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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
A traditional English carol in minor, to the tune printed in 1855: a whole verse with the refrain “O tidings of comfort and joy.” After a leap of a fifth at the start, the melody moves mostly by step.
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen is a traditional English carol whose words go back to the 18th century; the minor-key tune you sing was printed in its familiar form in 1855. You get one full verse with the refrain, about 40 seconds. The first phrase is sung twice, opening with a leap of a perfect fifth. The third line rises to the octave, and the refrain “O tidings of comfort and joy” comes twice.
How to do it
- Wait for the two count-in clicks; the piano plays the first phrase alone, then plays along.
- Hear the leap of a fifth from “rest” to “ye” in your head before you sing it, and land on the top note.
- Sing the steady quarter notes evenly; the low note under the root on “Let” and “Was” is only a whole step down.
- In the refrain, sing the two-note “O” and “com” as one smooth slide, then breathe before the second “O tidings.”
Coach's tip: Hear the fifth from “rest” to “ye” before you sing it. In the refrain, connect the two-note “O” and “com-” smoothly, without pushing each note.
What to watch out for
In minor, the third above the root often comes out too high, sounding like major; keep it low and dark. The leap of a fifth at the start is easy to undershoot, and on “Satan's” the octave is easy to scoop. The tune moves in quarter notes and tends to speed up, so stay with the piano. The last “joy” lasts three beats, so keep the air going to the end of it.
Who it's for
Level 2, for singers comfortable with an octave and a step below the root who want practice in minor. Warm up with Minor scale and Interval: perfect fifth. No program lists it. The daily training brings it up more often if you chose the Folk / country style. Sing it in the main block of a session.
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