The First Noel chords

ft. Boney M
  • Music & Lyrics: Traditional Christmas Carol
  • Original Key: D Major
  • Featured Artist: Boney M
  • Album: Christmas With Boney M
  • Music: Key of C Major in 3/4 time at 90 bpm (♩)
  • Song Chords: Am, G, G7, F, C, Dm
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
Am G7 F Major F Major C Major Dm G Major
Am G7 F Major F Major C Major Dm G Major

The First Noel

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
              Am  G7  F    C  F  Dm    C    G7    C
Intro: 3/4 ‖            |           |    /     |     ‖

       C        G         F           C
1. The first No-el    The ang-els did say
          F             C             G7             C
   Was to cer-tain poor sheph-erds in fields as they lay
      C            G7          F              C
   In fields where they    Lay keep-ing their sheep
        F              C          G7     C
   On a cold win-ter's night that was so deep

            C     G        F     C
Refrain: No-el No-el    No-el No-el
         Am          C       G7    C
         Born is the King of Is-ra-el

           Am  G7  F   C  F  Dm   C     G7    C
         ‖           |          |    /     |     ‖

        C       G         F     C
2. They look-ed up    And saw a star
            F      C        G7        C
   Shin-ing in the east  be-yond them far
       C      G7          F          C
   And to the earth    It gave great light
       F         C            G7      C
   And so it con-tin-ued both day and night

            C     G        F     C
Refrain: No-el No-el    No-el No-el
         Am          C       G7    C
         Born is the King of Is-ra-el

           Am  G7  F   C  F  Dm   C     G7    C
         ‖           |          |    /     |     ‖


       C        G         F           C
3. The first No-el    The ang-els did say
          F             C             G7             C
   Was to cer-tain poor sheph-erds in fields as they lay
      C            G7          F              C
   In fields where they    Lay keep-ing their sheep
        F              C          G7     C
   On a cold win-ter's night that was so deep

            C     G        F     C
Refrain: No-el No-el    No-el No-el
         Am          C       G7    C
         Born is the King of Is-ra-el          
                                                          
         Am  G7  F   C  F  Dm   C     G7                C
Outro: ‖           |          |    /     |  𝄎  |  𝄎  |  𝄑  ‖


Notes:

We have kept the chords during the verses and choruses to a minimum so that beginners can play along. If you want, you can play the 4 bar intro over the second line of each Refrain or Chorus.

The simile mark   𝄎   means you repeat the previous bar, chord or note, therefore:

  G7
|    |  𝄎  |  𝄎  | Play G7 for 3 bars.

  C     G7
|    /     | Play C for 2 beats, and G7 for 1 beat.


𝄑 The fermata or pause symbol - In this case, simply strum the chord and hold... let it ring out naturally.

If you are playing solo, you don't have to play the 4 bars of intro at the start of the song and between verses, and you don't have to play the outro... you may just want to end on a C chord. The choice is yours.

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