Christmas songs

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas chords for guitar

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas needs 5 chords in G: G, D, Em, Bm and C. 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

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

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

4/4, four beats a bar · 16 bars

Chord chart The chords of G major ›

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, 16 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

D

Standard

V

5R3DADF♯

Em

Standard

vi

5REBEGBE

Bm

Standard

iii

R5R♭35BF♯BDF♯

C

Standard

IV

R3RCEGCE

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

An American Christmas song: the words are generally credited to Emily Huntington Miller, whose poem appeared in The Little Corporal magazine in December 1865, and the music to James R. Murray, first published in 1874 in the songbook School Chimes. (source)

Questions

What chords are in Jolly Old Saint Nicholas?

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

What key is Jolly Old Saint Nicholas 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 Jolly Old Saint Nicholas 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 GentlemenGood King WenceslasWe Three KingsO Little Town of BethlehemUp on the HousetopAngels We Have Heard on HighAuld Lang SyneAll Christmas songs