How to Play God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen on the 12 Hole Ocarina

About God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

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This is a traditional English carol, old enough that its author is unknown, and the title is often misread. “Rest” here means keep, so the line wishes the gentlemen to stay merry, and the comma belongs after “merry.” Charles Dickens has Scrooge chase off a boy singing it in A Christmas Carol.

The tune sits in a minor key and has a brisk, marching drive. This tab covers a wide stretch of the 12-hole ocarina, starting on D and climbing all the way to high F. The thumb holes come off for high D, high E and high F, so the top of the instrument gets a real workout. F# is the only accidental, and syllables are printed under the notes.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Lyrics

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In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
Of which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
chorus
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
chorus
“Fear not then,” said the Angel,
“Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan’s power and might.”
chorus
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
chorus
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
chorus
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
chorus:
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Ocarina Tab

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Spot a mistake in this tab? Let me know.