This winter gem is known to many of us from Raffi’s Christmas Album, though he credits the song to Arnold Sundgaard and Alec Wilder. Additional verses have been recorded in the Rise Up Singing Songbook. If your home is close to mountains, you might like to replace “Douglas” mountain with the local names as storytimers in my library system do.
This is a simplified version of the chords that my colleague Elizabeth shared with me. Most versions online use five chords, which gives the song a richer sound but requires the dreaded E chord. My voice complains if I try to sing too high, so I’m also including the version in F. Make sure to practice transitioning in and out of the G minor chord if you try this one in storytime.
Douglas Mountain (C)
C G C
Snows are a falling on Douglas Mountain
Dm [G] C
Snows are a falling so deep
Dm [G] C
Snows are a falling on Douglas Mountain
Dm [G] C
Putting all the bears to sleep
G C
Putting the bears to sleep
Douglas Mountain (F)
F C F
Snows are a falling on Douglas Mountain
Gm [C] F
Snows are a falling so deep
Gm [C] F
Snows are a falling on Douglas Mountain
Gm [C] F
Putting all the bears to sleep
C F
Putting the bears to sleep
Storytime Ukulele 