O Come, All Ye Faithful

This carol started as a Latin hymn, “Adeste Fideles.” The words and tune are usually credited to John Francis Wade, an Englishman who died in 1786. The English words most churches sing are Frederick Oakeley’s 1841 translation. Oakeley was an English priest. Words and tune are both in the public domain.

On a C harmonica the melody fits in holes 6 to 9 with no bends. The one thing to watch is that the pattern flips at hole 7. Up to hole 6, the blow note is lower than the draw note. From hole 7 up, the draw note is lower. So 7 blow is C, 7 draw is B just below it, and 8 draw is D just above it.

Harmonica tabs

Verse 1

7  7     6    7   -8     6    8     -8   8   -9    8     -8
O  come, all  ye  faith- ful, joy-  ful  and tri-  umph- ant!

7  7     -7   -6  -7    7    -8  8      -7   -6 6   6
O  come  ye,  O   come  ye   to  Beth-  -    le-    hem.

9     -9   8    -9    8     -8    8    7     -8  -7 -6  6
Come  and  be-  hold  Him,  born  the  King  of  an-    gels.

Refrain

7  7     -7   7   -8  7     6
O  come, let  us  a-  dore  Him,

8  8     -8   8   -9  8     -8
O  come, let  us  a-  dore  Him,

8  -9    8    -8  7   -7    7
O  come, let  us  a-  dore  Him,

-9      8   -8   7   7
Christ  -   the  -   Lord.

Where two notes sit under one syllable, as on “an-gels” and “Christ,” slide from the first note to the second without stopping your breath.

Playing tips

• Learn the refrain first. It is the same words three times, and most people already know how it goes.
• “Born the King” moves from 8 blow to 7 blow. Keep your mouth on the harmonica and slide one hole left without changing your breath.
• Play it at a walking pace, about the speed of a congregation singing it. Hold “hem” and “Lord” for a full three counts.
• Words: Latin hymn credited to John Francis Wade, English translation by Frederick Oakeley, 1841. Public domain.