Christmas songs

Good King Wenceslas chords for guitar

Good King Wenceslas needs 5 chords in G: G, C, D7, Em and D. Here it is bar by bar: press any chord to hear it, Play to go through the whole carol, and the Key menu to move it to suit your voice.

Tempo110

↓ · ↓ ↑ · ↑ ↓ ↑ · Down, down-up, up-down-up: the campfire strum, also called the calypso strum.

Colours

homethe pullthe doorthe shadow

What each chord does in its key. Press a chord to hear it and read more.

Good King Wenceslas

4/4, four beats a bar · 17 bars

Chord chart The chords of G major ›

Good King Wenceslas, 17 bars. Press a chord to hear it; Play goes through the whole carol.

The chords

Press a chord to hear it, or its name for every way to play it.

G

FamousStandard

I

R3RGBDGBG

C

Standard

IV

R3RCEGCE

D7

Standard

V7

5♭73DACF♯

Em

Standard

vi

5REBEGBE

D

Standard

V

5R3DADF♯

How to play it

  • The strum. Four beats to the bar: four down strums is enough to start; then the folk strum (down, down-up, up-down-up). On guitar a bass note then a strum sounds fuller. Start slow, around 80 beats a minute, and change chord on the first beat of the bar.
  • Too low or too high to sing? Change the key above. Or keep these shapes and put a capo on: two frets up raises the song a whole step (the capo chart works it out).
  • A new chord? Press its card for every way to play it, or start from the beginner chords.

About the carol

Words by the English hymn writer John Mason Neale, published in 1853; the tune is the spring carol Tempus adest floridum, first printed in the Finnish-Swedish collection Piae Cantiones in 1582. (source)

Questions

What chords are in Good King Wenceslas?

In G: G, C, D7, Em and D.

What key is Good King Wenceslas in?

It is sung in many keys. On guitar G is the easiest, with open chords; use the Key menu for any other.

What strumming pattern does Good King Wenceslas use?

Four beats to the bar: four down strums is enough to start; then the folk strum (down, down-up, up-down-up). On guitar a bass note then a strum sounds fuller.

Sources

The chords were checked against these, bar by bar; where they differ, this page gives the version most beginner sheets agree on.

More Christmas songs

Silent NightJingle BellsWe Wish You a Merry ChristmasDeck the HallsO Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)Away in a MangerJoy to the WorldHark! The Herald Angels SingO Come, All Ye FaithfulThe First NoelGod Rest Ye Merry GentlemenWe Three KingsO Little Town of BethlehemJolly Old Saint NicholasUp on the HousetopAngels We Have Heard on HighAuld Lang SyneAll Christmas songs