# Why Does Every Christmas Song Have So Many Chords?



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I just played a gig at a Christmas party and I'm feeling Wendell's pain...

[video=youtube;7ouzVdDMJCM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ouzVdDMJCM[/video]


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Tell me about it. 

I've played Christmas shows with 25 songs for the past 2 years. 

To make things even more difficult for guitarists, most of the songs are either in A flat or E flat.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Play bass instead--that's what I often end up doing around Christmas


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I am playing trombone for a concert tonight... hard to keep the Ab's, naturals etc all lined up straight .... lot's of accidental notes.. 

ana on ana two ... start the bubble machine ...


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## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

So true, you think they're simple until you try to tackle them and they're so unconventional you're second guessing everything.


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## peter benn (Mar 29, 2007)

Reminds me of the '40s/'50s big band changes versus rock changes disconnect that (second generation) '60s guitar players had to deal with: some people chose to learn Beatles-style changes (the more complex Beatles songs), and some people didn't... and still made careers with more predictable chord changes (Z.Z. Top, for instance).


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Loved that! Thanks Brian.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Morkolo said:


> So true, you think they're simple until you try to tackle them and they're so unconventional you're second guessing everything.


It's like that was done on purpose...


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

If they didn't have all those chords, they wouldn't sound the way they do.

Remember what Tom Lehrer said about folk songs - "The reason they're so bad is because they were written by ordinary people. Professional songwriters would have done a much better job."


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

Many of these (almost all?) were written on piano. It's easy to play those crazy chords with two hands on a keyboard. 

I usually revert back to Maj7, Min7, Dom7, aug or dim. If I see a min7add11flat15, i play min7. there are also a lot of passing chords that come from playing one note different or doing a walk with piano chords. Doesn't translate well to guitar, so i don't do it. I'll sta on the principle chords.

great link. Thanks.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

VERY funny......and true.
Thanks for posting


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

Wendel was my guitar teacher when I was in grade 10 and 11. I think he told me more jokes then teach guitar. I really enjoyed those lessons!


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

Wendell just won Instrumental Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Awards. Great fingerstyle Chet/Jerry Reed/Travis stuff...


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