I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) Written by Greg Lake and Pete Sinfield in the key of D in 4/4 time Released on the album: Works Volume 2 (1977) Released as a single in 1975 I Believe In Father Christmas on Wikipedia | Lyrics Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar in Drop D tuning thumb: x Hammer on: h Bend up: V Play or don't: () index: a Pull off: p Bend down: Λ Break: b dirty: b Slide up: / Fret but don't pick: ! Downward stroke: ↑ ring: c Slide down: \ Staccato: : Upward stroke: ↓ pinky: d Arpeggio: ~~~ Mute: m Red colored exclamation marks offer additional fretting information The intro resembles the intro of John Lennon's "Dear Prudence", which might have been the driving force behind Greg is hybrid-picking this song For fingestyle, I suggest the following picking patterns: ac - x - ac - x xc - a - xc - a INTRO e---10a---------12dp10a---------\---!9c--------10dp9c---------\---| picking pattern: b-----------------------------------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (2x) g---11b---------11b-------------\----9b--------9b-------------\---| D----------0---------------0---------------0-------------0--------| A-----------------------------------------------------------------| D-----------------------------------------------------------------| e--!7c--------9dp7c---------\----5a---------7dp5a---------\---| picking pattern: b-------------------------------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (2x) g---7b--------7b------------\----6b---------6b------------\---| D---------0------------0----------------0------------0--------| A-------------------------------------------------------------| D-------------------------------------------------------------| e---3a---------\----5dp3a----------\----2c--------3dp2c----------| picking pattern: b----------------------------------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (2x) g---4b---------\----4b-------------\----2b--------2b-------------| D---------0-------------------0---------------0-------------0----| A----------------------------------------------------------------| D----------------------------------------------------------------| e---0---------0---------0----------2c------------| picking pattern: b------------------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (2x) g---2b--------0---------2b---------2b--------/---| D--------0---------0----------0---------0--------| A------------------------------------------------| E------------------------------------------------| e---3a----------5dp3a----------------2c--------3dp2c---------|---0---------0---------2cp0-----------------| picking pattern: b------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (3x) g---4b----------4b--------------\----2b--------2b------------|---0---------2b--------2b---------------/---| ac - x - x D----------0---------------0---------------0-------------0---|--------0---------0------------0------------| A------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| D------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------0-------| ¼ e---3a----------5dp3a----------------2c--------3dp2c---------|---0---------0---------2bp0--------------| picking pattern: b------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| ac - x - ac - x (3x) g---4b----------4b--------------\----2b--------2b------------|---0---------2b--------2b----------------| ac - x - x D----------0---------------0---------------0-------------0---|--------0---------0------------0---------| A------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| D------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------0----| ¼ e---2bp0-----------|---2bp0-----------|---2bp0-----------| picking pattern: b------------------|------------------|------------------| ac - x - x (3x) g---2b-------------|---2b-------------|---2b-------------| D---------0--------|---------0--------|---------0--------| A------------------|------------------|------------------| D-------------0----|-------------0----|-------------0----| info ¼ ¼ ¼ 1ST VERSE... to be continued
e-----------------------|-----------------------| picking pattern: b-----------------------|-----------------------| g-----------------------|-----------------------| D-----------------------|-----------------------| A-----------------------|-----------------------| D-----------------------|-----------------------|
There are two versions of the song, an inflated orchestral version and a less pompous one without orchestra.
Maybe I work out the rest of it one day, if I find a cute tab solution for the interlude,
which in fact is based on Prokofiev's "Troika" from the suite "Lieutenant Kijé".
This was one of Emerson's “glorious ideas“.
Or I use something totally different, as in "The Sage".