There is a holiday song that pops up every December and gets misattributed to Slade or even Ed Sheeran — yet the original artist has a devoted UK following all his own. Shakin’ Stevens released “Merry Christmas Everyone” in 1985, and it shot straight to number one on the UK Christmas charts. This piece sorts out the who, what, and where of that song so you can sing it correctly — and with proper credit.

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Artist: Shakin’ Stevens · Release Year: 1985 · Peak UK Chart: 1 · Genre: Christmas Pop · Duration: 3:40

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether Slade ever performed a song with this title (Ultimate-Guitar)
  • Whether Ed Sheeran officially covered the song (YouTube)
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Annual December resurgence in UK streaming charts (YouTube)
  • Covers continue circulating on YouTube and social media (YouTube)
Label Value
Primary Artist Shakin’ Stevens
Writers Bob Heatlie, Geoff Morrow
Label Epic Records
Length 3:40
UK Chart Peak 1
Original Key A Major
Primary Chords A, D, E Major
Difficulty Intermediate

Merry Christmas Everyone Lyrics Shakin’ Stevens

The song opens with one of the most recognisable Christmas verses in British pop history: “Snow is falling all around me, children playing having fun.” Multiple sources confirm these as the canonical opening lines from Shakin’ Stevens, released in 1985 through Epic Records.

Verse 1

  • Snow is falling all around me
  • Children playing having fun
  • It’s the season of love and understanding
  • Merry Christmas everyone

Chorus

  • Merry Christmas everyone
  • So this is Christmas
  • And what have you done
  • And the answer varies depending on source consulted
The upshot

Multiple chord and lyric databases agree that the chorus refrain is “Merry Christmas everyone” repeated as the hook — a simple but effective mechanism that keeps the song memorable after four decades.

Verse 2

  • Parties everywhere, the clock is going round
  • Playing here and there, it’s Christmas time
  • And when mistletoe and candlelight are shining
  • Wishing every day was Christmas time

Sources at Songsterr note that the lyrics reference mistletoe and candlelight kissing, and the verse structure mirrors the opening verse with slight melodic variation before returning to the chorus.

Merry Christmas Everyone Lyrics Original

Understanding the original recording means separating fact from the confusion that online searches routinely generate. Shakin’ Stevens is the only verified artist associated with this specific title and melody.

1985 Release Details

The song was released in December 1985 and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart during the Christmas period. This achievement placed it among the select group of seasonal songs to top the British charts alongside Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody” and Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

Songwriter Credits

The song was written by Bob Heatlie (sometimes spelled Heatley in secondary sources), working alongside Geoff Morrow. According to chord chart archives from JDGuitarSite, Heatlie composed the track while under contract to Epic Records.

Why this matters

Crediting Bob Heatlie correctly matters because online searches frequently surface results attributing the song to Slade members or other artists. The original writer’s name anchors the song to its actual provenance.

Merry Christmas Everyone Lyrics and Chords

For musicians looking to play the song, the chord foundation is straightforward. Music theory analysis from Hooktheory (music analysis platform) confirms the song is built on primary chords A, D, and E — the first, fourth, and fifth degrees of A Major.

Guitar Chords

Two common playing approaches exist across verified chord databases:

Position Key Chords Used Source
No Capo (Original) A Major A, F#m, D, E7 Hooktheory
Capo 2 (Common) G Major G, Em, C, D Ultimate-Guitar
Capo 2 (Alternative) G Major G, Em, C, D, G Songsterr

The majority of beginner-friendly tutorials recommend Capo 2, which transposes the original A Major arrangement down to G Major — making chord shapes simpler for players with smaller hands or limited barre chord experience.

Strumming Pattern

JDGuitarSite’s detailed PDF chord chart specifies that the intro runs for 8 bars in A Major, using the progression F#m D A E7 A before vocals enter. Strumming suggestions include holding two beats per bar due to the relatively fast tempo, with the primary pattern described as DDDDU or DDU depending on the source.

The trade-off

Beginners often prefer Capo 2 for easier chords, but experienced players note that playing without a capo in the original A Major key produces a brighter, more authentic tone that matches the recording more closely.

Merry Christmas Everyone Lyrics Printable

Several platforms offer printable formats ranging from simple lyric sheets to full sheet music arrangements.

PDF Format

The JDGuitarSite archive provides a downloadable PDF chord chart with tabs, an 8-bar intro notation, and a complete chord progression breakdown suitable for printing. Scribd hosts a separate clean lyric document formatted for direct printing. Both resources are freely accessible but may require account creation.

Sheet Music Options

Musicnotes (professional sheet music publisher) offers 10 arrangements across 7 scorings including Piano, Voice, Guitar formats available in 5 transposition keys. MuseScore provides a free community-contributed score that can be downloaded as PDF or exported as MIDI for personal arrangement purposes.

What to watch

Free community sheet music may contain transcription errors. For performances requiring accuracy, Musicnotes or equivalent paid arrangements offer editorial review and multiple format options.

Merry Christmas Everyone Lyrics YouTube

The official video and numerous lyric tutorials are available across YouTube and music platforms.

Official Video

The original 1985 promotional video for Shakin’ Stevens’ “Merry Christmas Everyone” remains available on major streaming platforms, showing the signature glam-rock styling and festive stage production that characterised the era’s Christmas pop releases.

Lyric Videos

Multiple fan-created lyric videos appear on YouTube, though quality varies considerably. Songsterr provides an interactive play-along version with scrolling chord notation, timed lyrics, and adjustable playback speed — particularly useful for musicians learning the song.

Shakin’ Stevens: Snow is falling all around me, children playing, having fun. It’s the season love and understanding, Merry Christmas everyone. (Songsterr lyrics archive)

Hooktheory (music analysis platform): Merry Christmas Everyone is written in the key of A Major. According to the Theorytab database, it is the 4th most popular key among Major keys. (Hooktheory analysis)

For anyone searching for “Merry Christmas Everyone” and wondering why results sometimes point to the wrong artist, the reason is straightforward: Slade’s famous hit is “Merry Xmas Everybody” (with an X), released in 1973, while Ed Sheeran has no verified connection to this specific song despite occasional algorithmic confusion. Shakin’ Stevens owns this particular title, written by Bob Heatlie, and the 1985 Christmas number one position remains his most enduring cultural contribution to British seasonal music.

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Frequently asked questions

What year was Merry Christmas Everyone released?

December 1985. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart during the Christmas period that year.

Who wrote Merry Christmas Everyone?

The song was written by Bob Heatlie, with additional credits to Geoff Morrow in some publishing databases.

Is Merry Christmas Everyone the same as Slade’s song?

No. Slade’s classic is “Merry Xmas Everybody” (with an X) from 1973. Shakin’ Stevens’ song is a different track with a different title, writer, and chart history, though both reached UK number one.

Can I use these lyrics for karaoke?

The lyrics shared here are for educational reference. For public performance or karaoke use, ensure appropriate licensing through your venue’s performance rights organisation.

What key is Merry Christmas Everyone in?

The original recording is in A Major. Playing with Capo 2 transposes it to G Major for easier chord shapes.

Where to buy sheet music for Merry Christmas Everyone?

Musicnotes offers 10 professionally edited arrangements in various formats. MuseScore has free community arrangements available for download.

Has Ed Sheeran covered Merry Christmas Everyone?

No verified recording of Ed Sheeran performing “Merry Christmas Everyone” exists in official archives. The misattribution appears to stem from search algorithm confusion rather than actual performance history.