Slade's Merry Xmas - what key?

[seashell]

Can anyone help me out please? I've been asked to play Merry Xmas at a party with some other musicians I won't be meeting till the day (Xmas Day!). I'm told they do it in G.
I'm listening to the original right now and trying to work out what key it's in to begin with.
Could anyone point me in the right direction, please?

[ambient]

Id say the original is in G.

G/Bm/D/Dsus4 or something like that anyway for the verse.

Edited December 14, 2013 by ambient

[JapanAxe]

It's in G, but starts off with a run down from Bb.

[seashell]

Oh I do hope so, ambient, that would make things a lot easier.
I was thinking it might have been D because the itro seems to be part of a descending D minor scale. But then does it change key when vocals come in?

[seashell]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1387039556' post='2307697']
It's in G, but starts off with a run down from Bb.
[/quote]

Oh brill, many thanks. So if I play it as per the original I should be OK then.

[Urban Bassman]

I think there's some reasonably accurate tabs out there, which may help. But the opening run down does start Bb as already mentioned. Once you get it it's really nice to play. Enjoy

[PaulWarning]

not many singers can manage it in G like Noddy, we're doing it this Christmas in D and we're doing the intro F Em D C A, so in G it would be Bb Am G F D, think thats right, doesn't sound much like the record though, on that there's no guitar just bass and harmonium, according to wiki anyway

[gary mac]

Have fun Shell We shall be playing it next weekend, along with Wizard.

[seashell]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1387040544' post='2307714']
not many singers can manage it in G like Noddy, we're doing it this Christmas in D and we're doing the intro F Em D C A, so in G it would be Bb Am G F D, think thats right, doesn't sound much like the record though, on that there's no guitar just bass and harmonium, according to wiki anyway
[/quote]

Thanks Paul. The singer is female, so maybe that's why they keep it in G. I didn't know there was a harmonium on it. Hopefully the guitarist will be able to recreate that somehow. He's a professional and apparently v good
I'm supposed to be playing about 6 songs with them. They've sent me a list and the keys they do them in.

Hopefully it will be fun. Only trouble is I shall have to stay sober at Xmas lunch if I'm going to play afterwards.

[chrismuzz]

Played a metal version of this at last nights gig, but we played it in E! Still wasn't that heavy

[seashell]

Thank you so much everyone. It's only just dawned on me I could have googled this. Doh! But then I wouldn't have had the interesting human answers and anecdotes.
So many thanks guys :-)