’ laughter What ‘makes our holiday of holidays so special, though, is norgifts and feasting, but the feelings —the sharing, the remembering, the hoping—that make ita season of joy for all men. Christmas Island (Words and Music by Lyle Moraine) Page 80 ‘Many of our visions of Christmas center around what are essentially Northern symbols —symbols such as snow andsleighs and frtrees. But heresa charming song about what the holiday slike atthe Equator. With ‘tiny, tiny population, Christmas Island, a former British possession, is one of the Line Islands south of Hawaii and just north of zero latitude. Used asan airbase, itcame tothe attention of American Gls during World War Il. But its chief importance seems to be that it was an atomic testing center in 1962. Lyle Moraine’ song, written in 1946, plays on the contrast between the temperate and tropical visions of Christmas, and originated ata time when the South Pacific was still very much on our minds.(Cicer cag ana Fire) Page ad: ig onan Open! : | Page 41 ga Song Chess MelTome chesuppeub singer inounos “Th elo eg! becoeeoftpecil gna of oie Hel seta ooolenl Nghe ehh vowy Neorae fal dy his fiend Robert ‘about the indoor and outdoor joys of the Yuletide season. tt was “The Christmas Song.” also uently called by its frst line" Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." Jeck Frost, carolers, people dressed Exkimos—there are part ofthe outdoor fur. Inside we have the mellofturkey roasting ny tots with ‘eyesglowing and the promise of Santat vist down the chimney. Tormé made a recording ofthe song. t year and Nat King Cole recorded an even more succesful version a decade later Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Page 44 Ceanee 2 lugh Martin and Ralph Blane) There os alway somethingof hevuerable child abou uy Garland Herbig lope fame cae a the played little Dorothy in The Wiaard of Ox in 19: prompt al bucher operate just alight. her arout fat ox prone ti ‘Hillabsolutety unforgettable. That was 1944, and she wasstarring in Meet Mein t Louis, “alove ofa,” _ nected the Telly Sng” and Ta By Nex Dt the mia ey Hugh ‘Ralph Blane offered “Have Yourself « Merry Little Chrstmas"—s0 movingly done in [poste a resp met cto omnes fifi este tebmes Til Be Home for Christmas Page 46 (Words by Kim Gannon; Music by Walter Kent) : ‘In 1943 the world was at war, and many thousands of American men and women in the service would be Wied Seedy bint Cry ax ayeot eri ng hed bade esearch ee ee rebpoi eek tig ete ‘As astronauts James Lovell and Frank Borman were hurtling back to earth Sri Mth Feit png eee ses scholar Sigraund Spaeth called “T hes ee Bescon cecena npn aml tarred hating ho mede many Oveoas ngs oe Mey Cito fo Page 50 | (Words by Paul Francs Webster: Music by Sonny Burke) és elasitacheed poplar inthe Und St dringthe 9305 hhh Seat sew cen ecceyalbie being sms one rs a jst. men ‘Anchese Sisters made the “Beer Barrel Polka ne oftemextmemertisegso Hr - cy 4 Em?-5 Am? Dm7-5 7-9 Cmaj7 on. ARE RE, RED aHave Yourself vero dy up Manna Si Be eae a fRenr’y faittle @hristmas Slowly and delicately g Am, Dm7 Gr, Am? Dm? Gy # # + EE Have your-self a | mer-ry lit-tle Christ-mas;) Let your heart be |light, “——~ ae | c AmT me mo aah? fe Be ye From now on, our | trou-bles will be out of | sight. oom rk me of Ff mom Bs: tH Have your-self a ad me fe ARS ie er will be miles a -| way. cresi 7 44 opyigh 194 ree 172 by eee mmm mmmsmsemsmsemseomhsome om om omom mom om Mmmm Mmaat Ha tab be i th th at tp uw HO te tart uu i | 3 Fader Fahey Fhmi-5 Fmt 2a T t Here we are as in mf. d =_g— Pheer T Fim7-5 BY Fin, BiB se. Faithful friends who are|dear to us mpsub. gath-er |near to _—— 4 — S153 oe If__the Fates al -| eat Through the years we ] all will be to-geth-ér r Fawp, F Gee? Em7 = Am? Bm7-5 Am, GHaug i es Hang a shin-ing |star up-on the high-est | bough, Fmaj? Dm? ae oc Cmajt antl Ne, ee have your-self a 2 ddd TF esI'll Be Home for Christmas Words by Kim Gannon; Music by Walter Kent aay Tye Moderately slow, in two (J=1 beat) ™ =-_Hm™.smMm rm mp smoothly And |pres - ents eppriaht © 190, ened 1711972 y Gann Kent Mi Ce. Iteration Coyightecrd Algheroli y ot db dh th Ob GG aa th ub dae oo oo Th Dyt/a Gos, Q Ebdim Dm? rw right | gleams.christmas inkillarney Words and Music by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon Irish jig tempo » & hol-ly green, the i-vy green, The| J \ : pret-ti- est pic-ture you've ev - er seen Is |Christ-mas in Kil-lar-ney With of the folks at home. It's | nice, you know, to kiss your beau While T 7 ; F/¢ Cc Cc A, ome ae cud-dl-ing un-der the mis - tle-toe, And] San - ta Claus_you know, of course, Is 48yo aera oe of the bi * 's from home. The| door is al-ways q-pen; The|neigh-bors pay a call; A B/A And ¢ Am? DT Gg etm # + jae Ss se a oe = TT F z Fa - ther John be-fore he's gone Will }bless_ the house and ail. How Sd : = 4 —— ai —, 1 ¢ F/¢ ¢ to click yo FTI SS grand it feeis mur heels And| join in the fun of the jigs SS 5 pes and reels; I'm | ee at i hand - inj g you no blar-ney, The $ GI/D C/E t F Fo AVE N.C, tH likes you've never ki slowing down me FR iN nown very slow = F Fhdim C/G) Am iy FF c pr ae 7 | BREE FAR | aha ee ee mh ae ae - S44 Christ-mas in Kil-lar-ney With all of the folks at home. J tempo + TtThe Merry Christmas Polka Words by Paul Francis Webster; Music by Sonny Burke Moderate polka tempo v v v v4 vel v fid - dies now, the | fid - dles now, the room we go, the [room we go, _ the ro RF RR g fid - dles now; There's} wine to warm mid - dles now room we gos ‘A -fround and round room we go, 1-7 ar ie Pa Gr c set your head a -|ihicl. A-|[- get your-self a | girl. 1 (ey y ECT rt rt > Comm © Aa ah ep ct rte rareactt armenia: 50 ]> > r t > > tT S = gr hs Boss At Zz # tin-gle, _ When sleigh bells | jin- gle— on San-ta's Teo pt ¢t = = t To - geth - er Christ - mas i es ae 51‘The Merry Christmas Polka F Chorus = : the |mer - ry Christ-mas | pol - kas the |mer- ry Christ-mas | pol - ka; hap - py On, it's the step with ‘A- round @ z be | jol - ly and |deck the halls with | hol- ly; the |ceil - ing with |1ots of time for |steal-ing let's have a | jol- ly hol- i -| day.. iss - es be-{neath the mis- tle -| toe. ae 7 tr Aaj wireee eee eeseereeeeran Pirie Se Se oo le mer - ry Christ-mas | pol - ka; An- oth- er mer - ry Christ-mas | pol - ka; With ev-'ry - aay aay ILL =a SB SSeS) ree ek roy Roy Rk i pp deg REE ete See sea~son has be-| gun. Roll out the Yule - tide— join-ing in the [ fun; Roll out the [bar - rels that ea = qaqa = SSS a a ee eee aia ee eee c7 Am7 Dm? Gm7 t +H \ \ va Sj} SS = sp i ae sing out the | car- ols, A | mer ~ ry Christ-mas shout till they |hear you, A | mer- ry Christ-mas ESS St 2 t c7, lS a la 7 SSS ree = \" c F ——F ; 2 , céme on and fa —} “ray Sy aNWords and Musie by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson 7 ee zZ : Moderately slow, with expression fr ‘ ; ieticatelD ~ oa” d Ill have a eS Abdim cl i 0 exe fe : ae & . tions of Christ-mas | tree =< 54 onyih 1948 Be Msc uber The Wt Ma Grup Santa Mai, Cu Copp rnene| cr B/D Mie C/E i HE AR xo. z ww lyou're not here with | me. I'll have a Christ-mas , t RR RE OP |heart - ache starts | hurt - in’,. You'll be right with your |Christ = js slower \Christ-mas. BP we a i an e i osWe Need a Little Christmas from the musical production Mame Music and Lyric by Jerry Herman Brightly (as a polka) Freeltree | Haul "yout the | hol - ly; Put upthe| tree be -| fore my down the | chim - ney;_| Turn on the |bright-est {string of ~ * ~ ~ T ile ET Amt, Dr Amt, BH HH Fm fie spir - it falls. again, lights I've ev -| er seen, — 1 may be [rush - ing |things, but deck the halls a - gain —— It's time we |hung some tin’ ~ sel on that ev - er-green ; t id 56 Bes Reen Bans Nara "A Bsn MPL Communion reap Copa ocaed age ee ae mam m homme omP oP oP oo om JB Bh ileal El.BmT-5 Am/F# E7/G Am D7 ie a i For we |need a little |Christ-mas For I've |grown a lit-tle | lean - er, Right this ver-y |min-ute, Can-dies in the | win-dow, Car-ols at the Grown a lit-tle |cold-er, Growna lit-tle | sad-der, Grown a lit - tle F T r Ro spin-et. Yes, we |need a lit-tle |Christ-mas Right this ver-y | min-ute. It old-er, And I |need a lit-tle | an - gel Sit - ting on my |shoul-der, _ ~ fr Dr iH Nc, as N.C, has~ n't snowed a |sin-gle flur-ry, But | San- ta, dear, we're| in a hur-ry; So fof Tay fee date Natt‘We Need a Little Christmas lit - tle |Christ need a lit-tle | mu-sic, Need a lit-tle flaugh-ter, INeed a lit-tle Amt DT a Fe sing-ing ‘ng-ing through the | raft-er, And we |need a lit- tle |snap-py t te ~ i "Hap-py ev-er | af-ter,"THE LITTLE BOY [5 at THAT SANTA r. Words and Music by Tommie Connor, Jimmy Leach and Michael Carr CLAUS FORGOT Verse Ge) ome mas comes but |once a year for | ev- 'ry girl and | boy, rh at laugh-ter and the | j they | find in each new Fdim F Fm Gm? Eb9 DmThe Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot ce bo cr lit - tle fel-ler's |Christ- mas Moderately, in tempo EB AmT-5 Dr or Chorus ate. fla HH HH FH —i— lit- tle boy that] San-ta Claus for-| got, Gmt CT Gm7-5 cr FE ORO good-ness knows did- n't want Be Rl 7 Fe sent a note to|San-ta for some] sol-diers and a Gm Eb9 co Am7-5 —-D1-9 Gm7 co A broke his lit-tle |heart when he found] San~ ta had-n't- Am7-5 D7 on fo Ge« BRE street, he en ~ vies] all those | wan-ders home to |last year's bro-ken | toys.. t t T * #8 &® & &a —== 5 c ; ; sor-ry for that | lad-die; He |has-n't got a |dad-dy, The | lit-tle boy that aT 74 Gm7 tT m rT) fe ae fr San-ta Claus for-] got. Iraefor GC Words and Music by Steve Weisberg rs Moderate country waltz (I to be played as?) f = = i—_—— pea. sim, throughout f* F na pm ff i an | | yTan in’ the | sad - dle we spend Christ - mas} Day, 3)camp\- fire for |warmth as we for the [nights eee (priv - int the | cat-tle___on_the | snow ~ cov- ered _| plains. @)stars oo - ver |- head. are the |Christ-mas- tree | lights. 62 Copysight © 29° oy Cherry ae sie Co. otormatana Copyright ssc Alrighty enedBb F cr & = ae Fa i i SS (AN of the} good gifts giv - en __to-| days (Gywind sings a [hymn as we | bow wn —| () Ours is the | sky, and the |wide 0 - pen @)Christ = mas for | cow-boys end the [wide 0 - penCHRISTMAS IS Words by Spence Maxwell Music by Perey Faith 7 3 Am7 I Christ-mas is sleigh bells; > 4 Christ-mas is shar-ing; —= = SS + j x #44 Christ-mas is car - ing. =~ <= a = - — ~~ + 3} z ped. sim. throughout c Am? m7 Dm7/o TH] 1 if HE = SS = Jae a Christ-mas is chil-dren who | just can't go to sleep. Christ-mas is car -ols to |warm you in the snow; Christ-mas is mem-'ries, Christ-mas is bed - time the where kind you al- ways keep. no one wants to —> g came tied ten Used pom, pom pom oo oom omDeck the halls and give a For all the All the world is tin ~ sel So glad to things that Christ-mas is each] year. Christ - mas ,— mer-ry know that Christ-mas i: to -| night. Christ -mas,— mer-ry | : ee eS FE SE Ee - SF i set poe u_G_4 | f Christ - mas, your wish-@s come | true> Christ - mas fh your wish 8 come | true. C/G Dmv/G aah C ee _ a E Hs Christ-mas;— ys wigh> & come our ——— >|SIVER and G Words and Musie by Johnny Marks Slowly and somewhat freely Both hands 8va higher- - - | Sil -ver and | gold, sil - ver and | gold, Ev ~ 'ry-one |wish-es_for P How do you |mea-sure its ped. sim. throughout 66aa g * f 1 ' rot RYT Just by the | plea-sure it gives here on earth. slowing down | Sil ~ ver and | gold, in tempo sil -ver and | gold, Mean so much|more when 1 AT, [rushing forward slowing % > r Dm? Ebdim ee: = @ sil - ver and | gold dec-o-| ra - tions. very delicately |, ~~ ‘)Take Me Back toToyland Words by Kal Mann; Music by Bernie Lowe Gentle and lilting At u———1 ped. sim.gt Em1, any fy ri Vee Where |dreams just lke | toys can be If you be-} lieve in Be-lieve in ba NE things that you | can - not | see; the |world would be-| come f FT |e Ff What a |won-der-ful |world this would] be.@- -R-I-S-T--A- Words by Jenny Louw Carson; Music by Eddy Arnold Moderately . : : wo oho pad $_ 3 1j— = oa = nan an a Leal . : ft \eab . - bj = = = roy Te Verse (rather freely) . ce eg eins FY fe FH sn. it = SSS] == re ro 4 Christ-mas meant one | thing, ‘That get - ting lots Em? Am ef “= e Se 7 P | | learned 4 whole lot dif-f'rent when ]|Moth-er sat me |down And —S = 1 = == = oo == ov 70 om i et ae og a eae eeetaught me to spell |Christ-mas _this Chorus (moderately, in tempo) c So Fae "c" is for the |Christ child i ie - prof r for her ~- ald | an-gels in = "It means Te - ra-[ els i ie? a a a rE cate 6 | Lot SELF F for the | star thet shone so bright. }— syCHRIS-T-MA-S Dm7 G? Em? AmT. Ho #4 a — ——— — == jee - re FTP Ei. | | "T" is for three |wise men, They who trav-eled far. : — a — = aay rp = : a ———— = = F ¥ - DT GT Cc aa I { t "M" is for the | man-ger where He | lay. "AMS for all He = i: : AS | | stands for; "s" means shep-herds |came, => | |_| o p- aaa = + - FT r Fse eee re Moderately Words by Irving Caesar Music by Gerald Marks G DT G DT HH E SS - SS SS iE + = ee — S| | = a Cr t——+ > Make my mom-my's|life a song; |Keep my dad - dy |safe and strong; I don't want e-| lec -tric trains, Twen-ty - dol - lar | aer - o - planes. mp simply Le #5 | 9 SS F == : S G GT Cc Cmé GD AT cmé D7 fa mR fe RA —. » a Ke - 3 fas = SSS SS r rorrerl, * Let me have them| Free our friends of all year long; aches and pains: That's what I want for |Christ-mas. That's what I want for |Christ-mas. cnr 3‘That's What I Want for Christmas Bbdim = Am7 ae Let my dolls I like boots be |made of rags, with tops of blue Fire-man hats Like my lit - of | pa- per bags. tle | sis- ters do; So, ia SS EE # i= = F = aa Just write "love" on the [Christ -mas tags; That's what I want for if you leave them, |leave a few; That's what I want for 2 i J Faly j 4 % — = = ee © = t i“ pyc og Dmt/G c/a. Dm7/G a Christ - mas. Christ - mas. wake up Christ - mas rein- deer pass = my | day, house, ! if 1 1 But But, | when don't, dear | San - ta wake up,| let meAm7/D I will not _com-} plain March-ing round the |Christ-mas tree S Bbdim — Am7 be-cause ee: ro NT What I real - ly |want is An-i-mals that] nev-er this: bite, Se, at 7 j—} $ =4 5: = zi = I I l Sis - ter's smile kiss. Fill our land with Nev- er giv - ing] an - y _ fright, Sol - dier boys who | | a [_ . | = Sy —— o— aa peace and nev - er lightly j m6 aa bliss fights That's what I want that's what J want From|Maine more |broadly for for down [That's to what I want the for Isth = Christ - mus; mas. Christ -mas.‘WA Saunty Cone to Shanty Town? Words and Music by Eddy Arnold, Steve Nelson and Ed Nelson, Jr. Moderately Win }} San-ty come to |Shan-ty Town to a {poor lit-tle boy like mp & D/Fe Fdim r Will he |bring , me some |toys rf al Will }San-ty come to |Shan-ty Town if he |sees our Christ-mas |—— F = = = Ag. } e See 4 ee a gt 7 ? f Mom-my said he jwould if I |prom-ised to be [SVS SSeS u—_———_, tT Comrie 8 a Ra nce cased Maa ered edly panos See eeepaar r ee eEe Eee ecto Gtdim = = 5 ert ee + a — a4 we don't have a | fire - place or a |chim-ney on our did-n't stop last |Christ-mas Eve; does-n't he ki le live aa ——— =| Cdim 1 ie ' - — = SS = ? t= (Q) shack Like the | oth-er luck - y | chil - dren have who (2) here? Will my | mom-my have to |paint my toys the fg ht + — = SS} = — f t = ; > A A D : rt A = i + p= = = = 7 ff - + (1) live across the | track. ni G . me a @)way she did last ey eal wae my|pray'rs each day, when |—, - : | i = = See ae} = = = zg we wo ; io ____—, AY Em? Av i = — =| ? = =| as feo [ Christ-mas rolls 4 San- ty come to |Shan -Words and Musie by Johnny Marks Rockin Aroung the Christmas Tree fo ke Sete $9 $0. te ge BAE9 So. p00" $949 50.44 49 Bright twist tempo A A A A Rock-in' a-round the |Christ-mas tree— At the |Christ Rock-in' a~- round the |Christ-mas tree, Let the |Christ-mas Mis-tle-toe hung where | you can see— = Ev ~'ry Lat-er we'll have some |pump-kin pie, And we'll t g gt k c z Gy c cou-ple tries to 7 do some car - ol -| ing. A t t ? z g a 78 one 1958 yt Nhl Mask NY nernatonal Copyright sete. Al igh serveFr. Em Am, Am+7 i a ae 7 = You will get a |sen-ti-men-tal | feel-ing When you hear volc-es singing, Ree t= g zg te ae fag a N.C, ah = = “Let's be jol-ly; [Deck the halls with Jboughs of hol- ly."|Rock-in' a-round the —~ t Christ -mas tree, Have a | hap-py hol - i -|day. EN“"ry-one danc-ing fash - ioned t x f a a t *8va applies to piano only. oudjem Words and Music by Lyle Moraine Moderately, with a ult (T=) 3) oy oe oS mw ™ How'd ja like to spend f{Christ on Christ-mas = Christ on Christ-mas — DT ima 2 like to spend a hol - i-day a-| way a- cross the like to hang your stock-in' on a [great big co-co-nut z das z = How'd ja like to spend How'd ja like to stay whee ————_ a *The chord is spelled GDAC. 80 a CE Ne etqs Tdi Tdi Vda Vda Ta th Ida (i td ddy ta dd) bh bb ih cms BY/FH Dm6/F ET Fe BB. File. FRR like the Is-land-ers | do, Wait for San-ta to Christ — fi Ah +H #4 HHH Svan nev-er stray, for ev-'ry day your|Christ-mas dreams come| true. 4 es ‘vaiSection Three For Children at Christmastime s Frosty the Snow Man (Words and Music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins) Page 99 Gene Autry, just out of high school and not yer settled into a job, tried to earn some money by working in a ‘railoay telegraph officein alatle Oklahoma town, Assigned tothe night shift which wasslow, he amused dimself by picking on his guitar and singing a song or tivo. One night a stranger happened in waited until ‘Aunryhad finished hissongand then said, "Young feller you're wasting your ime her.” Laas Will Rogers ‘By then, Autry had had enough of the telegraph business, so he took Rogers’ advice and began singing professionally, His career is now legend ~ he became one of Hollywoods Brightest stars and ultimately tamed his own radio and television shows, publishing house and even baseball team. Much of Autry’ popularity came from his recordings, particularly of Christmas songssuch as Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins’ "Frosty the Snow Man.” Autry recorded “Frosty” in 19S1, and the song proved to be a milion-seller. With such asend-of itis no wonder that Frosty joined the roster of familiar characters without whom a childs Christmas con never be quite complete. Happy Birthday, Jesus (Words by Estelle Levitt; Music by Lee Pockriss) Page 118 Ves en phe eae ards ee ‘plese egicoa lou uaabon eras almomies sess strats Sea aa te erated arene me meng ree re television, but about giving gifts ~in this case, a song —in the spirit of the day. “1 Birthday, Jesus” was erence rt meer geared incensed aPC leon i Wee los eh bie fay fay Here Comes Santa Claus Page 90 (Words and Music by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman) (Of the several Christmas songs that contributed to Gene Autry’ fame, one of them was written by The Singing Cowboy himself. That was hisand Oakley Haldeman’ salute tothe holiday season andto one ofits ‘chief protagonists, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” which he introduced in 1947. Autry’ recording of the song twas a sizable hit, as were che recordings by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, (a) A Holly Jolly Christmas (Words and Music by Johnny Marks) Page 94 ‘Noone hes risen more Christmas masica goodies than Johnny Marks: Though wellknoim nthe popular tong world, he found hes rus méler in wting Christmas songs specihcally “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Retndeen" Aer he rote “Radolphin 1940, Marksset ap his mn company -fitingly called St Nichols ‘Maste Tne ~o_pabfuh the songs Mirae. The pare of the compen as z hope) omen “auch pore imself. "Rudolph was succesful beyond Marks wildest dreamte and he followed with such staples “The Night Before Christmas Sog.”-When Santa Claus Gets YourLetter Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" Heardehe Bells on Christmas Day and“A Holly folly Christmas, "The letsong eas premiered ly Burl Ine n 1964 on the CBS childrens Chritmts TV specal Ralph the Red-Nosed Retndcey, Ter” recording of “A Holy Jelly Christmas” old more than 2 millon copies. 1Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Words and Music by Tommie Connor) Page 88 For many years now, fathers have been dressing up in white Beards and red sults around Christmastime in order to make thei children chink thatthe reat Santa Claut bas come down the family chimney. In olden ‘day, however Senta Claus took pains notto buss his wifein the prevence of he youngsters. ivas Tommie Connoricho wrote this arch Fide song in 1952. ond de wos lucky enough to have 12-year-old Jimmy Boyd ‘recondit,im aerson that sold nearly 2 millon copies the firs year 82aap dS) ada dd i id) ty ld Lu Lyi My Favorite Thin; Page 114 5 (Words by Oscar Hammerstein Il; Music by Richard Rodgers) When those two geniuses ofthe American musical theater Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein It serote The Soundol Musicin 1959, they capped theirown golden age. Ax everyone knows, this masial as the story ofthe Tapp family ~ aster captain. his seven musically talented children. and a winsome _governes toounrubto become nun) who wins frstthe hearts ofher charges and nally the hear oftheir Jather In the stage version, Maria (Mary Martin) sings “My Favorite Things” asa duct with her Mother SSupertorintheconvent caraloging the modest delights of her ifethatshe could notbear give pasa nun — whiskers on kittens, brown paper pachasges tied up with string... In the film, Julie Andrews sings the song ‘ohercharges, who havegatheredin her bedroom to wait outa threatening storm. In both cases by thetime the atmosphere clears, the song has become one of everybodys favorit things (AILI Want for Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth Page 102 (Words and Music by Don Gardner) This novelty song, which was rst heard on the Perry Como radio show, was introduced coast-to-coast by a short-lived singing group called The Satisor, Theres “AUT want fr Christmas ism tug frontteth “supposedly sung by alisping child, delighted Como’ audience and led.o. 1948smash recording by musical ‘madcap Spike Jones. Written in 1946 by Don Gardner, the song still generates a chuckle today. ‘The Night Before Christmas Song Page 110 (Words by Clement Clarke Moore, adapted by Johnny Marks; Music by Johany Marks) Clement Clarke Moore was one of 19th-century Americas most distinguished scholars in the fields of Oriental and Greek literature. He achieved fame far beyond what might be expected for even so eminent a scholar, and that fame has proved enduring. It rests not on his research, however, but on the charm of a simple poem thathe wroteat the age of42to entrance hissix children on Christmas Eve. Hecalledit “A Visit {from St. Nicholas,” and it started with the magic sentence " Twas the night before Christmas,” the title by ‘which his poem is now commonly known. Johnny Marks, who wrote 0 many of our popular Christmas tunes, ‘adapted Moore's poem into a song. Nuttin’ for Christmas (Words and Music by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett) Page 107 Co-writers Sid Tepper and Roy Bennett havehad amazingly parallel careers. Both were born the same year, served in the Air Force Special Services daring World War II, were staff writers for Mills Music and wrote special materiat for Elvis Presley — ond had lots of children. twas one of Bennetts daughters, Claire, who inspired this charming song ~ lite the child in the song, she spilled some ink on Mommy’ rug and was warned that the impending Christmas would bea bleak one. Each writer contributed mischievous incidents fromisown family, and the result was "Nuttin' for Christmas.” Five-year-old Barry Gordon introduced the songon The Milton Berle Show in the mid-1950s, That appearance was so successful that renditions by Stan Freberg, Eartha Kitt, and Homer and Jethro quickly followed. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Words and Music by Johnny Marks) Page 85 The statistics are staggering: more than 140 million recordings by 500 different performers and 7 million copies of sheet music, not to mention toys, clothing, watches, all bearing the image ofa shiny-nosed deer. The cause ofitall? “Rudolph the Red. Nosed Reindeer” by Johnny Marks, one ofthe most successful songs of all ime. Cowboy star Gene Autry introduced “Rudolph” at Madizon Square Garden in New York City in 1949, His recording has since sold more than 12 of those 140 million recordings, a half-million in 1980 ‘alone ~ making it the second biggest-selling recording after Bing Crosby’ version of "White Christmas.” “Rudolph” has inspired several television specials, and the litte reindeer is still a popular favorite every Christmas, joining Dancer and Prancer and the other six reindeer around Santa’ sleigh. Santa Claus, Indiana, U.S.A. Page 112 (Words and Music by Abe Olman and Al. Jacobs) There actualy isa town called Santa Claus in the state of Indiana~a litle town of about 625 people, where ‘many of the eters that children address to Santa Claus every year eventually wind up. This song, written from the point of view ofa child, gives the idea a litle ewist: he would answer any los letters addressed to Santa and would mail Daddy and Mommy's Christmas gift from the town. Abe Olman’s most popular song is "Oh! Johnny Oh!,” which he wrote in 1917. Al Jacobs wrote most of his popular songs, which included “This Is My Country,” during the 1930s and ‘40sSection Three: For Children at Christmastime Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town Page 92 (Words and Music by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie) Everybody knows what happens i you pout or ery around Christmastime: Santa Claus passes you by thats that Haven Gillespieand Pred Cootewrote words and musito thiseffectin 1932, buto music publisher teas interested in the song becaure it war a “Kiddie” tune and "Raddie” tunes were “known” to be “uncommercial." At the time Coots was writing special material or comedian Eddie Canton to whom he showed the rong. But even Cantor was about toturn it down for his radio show uncit his wife Ida persuaded fimo giz iat “this wa near Thankgning in 1994 and of coune tgs a inatntancous ht The rio audience wentwildover hevong. everybody bought the sheet musie,andanother Christmas standa! ttas Born Since then there have Been many recordings of ‘Santa Clauss Comin to Town,” but the ones) ‘Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters and Perry Como were the mos succesful Sleep Well, Little Children (A Christmas Lullaby) Page 117 (Words by Alan Bergman; Music by Leon Klatzkin) Wie oe oes REC TE UE de esate a NN Is ar arts Zi ee cats Pl eaten i tirec coro cepa moeibiao eer ed a ae as aes Age ee a pra errs rere ‘Awards for theirsongs“The Windmills of Your Mind” and "The Way We Vere”), consider the popularity Of Suzy Snowflake (Words and Music by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett) Page 104 “Suzy Snowflake” has been a children’ doll. a three-minute animated cartoon and a popular song. Of the three. the song proved tobe the least ephemeral. Penned by longtime collaborators Std Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, it was dedicated to Tepper’ baby daughter, Susan. During their long career together, Tepper and Bennett have written a number of memorable songs, including “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” “Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart” and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane.” Toyland (Words by Glen MacDonough; Music by Victor Herbert) Page 106 Babes in Toyland, one of Victor Herbertt enchanting operettas, written in 1903, proved that che master could write children’ entertainments as well as he could sentimental love stories, which meant better than ‘almost anyone else in thase turn-of the-century days. Toward the beginning of the evening, which includes ‘a breathtaking Christmas pageantas well ax such songs as “I Can't Do the Sum” and "March of the Toys, the toys all join in a tribute to their fabulous country, “Toyland.” One reviewer called Babesin Toyland a “perfect dream of delight,” and another, praising the ingenious scenery rich costumes and dazzling music, wrote, "What morecouldhespirit of mortal desire?” Thesong “Toyland” casts a nostalgic, almost hypnotic spell with its swaying innocent rhythm. Up on the Housetop (Words and Music by Benjamin Russell Hanby) Page 98 Glement Clarke Moore's poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” writen in 1822 and now more familiarly ‘Known by its first line, " ‘Twas the night before Christmas,” clarified for many children and their parents the exact fashion in which Santa Claus paid his vsitswhat he looked lke, what the names of his reindeer were, how he got himself down the chimney. “Up on the Housetop,” which was written in the ‘mid-19¢h century by ant Ohioan, Benjamin Russell Hanby, probably owes something to "A Visit from St. Nicholas,” since no one before Moore had suggested that Santa’ sleigh could land on a rooftop at all. When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter (Words and Musie by Johnny Marks) Page 96 ‘This wes a hit song that was inspired by another hit song, Songwriter Johnny Marks recalled that after Gene ‘Autry recorded “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindect.” which became such a hit in 1949, The New York Times ‘was swamped with letters from children who had written to Santa Claus asking for a copy of the Rudolph record for Christmas, Those cherming letters gave Marks the idea for “When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter.” ‘Autry recorded that song, too, and té also became a hit, though not, of course, as big a hit ax “Rudolph.” one eT ee