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I  HEARD  THE  BELLS  ON  CHRISTMAS  DAY   -  Marks

Time signature:  4/4
Tempo: Moderate.
Words:  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  (1863) 
Music: Johnny Marks  (1956) 
There are two different tunes for this Christmas carol, the earliest one  by John Baptiste Calkin in 1872, and the more recent one (given below) by Johnny Marks in 1956

               UNDER CONSTRUCTION:  Notation & youTube keys need to be checked.


Accordion Notation
Beats per bar =  4
Beat symbol  =  Dot ( . ) or equivalent    
Outside row (high) = Buttons 5 to 9* plus o1 (accidental)
Inside row (high) = Buttons 5 to 9* plus o6*(accidental)
Inside row (low)  = Buttons  2 to 5* plus o2* & o3*
Outside row (low):  Not available  (two notes missing)
Verses 1 & 2 (of 4)

.5   |     ;7      "7*    .6     .6*   |     .5*     .7*     .6*
.2   |     ;4      "3*    .3     .2*   |   .o3*     .3*     .2*
 I      heard  the  bells  on      Christ-mas  day,

    .5   |   ;6    "6*  .5*   .5   |  .(o6*/1)  .6*    .5 
    .2   |   ;3    "2* .o3*  .2   |     .o2*    .2*    .2  
Their    old   fa - mil - iar        car - ols   play.  /

  .5   |    ;8*   "7       .7*       .5   |    ;8      "8*  .7 
  .2   |    ;4*   "4       .3*       .2   |    ;5      "4*  .4 
And   wild  and  sweet    the    words  re-peat  /

 .5*    |     .9*     .8     .8*       .7    |   ;7     "7* .7*~   
.o3*   |     .5*     .5     .4*       .4    |   ;4    "3*  .3*~  
Of        peace  on  earth  good     will  to  men.   /


  .5    |       ;7         "7*     .6    .6*   |      .5*     .7*      .6*
  .2    |       ;4         "3*     .3    .2*   |    .o3*     .3*      .2*
And     thought  how,   as   the        day    had   come,

  .5   |    ;6   "6*     .5*  .5   |  .(o6*/1)  .6*     .5    
  .2   |    ;3   "2*   .o3*  .2   |     .o2*    .2*     .2    
The     bel-fries   of   all      Chris - ten - dom  /

  .5   |     ;8*   "7     .7*       "5   "5  |   ;8    "8*      .7   
  .2   |     ;4*   "4     .3*       "2   "2  |   ;5    "4*      .4    
Had    rung  so - long     the  un - bro - ken   song  /

  .5*   |     .9*     .8     .8*       .7    |   ;7*   "6   .6~   
.o3*   |     .5*     .5     .4*       .4    |   ;3*   "3   .3~   ​
 Of       peace  on  earth  good     will  to  men.   /
Verses 3 and 4  follow the tunes for verses 1 and 2, respectively,  slowing near end of verse 4 and holding the final note for a count of "two" (or more, if you prefer).
​

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Total of 12 videos in various keys:    Bb= 1;   C = 1;    C,D = 1;    D = 2;    E = 1;   F = 5;    F# = 1

Key:  C

Singer:  Sarah McLachlan

​Posted by:  sonicrick78

A beautiful rendition.  However, Sarah does seem to make some small departures from the standard Marks tune as given above for the button accordion.  

Key:  F

Singer:  Burl Ives

​Posted by:  ​Megan Smith

Key:  F

Singer:  Frank Sinatra

​Posted by:  christmastime4u

Key:  Bb

Singer:  Karen Carpenter
​
​Group:  The Carpenters


Posted by:  christmastime4u

Key:  E

Singer:  Ed Ames

Posted by:  dvdmanchristmas2
​

Key:  D

Singer:  Bing Crosby

Posted by:  MusicProf78

This song begins at time 0:25





Key:  F

Singer:  Harry Belafonte

​Posted by:  AllLegendsOfMusic

Key:  C  from time  0 to 1:21
         D  from 1:21  to  END

Singer:  Kate Smith

Posted by:  Don Casey


Key:  D

Singer:  Suzy Bogguss

Guitarist:  Chet Atkins

​Posted by:  suzybogguss

​Beautifully played and sung - absolutely beautiful.

Key:  F#  (=Gb)

Singer:  Fred Waring

Posted by:  Santa Claus is Coming.
                   Again. Xmas time

Key:  F

Singer:  Eddy Arnold

Posted by:  Lloyd T.

Key:  F

Pianist:  ?

Arrangement:  Dan Coates

​Posted by:  Sound Of Falling Tears
                  (S.O.F.T.)

Background Materials, Information & Links

​Lyrics:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their words repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rung so long the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep; 
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Background Links:
​(wikipedia)
Click HERE for additional info about this song.

Click HERE  for biographical info on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
​
Click HERE ​for information about musician & songwriter Johnny Marks.