O Holy Night - chords, tab and comments


This is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam ("Cantique de Noël") in 1847 to the poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau. It was translated into English by Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight. Translated into Swedish ("O Heliga Natt") this song is the incarnation of Christmas to me. Not being religious at all ... when they put on the His Master's Voice recording of the sweedish superiour clarion tenor opera singer Jussi Bjoerling, I know it's Christmas Time, come what may. The song has haunted me for years. Finally I grabbed it and started singing it myself. I'm not a tenor; I'm dark barritone, so I troubled a bit to find the platform. I ended up with D ... I hardly ever play anything neither D minor nor major, but this time it worked. Merry Christmas to You all!
D       D7           G                  D 
o holy night  the stars are brightly shining
D                        A7            D 
it is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
D             D7        G              D 
long lay the world in sin and error pining
          F#              C#7            F#m 
till He appeared and the soul felt its worth 
A            A7         D 
a thrill of hope  the weary soul rejoices
      A      A7      D 
for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn 
Bm            F#m      Em              Em7   G 
fall on your knees  o hear the angel voices! 
   D  A7 Bm G        D           A7         D 
o night divine  o night when Christ was born! 
   A   A7       D Gmaj7 D A7sus4 D 
o night  o holy night  o night divine! 
D major
D
G major
G
G major seventh
Gmaj7
A major
A
A seventh
A7
A seventh suspend four
A7sus4
F sharp
F#
F sharp minor
F#m
C sharp seventh
C#7
B minor
Bm
E minor
Em
E minor seventh
Em7