Major view
Eb major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = D (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = Ab (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Frank Sinatra - Jingle Bells - Chord
Key Eb major – C minor Chords Eb, Bb, Ab, F7 Easy key D (capo 1)
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Key: Eb | Cm
Capo: 0
Eb
I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, oh
Bb
Those holiday J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, oh
Eb Ab
Those happy J-I-N-G-L-E B-E-Double "L"-S
Eb Bb Eb
I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, oh
Eb
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way
Ab Eb
Oh, what fun it is to ride
F7 Bb
In a one horse open sleigh
Eb
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way
Ab Eb
Oh, what fun it is to ride
Bb Eb
In a one horse open sleigh
Eb
Dashing through the snow (Doo Doh!)
Ab
In a one horse open sleigh (Doo Day!)
Bb
O'er the fields we go (Doo Doh!)
Eb
Laughing all the way (Doo Daaayyy!)
Eb
Bells on bob tails ring
Ab
Making our spirits bright
Ab Bb
What fun it is to laugh and sing
Eb
A sleighing song tonight
Eb
Jingle bells, jing-jingle bells, Jingle all the way
Ab Eb
Oh, what fun it is to ride
Bb Eb
In a one horse open sleigh
Eb
I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, oh
Bb
Those holiday J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, oh
Eb Ab
Those happy J-I-N-G-L-E B-E-Double "L"-S
Eb Bb Eb
I love those Jingle Bells... All the way
Eb
Jingle All the Waaayyy
End of song Play again?
Frank Sinatra - Jingle Bells Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Frank Sinatra – Jingle Bells: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Eb and ends on Eb. Its chords belong to both Eb major and Cm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
C minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = Ab (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = Bb (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the Eb major side because it both starts and finishes on Eb and Eb is heard 21 times while Cm never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from C minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to Eb or to Cm; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Eb | Tonic — home | Eb · G · Bb | 21× |
| ii | Fm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F · Ab · C | — |
| V7/V | F7 | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Bbsecondary dominant | F · A · C · Eb | 1× |
| iii | Gm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | G · Bb · D | — |
| III | G | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | G · B · D | — |
| IV | Ab | Subdominant — moves away from home | Ab · C · Eb | 8× |
| V | Bb | Dominant — strongest pull home | Bb · D · F | 9× |
| vi | Cm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | C · Eb · G | — |
| vii° | Ddim | Leading-tone chord — tension | D · F · Ab | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Tonic — home | C · Eb · G | — |
| ii° | Ddim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · Ab | — |
| III | Eb | Relative major — the bright side | Eb · G · Bb | 21× |
| iv | Fm | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · Ab · C | — |
| IV7 | F7 | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | F · A · C · Eb | 1× |
| v | Gm | Minor dominant — soft pull | G · Bb · D | — |
| V | G | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | G · B · D | — |
| VI | Ab | Submediant — warm colour | Ab · C · Eb | 8× |
| VII | Bb | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | Bb · D · F | 9× |
Analysis
The key pair is Eb major and its relative C minor (3 flats). 4 different chords appear 39 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. F7 acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- Bb Eb EbV → Iauthentic cadence CmVII → III ×9
- Ab Eb EbIV → Iplagal cadence CmVI → III ×5
- Ab Bb EbIV → VIV → V CmVI → VIIVI → VII ×2
- F7 Bb EbV7/V → Vsecondary resolution CmIV7 → VII ×1
The move to watch is Bb → Eb, heard 9 times. From the Eb side it reads V → I (authentic cadence: the strongest arrival home); from the Cm side it is VII → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- Eb major pentatonic and C minor pentatonic are the same five notes (Eb – F – G – Bb – C): start from Eb for a brighter phrase, from C for a bluesier one.
- Over Eb, land on Eb, G, Bb — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Bb, land on Bb, D, F — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Ab, land on Ab, C, Eb — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With Eb major shapes
- Capo 1 + D shapes
- Capo 3 + C shapes
- Capo 6 + A shapes
With C minor shapes
- Capo 3 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 1 semitone down · capo 1 keeps the original pitch
- 4 semitones up
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Eb, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. Eb, Bb, Ab, F7 carry the song: I–V–IV–V7/V relative to Eb, III–VII–VI–IV7 relative to Cm. F7 adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to Bb. Keep an ear on Bb → Eb (V → I in Eb, VII → III in Cm): authentic cadence — the strongest arrival home. The final chord is Eb; the ear comes to rest in Eb.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Frank Sinatra - Jingle Bells Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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