Deck the Halls ✧
A lively Welsh melody with dotted rhythms, cheerful responses and a rising middle phrase.
Sheet music
Tap a staff note or finger tab to hear it.
Deck the hall
The season to be jolly
The rising response
The Christmas carol
D whistle · G major · 4/4 · 110 BPM · + upper octave
Deck the hall
The season to be jolly
The rising response
The Christmas carol
Lyrics
Thomas Oliphant · historical first verse in The Song Book, page 325
Deck the hall with boughs of holly, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. ’Tis the season to be jolly, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Fill the mead-cup, drain the barrel, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Troul the ancient Christmas carol, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
About this tune
Deck the Halls uses the Welsh tune Nos Galan. John Hullah’s The Song Book prints it as Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly and credits the English words to Oliphant.
This setting follows that printed melody, including its lively dotted rhythms and high middle phrase. The accompanying words preserve the older first verse.