Once in Royal David's City Piano Letter Notes
Letters and numbers for piano, with the words under each note. Starts C E F F F E F G.
The notes and words
Key: F major (the original key).
C1OnceE3inF4roy-F4alF4Da-E3F4vid'sG5G5ci-F4tyF4StoodA6aC1̇low-A6lyA6cat-G5F4tleE3F4shed,
C1WhereE3aF4Mo-F4therF4laidE3F4herG5G5Ba-F4byF4InA6aC1̇man-A6gerA6forG5F4hisE3F4bed:
D2̇Ma-D2̇ryC1̇wasF4thatB♭7♭Mo-B♭7♭therA6mild,
D2̇Je-D2̇susC1̇ChristA6herA6lit-G5F4tleE3F4Child.
- 1C4 (middle C)
- 3E4
- 4F4
- 5G4
- 6A4
- 7♭B♭4
- 1̇C5
- 2̇D5
Key: G major.
D2OnceF♯4♯inG5roy-G5alG5Da-F♯4♯G5vid'sA6A6ci-G5tyG5StoodB7aD2̇low-B7lyB7cat-A6G5tleF♯4♯G5shed,
D2WhereF♯4♯aG5Mo-G5therG5laidF♯4♯G5herA6A6Ba-G5byG5InB7aD2̇man-B7gerB7forA6G5hisF♯4♯G5bed:
E3̇Ma-E3̇ryD2̇wasG5thatC1̇Mo-C1̇therB7mild,
E3̇Je-E3̇susD2̇ChristB7herB7lit-A6G5tleF♯4♯G5Child.
- 2D4
- 4♯F♯4
- 5G4
- 6A4
- 7B4
- 1̇C5
- 2̇D5
- 3̇E5
Key: B♭ major.
F4OnceA6inB♭7♭roy-B♭7♭alB♭7♭Da-A6B♭7♭vid'sC1̇C1̇ci-B♭7♭tyB♭7♭StoodD2̇aF4̇low-D2̇lyD2̇cat-C1̇B♭7♭tleA6B♭7♭shed,
F4WhereA6aB♭7♭Mo-B♭7♭therB♭7♭laidA6B♭7♭herC1̇C1̇Ba-B♭7♭byB♭7♭InD2̇aF4̇man-D2̇gerD2̇forC1̇B♭7♭hisA6B♭7♭bed:
G5̇Ma-G5̇ryF4̇wasB♭7♭thatE♭3̇♭Mo-E♭3̇♭therD2̇mild,
G5̇Je-G5̇susF4̇ChristD2̇herD2̇lit-C1̇B♭7♭tleA6B♭7♭Child.
- 4F4
- 6A4
- 7♭B♭4
- 1̇C5
- 2̇D5
- 3̇♭E♭5
- 4̇F5
- 5̇G5
Key: C major.
G5OnceB7inC1̇roy-C1̇alC1̇Da-B7C1̇vid'sD2̇D2̇ci-C1̇tyC1̇StoodE3̇aG5̇low-E3̇lyE3̇cat-D2̇C1̇tleB7C1̇shed,
G5WhereB7aC1̇Mo-C1̇therC1̇laidB7C1̇herD2̇D2̇Ba-C1̇byC1̇InE3̇aG5̇man-E3̇gerE3̇forD2̇C1̇hisB7C1̇bed:
A6̇Ma-A6̇ryG5̇wasC1̇thatF4̇Mo-F4̇therE3̇mild,
A6̇Je-A6̇susG5̇ChristE3̇herE3̇lit-D2̇C1̇tleB7C1̇Child.
- 5G4
- 7B4
- 1̇C5
- 2̇D5
- 3̇E5
- 4̇F5
- 5̇G5
- 6̇A5
Staff notation
Play-along guide: the melody played by your browser’s piano sound. The lit note follows the music. Print large notes
About this song
- Melody
- Tune IRBY, Henry J. Gauntlett, 1849
- Words
- Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895), 1848 (first verse shown; all verses on HymnKeys)
- Public domain
- Melody 1849, words 1848: first published before 1931.
- Source
- Open Hymnal Project file marked public domain, via HymnKeys
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