Go Tell It on the Mountain is a very popular African-American spiritual and Christmas song. It’s a pretty old tune, but it has a very nice catchy melody that makes it timeless! It’s also a good song choice when it comes to learning and playing a nice carol on the guitar that isn’t too difficult and is also suitable for young children. In this free guitar song lesson we will learn a bit more about the history and background of the song. And of course we will show you how to play Go Tell It on the Mountain on the guitar. Since we are targeting beginners, we will focus on simple versions and arrangements. We will also provide the chords, tabs and PDF sheet music for you to download!
History of Go tell it on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain is a spiritual Christmas carol with deep roots in African American history. Originally a traditional gospel song, it was compiled by John Wesley Work Jr., a notable figure in the preservation of African American spirituals. In the early 20th century, Work, a scholar and musician, made it his mission to collect and publish these spirituals, which had been passed down orally for generations. Go Tell It on the Mountain was included in his 1907 collection Folk Songs of the American Negro, giving the song a wider audience.
The song’s lyrics focus on the biblical story of Jesus’ birth, urging believers to “go tell it on the mountain” and proclaim the good news of Christ’s coming. The song’s upbeat, celebratory melody reflects its gospel origins, making it a popular choice for churches and holiday celebrations, especially in African-American communities. Over the years, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” has been covered by artists ranging from Mahalia Jackson to Bob Dylan, solidifying its place as a Christmas and gospel classic.
Guitar Tabs for Go tell it on the Mountain
The first thing we want to do is familiarize ourselves with the melody of the song. So we start by fingerpicking the song. We’ll try to keep it simple, so we’ll pluck one string at a time. Intermediate fingerpicking arrangements also include parts where several strings need to be plucked at the same time. This sounds fuller and nicer, of course, but it’s much more challenging in the beginning.
We should also start slowly with the easy fingerpicking version. Beginners shouldn’t try to play it at full speed, but much slower and just a first sequence of the song, like “Go, tell it on the mountain” before moving on. Believe me, if you or your students can already master this line, it will feel like a huge success, because playing this short part sounds really beautiful. And you only need seven notes to play this first part. So this is very possible!
Here are the tabs for Go tell it on the Mountain:
Not sure if you got the melody right on your guitar? Check out our recording below or just play along as you practice. You can also slow down the recording.
Guitar Chords for Go tell it on the Mountain
The fingerpicking version is a very nice arrangement to get you started with the song. But maybe you want to play the song and sing along, or sing it with friends and family? In that case, try playing the song by strumming chords! It requires some chords and we’ll be changing a little more often than in other nursery rhymes or Christmas carols on the guitar, but it’s great practice and these chord changes sound really nice for this tune!
We will play the song in the key of G we need five different guitar chords: G, C, D, Em, A.
Here are chord diagrams for Go tell it on the Mountain:
Guitar Chords are illustrated in guitar chords diagram. They are a simplified illustration of the guitar neck and it tells you where to put which finger on which string. Learn more about how to read guitar chords!
Can you play these five basic guitar chords? Great, then you can start practicing and playing them! If not, take some time to practice them one by one and learn how to switch between these chords. Play the sequence G-C-G-D-G over and over again until you can play it without any difficulty. Once you have mastered it, move on to the next chord sequence and try to master it.
a
Beginners should first concentrate on the chord sequences without worrying too much about the lyrics and strumming patterns. Just a down stroke on each chord change in the beginning is completely sufficient. Once you feel comfortable playing the whole song with just simple downstrokes, you can start using more advanced downstrokes.
Guitar Sheet Music For Go tell it on the Mountain
For guitarists and teachers sheet music is an essential tool that provides clear instructions on a song’s notes, rhythms, and chord progressions. It not only tells you what to play, but also how long to hold a chord or note, ensuring that the music is played exactly as intended. While guitar tabs offer a simplified way to follow along, they often lack the depth and precision that sheet music offers, especially when it comes to rhythm and timing.
That said, for beginners, especially younger students, sheet music can feel overwhelming due to its reliance on music theory and the need to understand standard notation. However, starting with simple pieces like this Christmas Carol is a great introduction. It strikes a good balance by being simple enough for students to understand, while still giving them the opportunity to practice reading and playing from sheet music.
Guitar Chords are illustrated in guitar chords diagram. They are a simplified illustration of the guitar neck and it tells you where to put which finger on which string. Learn more about how to read guitar chords!
Here is the sheet music for Go tell it on the Mountain:
Free Guitar Printables for Go tell it on the Mountain
If you’re a guitar teacher and want to guide your students through the song, or if you prefer to practice with a printed copy instead of a screen, we’ve got you covered. This is perfect for lesson planning or your own practice sessions.
