Share the Fairytale Of New York Chords and Strumming:
Did You Know? Fairytale Of New York took 2 years to write with multiple recordings and rewrites to perfect it. Surprisingly it's never been no.1 in the charts at Christmas time, but it's been in the UK top 20, 17 different times and it's the most played Christmas song of all time there.
It could have been called 'Christmas Time In The Drunk Tank' as suggested to the band by Elvis Costello but Singer Shane MacGowan decided instead to name the song after the novel A Fairy Tale of New York by J.P. Donleavy which fellow Pogue Jim Finer had left lying around the recording studio.
More...
Difficulty Level Of Original Recorded Song: Blue Pick
Most Advanced Rhythm: Yellow Pick
Most Advanced Chord Change: Blue Pick (Yellow Pick when played with Open Anchor Chords, Orange Pick when played with Open Chords)
Click to scroll to the version for your level:
Quick Navigation/Choose Your Difficulty Level:
Yellow Pick Level
Fairytale Of New York Chords And Strumming, The Pogues And Kirsty MacColl
Open Chords:
Open G chord
Open D chord
Open A chord
Open Bm7 x2023x
Tempo: 57 bpm then 234 bpm
Key: D
Strumming:
"Slow Verse": |D U D (m)U D U |
Bar 8: |D D D (m) |
Bar 16: |D D (m) (m) |
"Waltz Steps": |D D U D |
"3 To The Foor": |D D D |
Verse 1 - 'Slow Verse'
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |A - - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |A D A - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |A - - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |A D - - |
It was Christmas (D)Eve babe in the (G)drunk tank
An old man (D)said to me, won't see a(A)nother one
And then he (D)sang a song the Rare Old (G)Mountain Dew
I turned my (D)face away and (G)dreamed (A)about (D)you (A)
Got on a (D)lucky one came in eigh(G)teen to one
I've got a (D)feeling this year's for (A)me and you
So happy (D)Christmas I love you (G)baby
I can see a (D)better time when (G)all our (A)dreams come (D)true
Verse 2 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - |
|D - - |A - - |Bm7 - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm7 - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
(D) (D) (D) (A) (D) (G) (A) (D)
They've got (D)cars big as (A)bars they've got (Bm7)rivers of (G)gold
But the (D)wind goes right (D)through you it's no (D)place for the (A)old
When you (D)first took my (Bm7)hand on a (D)cold Christmas (G)Eve
You (D)promised me (D)broadway was (A)waiting for (D)me
You were (D)handsome you were (D)pretty (D)Queen of New York (A)City
When the (D)band finished (G)playing they (A)howled out for (D)more
Sin(D)atra was (D)swinging all the (D)drunks they were (A)singing
We (D)kissed on a (G)corner then (A)danced through the (D)night
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7)
And the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 1 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |A - - |Bm7 - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm7 - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
Verse 3 - 'Waltz Steps'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
You're a (D)bum, you're a (D)punk, you're an (D)old slut on (A)junk
Lying (D)there almost (G)dead on a (A)drip in that (D)bed
You (D)scumbag, you (D)maggot, you (D)cheap lousy (A)faggot
Happy (D)Christmas your (G)arse I pray (A)God it's our (D)last
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7)
And the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 2 - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |G - - |
|A - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
(Dx4) (Gx4) (Dx4) (Ax4)
I could have (Dx4)been someone well so could (Gx4)anyone
You took my (Dx4)dreams from me when I first (Ax4)found you
I kept them (Dx4)with me babe I put them (Gx4)with my own
Can't make it (Dx3)all alone I've built my (G)dreams a(A)round (Dx4)you
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |- - - |- - - |- - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir still (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7) and the (D)bells were ringing out for Christmas (D)day
Ending - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
Final Chord Strum: D
Do You Have A Guitar Learning Question?
Click below to join my Free Facebook community group, where you'll get access to my free beginner guitar classes and have your questions answered by me and our excellent members...
Orange Pick Level
Fairytale Of New York Chords And Strumming, The Pogues And Kirsty MacColl
Open Chords:
Open G chord
Open D chord
Open A chord
Open Asus4 chord
Open Bm7 x2023x
Key: D
Strumming:
"Slow Verse": |D U D (m)U D U |
Bar 8: |D D D (m) |
Bar 16: |D D (m) (m) |
"Waltz Steps": |D D U D |
"3 To The Foor": |D D D |
Tempo: 57 bpm then 234 bpm
Intro A -
Verse 1 - 'Slow Verse'
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |Asus4 A - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |Asus4 D A - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |Asus4 A - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |Asus4 D - - |
It was Christmas (D)Eve babe in the (G)drunk tank
An old man (D)said to me, won't see a(Asus4)nother (A)one
And then he (D)sang a song the Rare Old (G)Mountain Dew
I turned my (D)face away and (G)dreamed (Asus4)about (D)you (A)
Got on a (D)lucky one came in eigh(G)teen to one
I've got a (D)feeling this year's for (Asus4)me and (A)you
So happy (D)Christmas I love you (G)baby
I can see a (D)better time when (G)all our (Asus4)dreams come (D)true
Intro B -
Verse 2 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - |
|D - - |A - - |Bm7 - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm7 - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
(D) (D) (D) (A) (D) (G) (A) (D)
They've got (D)cars big as (A)bars they've got (Bm7)rivers of (G)gold
But the (D)wind goes right (D)through you it's no (D)place for the (A)old
When you (D)first took my (Bm7)hand on a (D)cold Christmas (G)Eve
You (D)promised me (D)broadway was (A)waiting for (D)me
You were (D)handsome you were (D)pretty (D)Queen of New York (A)City
When the (D)band finished (G)playing they (A)howled out for (D)more
Sin(D)atra was (D)swinging all the (D)drunks they were (A)singing
We (D)kissed on a (G)corner then (A)danced through the (D)night
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7)
And the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 1 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |A - - |Bm7 - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm7 - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
Verse 3 - 'Waltz Steps'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
You're a (D)bum, you're a (D)punk, you're an (D)old slut on (A)junk
Lying (D)there almost (G)dead on a (A)drip in that (D)bed
You (D)scumbag, you (D)maggot, you (D)cheap lousy (A)faggot
Happy (D)Christmas your (G)arse I pray (A)God it's our (D)last
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7)
And the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 2 - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |G - - |
|A - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
(Dx4) (Gx4) (Dx4) (Ax4)
I could have (Dx4)been someone well so could (Gx4)anyone
You took my (Dx4)dreams from me when I first (Ax4)found you
I kept them (Dx4)with me babe I put them (Gx4)with my own
Can't make it (Dx3)all alone I've built my (G)dreams a(A)round (Dx4)you
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm7 - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm7 - - |Bm7 - - |
|D - - |- - - |- - - |- - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm7)PD (A)choir still (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm7)Bay (Bm7) and the (D)bells were ringing out for Christmas (D)day
Ending - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
Final Chord Strum: D
Want My Personal Help With Your Guitar Playing?
Click below to discover how I can help you -
We'll have a 45 minute call over zoom and we'll start with diagnosing your current situation. Then we'll see if my process will work for you and map out an action plan to get you playing your favourite songs confidently.
Blue Pick Level
Fairytale Of New York Chords And Strumming, The Pogues And Kirsty MacColl
Open Chords:
Open G chord
Open D chord
Open A chord
Open Asus4 chord
Barre Chords:
Barre Bm chord
Strumming:
"Slow Verse": |D U D (m)U D U |
Bar 8: |D D D (m) |
Bar 16: |D D (m) (m) |
"Waltz Steps": |D D U D |
"3 To The Foor": |D D D |
Tempo: 57 bpm then 234 bpm
Key: D
Intro A -
Verse 1 - 'Slow Verse'
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |Asus4 A - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |Asus4 D A - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - - |Asus4 A - - |
|D - - - |G - - - |D - - G |Asus4 D - - |
It was Christmas (D)Eve babe in the (G)drunk tank
An old man (D)said to me, won't see a(Asus4)nother (A)one
And then he (D)sang a song the Rare Old (G)Mountain Dew
I turned my (D)face away and (G)dreamed (Asus4)about (D)you (A)
Got on a (D)lucky one came in eigh(G)teen to one
I've got a (D)feeling this year's for (Asus4)me and (A)you
So happy (D)Christmas I love you (G)baby
I can see a (D)better time when (G)all our (Asus4)dreams come (D)true
Intro B -
Verse 2 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - |
|D - - |A - - |Bm - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
(D) (D) (D) (A) (D) (G) (A) (D)
They've got (D)cars big as (A)bars they've got (Bm)rivers of (G)gold
But the (D)wind goes right (D)through you it's no (D)place for the (A)old
When you (D)first took my (Bm)hand on a (D)cold Christmas (G)Eve
You (D)promised me (D)broadway was (A)waiting for (D)me
You were (D)handsome you were (D)pretty (D)Queen of New York (A)City
When the (D)band finished (G)playing they (A)howled out for (D)more
Sin(D)atra was (D)swinging all the (D)drunks they were (A)singing
We (D)kissed on a (G)corner then (A)danced through the (D)night
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm - - |Bm - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm)Bay (Bm) and the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 1 - 'Waltz Steps'
|D - - |A - - |Bm - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |Bm - - |D - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |A - - |D - - |
Verse 3 - 'Waltz Steps'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |A - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |D - - || x2
You're a (D)bum, you're a (D)punk, you're an (D)old slut on (A)junk
Lying (D)there almost (G)dead on a (A)drip in that (D)bed
You (D)scumbag, you (D)maggot, you (D)cheap lousy (A)faggot
Happy (D)Christmas your (G)arse I pray (A)God it's our (D)last
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm - - |Bm - - |
|D - - |G - - |A - - |A - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm)PD (A)choir were (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm)Bay (Bm) and the (D)bells were (G)ringing (A)out for (A)Christmas (D)day
Bridge 2 - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |G - - |
|A - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
(Dx4) (Gx4) (Dx4) (Ax4)
I could have (Dx4)been someone well so could (Gx4)anyone
You took my (Dx4)dreams from me when I first (Ax4)found you
I kept them (Dx4)with me babe I put them (Gx4)with my own
Can't make it (Dx3)all alone I've built my (G)dreams a(A)round (Dx4)you
Chorus - 'Waltz Steps'
|G - - |G - - |Bm - - |A - - |
|D - - |D - - |Bm - - |Bm - - |
|D - - |- - - |- - - |- - - |
The (G)boys of the (G)NY(Bm)PD (A)choir still (D)singing (D)Galway (Bm)Bay (Bm) and the (D)bells were ringing out for Christmas (D)day
Ending - '3 To The Floor'
||D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|G - - |G - - |G - - |G - - |
|D - - |D - - |D - - |D - - |
|A - - |A - - |A - - |A - - ||x2
Final Chord Strum: D
Do You Have A Guitar Learning Question?
Click below to join my Free Facebook community group, where you'll get access to my free beginner guitar classes and have your questions answered by me and our excellent members...
Fairytale Of New York Videos
Fairytale Of New York Lyrics
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing Galway Bay
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last
The boys of the NYPD choir
Still singing Galway Bay
And the bells are ringing out
For Christmas day
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you
The boys of the NYPD choir
Still singing Galway Bay
And the bells are ringing out
For Christmas day
Share the Fairytale Of New York Chords and Strumming: