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

"Deck the Halls" is a traditional Christmas carol. The "fa-la-la" refrains were probably originally played on the Harp . In the eighteenth century Mozart used the tune to "Deck the Halls" for a violin and piano duet.

The English words generally sung today are American in origin and date from the 19th Century . A Disney Sing-a-Long tape titled "The Twelves Days of Christmas" includes this song, but the latter two verses are different.


LYRICS

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 ,

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

the ancient Christmas Carol

Fa la la la la, la la la la.


See the blazing Yule 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,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.



Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Hail The New , ye Lad s and Lass es,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Sing we joyous, 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.



HISTORY


The tune is that of an old 's ''Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards''. In the eighteenth century the tune spread widely, with Mozart using it in a piano and violin concerto.

The tune would have been used as a setting for any verses of appropriate metre. Singers would compete with each other, verse for verse — known as ''canu penillion dull y De'' ("singing verses in the southern style"). The popular English lyrics are not a translation from the Welsh.

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.


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




      • 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 conferences 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.



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