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Deck the Hall
- For the 2006 comedy film, see Deck the Halls (2006 film).
Deck the Hall is a secular Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh and belongs to a winter carol, Nos Galan; the "fa-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. J.P. McCaskey is sometimes credited with the lyrics of Deck the Halls but he only edited the Franklin Square Song Collection in which the lyrics were first published. 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.
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,
- Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
- Troll the ancient Yule tide 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.
- 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,
- Fa la la la la, la la la la.
- Heedless of the wind and weather,
- Fa la la la la, la la la la.
- Deck the Hall (file info) - play in browser (beta)
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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". The song was also used in the film Little Shop of Horrors (1960).
