Deck the Halls
Dara Kennedy Lyrics


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deck the halls with balls of holly
fa la la la la la la la la
tis the season to be jolly
fa la la la la la la la la
dawn be now our gay apparel,
fa la la la la la la la la la
Troll the ancient yule tide carols
fa la la la la la la la la
See the blaze in you before us
fa la la la la la la la la
Strike the harp and join the fa la la la la la la la la
Follow me in merry measure
fa la la la la la la la la
While I tell of yule tide treasures
fa la la la la la la la la
Frost away the old year passes
fa la la la la la la la la
Hail the new year lads and lasses
fa la la la la la la la la
Sing we joyous all together
fa la la la la la la la la
Heedless of the wind and weather
fa la la la la la la la la
deck the halls with balls of holly
fa la la la la la la la la
tis the season to be jolly
fa la la la la la la la la
dawn be now our gay apparel,
fa la la la la la la la la la




Troll the ancient yule tide carols
fa la la la la la la la la

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the popular Christmas carol "Deck The Halls" by Dara Kennedy depict the joyful and festive spirit of the holiday season. The song starts with the instruction to "deck the halls with balls of holly," a reference to the traditional practice of decorating homes with greenery during the holidays. The following lines express the sentiment of joy and merriment that comes with the season, as captured by the phrase "tis the season to be jolly." The stanza continues with a reference to "gay apparel" that we should dawn, followed by the exhortation to "troll the ancient yuletide carols," which is an invitation to sing and enjoy the songs of the season.


The second stanza of the song encourages us to "see the blaze before us" and "strike the harp" and join in the "fa la la la la" refrain, which is a playful nod to the nonsensical nature of some Christmas carol lyrics. The stanza concludes with the singer urging the listeners to "follow me in merry measure" while they share stories of "yuletide treasures." Finally, the last two stanzas of the song refer to the old year passing away and welcoming the new year with joy and celebration, singing together heedless of any wind or weather.


In summary, "Deck The Halls" is an uplifting and joyous song that captures the essence of the holiday season through its playful and celebratory lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

deck the halls with balls of holly
Adorn the halls with festive decorations made of holly berries


fa la la la la la la la la
Express joy and merriment through vocalizations of festive sounds


tis the season to be jolly
This particular time of year calls for being happy and cheerful


dawn be now our gay apparel,
Let us put on brightly colored clothing to celebrate


Troll the ancient yule tide carols
Sing the traditional hymns that have been handed down for generations


See the blaze in you before us
Observe the warmth of the fire that is in front of us


Strike the harp and join the fa la la la la la la la la
Play the harp along with the joyful singing


Follow me in merry measure
Come along with me in a happy and rhythmic fashion


While I tell of yule tide treasures
I will share stories of the special gifts and traditions of this holiday season


Frost away the old year passes
As the year comes to an end, let the cold weather usher it out


Hail the new year lads and lasses
Welcome in the new year with enthusiasm and joy


Sing we joyous all together
Let's all join in singing, filled with happiness and glee


Heedless of the wind and weather
Regardless of the harsh conditions outside, let's continue to celebrate this special time




Writer(s): Goodrum, Millsap

Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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