O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)

O Christmas Tree is a German Christmas song which has been translated into many languages.

O Christmas tree (O Tannenbaum)

Carol, Germany.

“O Tannenbaum” was originally a traditional German folk song, which turned into a Christmas Carol in the early 20th century.

Its lyrics refer to the Tannenbaum, a fir tree, that is admired as a symbol of faithfulness and constancy. When it was translated into English, the symbolism was shifted towards the tree as a Christmas holiday feature.

Table of Contents

O Christmas Tree Sing-Along Video


Lyrics (English)

1. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
They ‘re green when summer days are bright,
They ‘re green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

2. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

3. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.

4. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
Reminding me on Christmas Day
To think of you and then be gay.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.

Lyrics (German)

1.  O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,
Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!

2. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat schon zur Winterzeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,

Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

3. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
Gibt Mut und Kraft zu jeder Zeit!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren

Click here for more free printable Christmas lyrics.

Click on the button to watch a karaoke video and download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.

Free O Christmas Tree karaoke MP3 download

To download your free instrumental mp3 of this song, click or tap on the following button, then choose “Save link as…”

“O Christmas tree / O Tannenbaum” free mp3 download (instrumental, 2:34 – 3/4 – 84bpm)

Song

Click on the button to watch a piano tutorial video and download a PDF file with music score of this song for free.

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O Christmas Tree Song History

The lyrics of “O Tannenbaum” were written in 1824 by organist, teacher and composer Ernst Anschütz, who lived in Leipzig, Germany.

Anschütz based his lyrics on a 16th-century folk song written by Melchior Franck, “Ach Tannenbaum”. The custom of decorating a tree at Christmas developed during the 19th century. When Anschütz added his own two original verses to the first, traditional verse, he laid the path to the song being considered a Christmas carol.

Versions in other languages

These are the titles of “O Christmas Tree” in several languages besides English:

  • German: “O Tannenbaum”
  • Spanish: “El abeto”
  • French: “Mon beau sapin
  • Italian: “Oh, albero”
  • Portuguese: “Oh, pinheiro de Natal”
  • Dutch: “Oh dennenboom”
  • Swedish: “O julgran”
  • Greek: “Ω έλατο” (O elato)
  • Danish: “Oh Tannenbaum”
  • Norwegian: “Oh tannenbaum”
  • Finnish: “Oi kuusipuu”

Note that some of these titles may have slight variations depending on the dialect or region.

O Christmas Tree | Free Christmas Carols & Songs
O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree | Free Christmas Carols & Songs
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)

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