Deck the Hall

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For the 2006 film, see Deck the Halls (film)

Deck the Hall is a secular Christmas carol. The "tra-la-la" refrains were probably originally played on the harp. In the eighteenth century Mozart used the tune to Deck the Hall for a violin and piano duet.

The English words generally sung today are American in origin and date from the 19th century. Note that some versions use "Deck the Halls" instead of "Deck the Hall," the more correct title. A Disney Sing-a-Long tape titled "The Twelves Days of Christmas" includes this song, but the latter two verses is different.

[edit] Lyrics

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don we now our gay apparel, (alt. lyric: Fill the mead-cup, drain the barrel)

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Troll the ancient Yule tide carol, (or Christmas carol)

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the blazing Yule before us,( alt. lyric: See the flowing bowl before us)

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Strike the harp and join the chorus.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Follow me in merry measure,

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

While I tell of Yule tide treasure, (alt. lyric: While I sing of beauty's treasure)

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Fast away the old year passes,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Sing we joyous, all together, (alt. lyric: Laughing, quaffing, all together)

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Heedless of the wind and weather,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Disney version

All our friends are here bestowing,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Gifts for stockings overflowing.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Sharing warmth of yuletide embers

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Joys that everyone remembers.

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Stockings filled with gifts, surprises,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Wrapped in many shapes and sizes.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Around the tree abundant treasures,

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Celebrate the season's pleasures.

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

[edit] History

The tune is that of an old Welsh air, first found in a musical manuscript by Welsh harpest John Parry Dall (1710 - 1782), but undoubtedly much older than that. The current lyrics are a very free translation of the Welsh song Nos Galan, sung at New Years Eve. In the eighteenth century the tune spread widely, with Mozart using it in a piano and violin concerto. During the Victorian re-invention of Christmas it was turned into a traditional English Christmas song. The first English version appeared in The Franklin Square Song Collection, edited by J.P.McCaskey in 1881. See here for a more detailed summary of what various sources say about its history.

[edit] Parodies

• The comic strip Pogo often had the characters singing nonsense lyrics to the song, which otherwise "fit" in terms of rhyme and meter:

Deck us all with Boston Charlie

Walla Walla, Wash., and Kalamazoo

• The line "Don we now our gay apparel" has led to obvious visual jokes about cross-dressing, the usage of the term "gay" having shifted over the centuries. A famous cartoon in Playboy magazine shows a man singing the line while donning a woman's dress.

• A version sung in Springfield, Pennsylvania in 1970, penned by Clifton Siple contained the lyrics:

Deck the halls with marijuana, fa la la la la, la la la la

Tis the time to reach nirvana, fa la la la la, la la la la

• The band Barenaked Ladies recorded a version of the song called "Deck the Stills", with the traditional lyrics replaced with the single repeated line "Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young".

• It was also recorded by the metal band Twisted Sister on their 2006 A Twisted Christmas album.

• In the 2006 TV show Another Specky Christmas, Adam Hills sang a parody called Dick the Horse. Because apparently at a Carols by Candlelight concert, that's how his Nanna heard it because her hearing aid wasn't turned up.

• The animation comedy group JibJab, famous for their shorts "This Land" and "Good to be in DC," created their own "press conference" using President Bush as the singer. All the footage was taken from confrences in Washington DC and set to a very high-paced, not Christmas-like record player music. Bush's talking was timed and cut to become the lyrics. It sometimes sounds like he might be tone-deaf to the pitches of the music, but remember, it was cut from press confrences.