The English-language lyrics were written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant. They first appeared in 1862, in volume 2 of Welsh Melodies, a set of four volumes authored by John Thomas, including Welsh words by John Jones and English words by Oliphant. The repeated "fa la la" goes back to the earlier Welsh and may originate from medieval ballads. The lyrics run as follows: The phrase "", from the lyrics, has become synonymous with the Christmas and holiday season. being an archaic contraction of "it is".
Welsh lyrics
In the original 1862 publication, Oliphant's English lyrics were published alongside Talhaiarn's Welsh lyrics. Although some early sources state that Oliphant's words were a translation of Talhaiarn's Welsh original, this is not the case in any strict or literal sense. The first verse in Welsh, together with a literal English translation taken from Campbell's Treatise on the language, poetry, and music of the Highland Clans, is given for comparison: Goreu pleser ar nos galan, Tŷ a thân a theulu diddan, Calon lân a chwrw melyn, Pennill mwyn a llais y delyn, The best pleasure on new year's eve, Is house and fire and a pleasant family, A pure heart and brown ale, A gentle song and the voice of the harp
Variants
A variation of the lyrics appears in the December 1877 issue of the Pennsylvania School Journal. This version, in which there is no longer any reference to drinking, runs as follows: An identical printing appeared four years later in The Franklin Square Song Collection. The pluralizing of the title of the carol to "Deck the Halls" is found as early as 1892. Other common alterations change "Christmas" to "Yule" or "Yuletide" in various locations where it appears. For example, "Christmas carol" may be changed to "Yuletide carol" and "Christmas treasure" to "Yuletide treasure".
Melody
The melody of "Deck the Hall" is taken from "Nos Galan", a traditional Welsh New Year's Eve carol published in 1794, although it is much older. The music is in AABA form.
Variants
The Pennsylvania version from 1877 omits the third "Fa la la" line. The third and fourth "Fa la la" lines sung to the words "Deck the Hall" differ from those sung or played in Wales, the fourth having a more arpeggiated melody in the Welsh version and the third differing in both melody and rhythm.
History
The tune is that of an old Welsh air, first found in a musical manuscript by Welsh harpist John Parry dating back to the 1700s. Poet John Ceiriog Hughes later wrote his own lyrics. A middle verse was later added by folk singers. In the eighteenth century the tune spread widely, with Mozart allegedly using it in his 18th violin sonata and later Haydn arranged it in under the Welsh title, "Nos galan". The Welsh and English lyrics found in the earliest publication of the "Nos Galan" melody are as follows: O mor gynnes mynwes meinwen, fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la. O mor fwyn yw llwyn meillionen, fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la. O mor felus yw'r cusanau, Gyda serch a mwynion eiriau fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la. Oh! how soft my fair one's bosom, fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la. Oh! how sweet the grove in blossom, fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la. Oh! how blessed are the blisses, Words of love, and mutual kisses, fal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal la.
