Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Mariah Carey - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords G, C, D, Em, A Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G
You better watch out
C
You better not cry
G
You better not pout
C
I'm telling you why
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G Em C D G
Santa Claus is comin' to town
C D G
He's making a list
C
He's checking it twice
G
He's gonna find out
C
Who's naughty or nice
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G Em C D G
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
He sees you when you're sleeping
G C
He knows when you're awake
A D
He knows if you've been bad or good
A D
So be good for goodness sake
G
So you better watch out
C
You better not cry
G
You better not pout
C
I'm telling you why
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G Em C D G C D
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C G C
G C G C
G Em C D G
G C
The kids in girl and boyland
G C
Will have a jubilee
A D
They're gonna build a toyland
A D
All around the Christmas tree
G
So you better watch out
C
You better not cry
G
You better not pout
C
I'm telling you why
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
Santa Claus is comin' to town
G C
Santa Claus is comin'
G C
Santa Claus is comin'
G Em C D
Santa Claus is comin'
G
To town
End of song Play again?
Mariah Carey - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Mariah Carey – Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on G. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it both starts and finishes on G and G is heard 36 times against 5 for Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; 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 | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 36× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| V/V | A | Secondary dominant V/V — leads to Dsecondary dominant | A · C# · E | 4× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 33× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 11× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 5× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 5× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 36× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| IV | A | Major IV — Dorian / melodic-minor colourmodal colour | A · C# · E | 4× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 33× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 11× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 5 different chords appear 89 times in total; 4 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. A acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
Chord movement
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×24
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×9
- C D GIV → VIV → V EmVI → VIIVI → VII ×7
The move to watch is C → G, heard 24 times. From the G side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the Em side it is VI → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — 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 G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is G; the ear learns where home is within a second. The chords that keep coming back are G, C, D, Em; read them as I–IV–V–vi in G or III–VI–VII–i in Em. A adds a moment of surprise: secondary dominant V/V — leads to D. Keep an ear on C → G (IV → I in G, VI → III in Em): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. Ending on G, the song seals G as home.
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.
Mariah Carey - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 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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