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Deck The Halls
Harmonic Analysis Worksheet (RMA/HA)

photo by Louis Martin
Page Updated:
12 October 2025
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Deck The Halls

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Deck The Halls.

ULHA-YB-299a-1

Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
& Performance Notes Below

Deck The Halls

Deck The Halls s a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, "Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862. The phrase "'Tis the season", from the lyrics, has become synonymous with the Christmas and holiday season, 'tis being an archaic contraction of "it is".

The melody of "Deck the Hall" is taken from "Nos Galan" ("New Year's Eve"), a traditional Welsh New Year's Eve carol published in 1794, although it is much older. In 1912, Ruth Herbert Lewis made a wax cylinder recording of a Welshman named Benjamin Davies singing a song, "Can y Coach faier", which uses the old melody now associated with "Deck the Halls". The recording can be heard on the British Library Sound Archive website. (wikiwand);

Fun Parody

[Verse 1]
Wreck the malls this Christmas season
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Blow your cash for no good reason
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Push your charge card to the limit
Fa-la-la, La-la-la, La-la-la;
Checkbook now has nothing in it
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;

[Verse 2]
Wreck the malls with my friend Charlie
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Drive through K-Mart on his Harley
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Tamper with their muzak system
Fa-la-la, La-la-la, La-la-la;
Trade for something by Twisted Sister
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la

[Verse 3]
Wreck the pet store, do some damage
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Send the beagles on a rampage
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la;
Acting in an uncouth manner
Fa-la-la, La-la-la, La-la-la;

Deck The Halls is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living • INDEX of Songs

Deck The Halls Ukulele Chords
C G7 Em Am D7 F

Theses and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval
  • Start on P5 ↓ M2.

    • INTERVALS: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is a, Em is E, etc... m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

    Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

    Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating a your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

    C
    C
    G7
    C
    C
    G7
    C
    /
    I
    I
    V
    I
    I
    V
    I

    C:

    C Ionian
    C
    C
    G7
    C
    C
    G7
    C
    /
    I
    I
    V
    I
    I
    V
    I
    G7
    C
    Em
    Am
    G7
    D7
    G7
    /
    V
    I
    III
    VI
    V
    II7
    V
    C
    C
    G7
    C
    C
    G7
    C
    /
    I
    I
    V
    I
    I
    V
    I

    If crafting a solo over single beat chords it's better to simply address the difference between the chords.

    Harmonic Analysis (HA)

    A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

    NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.
    Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …
    The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as in indicated the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.
    If turnback chords are not indicated for the these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet recommended chord(s) will indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.
    Reference Key
    This is the key of the source leadsheet.
    • Deck The Halls is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C .
    Harmonic Principles Used:
    These are the harmonic principles used in Deck The Halls.
    Nashville Number System (NNS)
    Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as convert the Roman Numerals above to Arabic number.
    At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with aberic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you coul dgo as far as saying all the modes have number I II II IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7, seven as not that far out.
    Check the definitive book Nashville Number System
    Scale Selection
    Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed then scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical and horizontal choices. And, really only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.
    Scale Abbreviation Legend
    Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor,
    Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues,
    Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian
    Checkout LESSONSeries : Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.
    RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover
    Performance Notes

    Deck The Halls, harmonically is only two lines.

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    End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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    MLRMAe
    Harmonic Analysis Lesson Series

    Harmonic Analysis ( HA ) is the process used to determine the harmonic function of chords within a chord progression. A chord progression is defined as a sequence of chords, each chord has a root and has a particular chord type. The relationship of a chord's root to a scale determines its function within that scale's tonality. Once a chord's function is identified, scale selections along with chord and scale substitutions can be made. This process is called Root Movement Analysis ( RMA ). This series of lessons are extracted from my book for use with individual private and on-line students. Each lesson directly corresponds the chapters in my book Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution by Curt Sheller (me).

    ULHA-YB-index
    The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book Song Index

    Index of the songs in The Daily Ukulele book. 365 Songs for a Better Living.

    Related Lesson Series
    Related Lessons Series for Deck The Halls.
    Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection

    Harmonic Analysis (HA), also known as the study of chord relationships, is the method used to identify the harmonic role of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression refers to a sequence of chords, with each chord having a root note and belonging to a specific chord type. The function of a chord within a particular scale's tonality is determined by its relationship to that scale.

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    RMA1
    Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

    Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.

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    The Daily Ukulele

    Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

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