By Jackie Don Loe
~ Blue Christmas Blues ~
Years ago one Christmas Eve
at my grandparent’s house out in the country, I stumbled upon an old pine chest and
inside was a small cedar box with rusted guitar strings, a few finger picks and a folded
up piece of paper. When unfolded it revealed very elaborate handwritten notes on how to
play the chords to the song “Blue Christmas” and although it was torn and faded
it contained all the words and a cool twist on the chord progression. I didn’t
recognize the handwriting but it was signed ‘To Blackie from Kris Kringle and Elvis
Presley…Merry Christmas, December 1967’. My grandfather and his brothers all
played guitars, fiddles and mandolins.
There was always a guitar in the corner and my great Uncle Ernest actually
taught his young cousin Lefty Frizzell his first chords on the guitar. To this day we
don’t know who wrote the chords to “Blue Christmas” on that old piece of
paper, but I can remember it being played this way at the old deer camp, by my family on
cold Christmas nights. With all my grandparents now gone, I will always hold the holiday
times near and dear. I pass along this forgotten version written down so long ago, to
everyone who remembers a Blue Christmas.
32 Bar Blues – “Blue
Christmas” in “E Major”
| E / / / |
| E / / / |
| B7 / / / |
| B7 /
/ / |
| F#min / / / |
| B7 / / / |
| E / / / |
| E / / / | |
| E / / / |
| E7 / / / |
| A / / / |
| A
/ / / |
| F# 7 / / /
|
| F# 7 / / / |
| B7 / / / |
| B7 / / / | |
| E / / / |
| E / / / |
| B7 / / / |
| B7 /
/ / |
| F#min / / / |
| B7 / / / |
| E / / / |
| E / / / | |
| E / / / |
| E7 / / / |
| A / / / |
| Bbdim / / / |
| B7
/ / / |
| B7 / / / |
| E / / / |
| B7 / / / | |
There was also a note explaining that you could play a different set of chords for the
last eight bars and even a highly detailed ‘Poor Man’s Chord Chart’ that
listed all the chords in the order in which they appear in the song.
Alternate Chords for the Last Eight Bars
B min / C#7 / | B min /
C#7 / | F# min / C#7 / | F#min /
Bbdim / |
B7 / / / | B7 / / / | E7 / / / | B7 / /
/ ||
~ Poor Man’s Chord
Chart ~
|
6th string E |
5th string A |
4th string D |
3rd string G |
2nd string B |
1st string E |
| E chord |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| B7 |
x |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
| F# min |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| E7 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
| A |
x |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| F# 7 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| Bb dim |
x |
x |
5 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
| B min |
x |
2 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
| B# 7 |
x |
4 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
Original
Notes
The numbers following the chord letter are where you fret
your fingers on the string. If there is a “0” then the string is open, if there
is an “x” then no note is played.
Song = Key of E
Intro Riff :
String 5 5
4 4 4 4
Fret 2 2 2
2 4 4
Note B B
E E F# F#
Remember to put a little swing in your strum and you will sound
just fine and dandy!
“Blue Christmas” written by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson
1948
- Jackie Don Loe -
Guitar
Workshop Archive
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