Written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells
Released on Christmas in the Heart (2009)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Capo 1st fret (sounding key Ab major)

Chords

Some of these suggestions depend on the contexts in the song. E.g. the Cmaj7-Dm7-Em7 figure, which should be played with the barre chords; elsewhere the standard form may work just as good.

Am/f#     202210
Am7       575555 or x02010
B7#9      x2123x
Bb9       x13111 or x10111
Cmaj7     x35453
D9        x54555
Dm7       x57565 or xx0211
Dm7-5     xx0111 or x5656x
Ebmaj7    xx1333
Em7      (0)79787 or 010000
Emaj7     021100 or 022444
Fmaj7     133210 or x8-10-9-10-8
G11       3x3213 or 3x321x
G6        35x453
G7        x-10-9-10-8-x


G11

        C                       G11
        All through the year we waited
                                  Cmaj7 Dm7 Em7
        Waited through spring and fall
                C            Am/f#
        To hear silver bells ringing
            B7         Em7
        see wintertime bringing
            Am7      D9        G11
        The happiest season of all:

Cmaj7     Dm7            Em7       Fmaj7 G7
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Cmaj7      Gm7     C7      Fmaj7   B7#9 E7
Jack Frost nipping at your nose,
Am7      Dm7-5        Cmaj7     F#m7   B7
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
    Emaj7                Fm7 Bb9 Ebmaj7   Dm7
And folks dressed up like    Eskimos.

G7        Cmaj7   Dm7             Em7       Fmaj7 Gsus4 G
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Cmaj7    Gm7      C7     Fmaj7   B7#9 E7
 Help to make the season bright.
Am7            Dm7-5         Cmaj7    F#m7   B7
Tiny little tots  with their eyes all aglow,
     Em7     Am7     Dm7  G7   Cmaj7    (G6 Cmaj7)
Will find it hard to sleep   tonight.

                   Gm7 C7             Gm7    C7
    They know that San -- ta's on his way;
                Gm7          C7        Fmaj7
    He's loaded lots of toys    on his sleigh.    *)
        Fm7            Bb7               Ebmaj7
    And every mother's child is going to spy,
              Am7             D7          Dm7   G7
    To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
Merry Christmas to you

    [instrumental bridge]

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
B7    Em7     Am7 Dm7 G7    Cmaj7/e  Am7 Dm7
Merry Christmas   to      you
G7    Em7     Am7 Dm7 G7    Cmaj7
Merry Christmas   to      you

From the recent Bill Flanagan interview:

BF: I think you did drop the “goodies” on the sleigh. Did something about that bother you?

BD: No not really. I don’t think I thought of it until you mentioned it. I try my best to be exact, but sometimes things just fall away. We probably recorded the song, got the feel right and moved on. Most likely we didn’t even listen back. Just moved on to something else. I don’t think that’s something I would have noticed anyway.