Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Christmas Vacation on piano
Written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
- F major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- I–ii–I–ii loop
- 1989
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Christmas Vacation in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – F – Gm
How it goes
Christmas Vacation sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiFIGmii- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Funky-chicken chords
How it goes
Chords dodge almost every beat in tricky quick spots: pure funk. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 88 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: F – Gm – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGmF
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Questions about Christmas Vacation
What chords are in Christmas Vacation?
The loop is F – Gm – F – Gm (I – ii – I – ii) in F major, and the song ends on F – Gm – F.
What key is Christmas Vacation in?
F major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Christmas Vacation?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Christmas Vacation easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.