Major view
C major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = B (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = F (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Key C major – A minor Chords Dm, C, Am, G, E, Em, F, A7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
C Am
Santa doesn't know you like I Do
I've been there through the
Dm
Good and bad
Know how to make you laugh
G
Kiss all your tears away, babe
Oh, only I can do that
C
Why don't you just come over?
You've been actin' so cold
Am
No, I don't want nothin' crazy
Just wanna get you alone
Dm
And all of this snow is fallin'
I can make you fall too
G
So, tell me what's on your wish List
I wanna make it come true
C
Santa doesn't
Am
Know you like I do
I've been there through the
Dm
Good and bad
Know how to make you laugh
G
Kiss all your tears away, babe
Oh, only I can do that
C Am
Santa doesn't know you like I Do
Dm
I know all of your favorite Songs
Pick up each time you call
G
So, why can't I be the one
E
To give you everything you Want
C Am
Ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, oh, ooh Ooh, oh
Dm Em
I just want you to tell me that
You feel the same
F Em
I don't think I'm gonna make it
A7
Through the winter, babe
Dm
Well, don't you wanna wrap me
Em
Up in mistletoe, under the Tree
F
He won't bring you somebody
G
That loves you more than me Yeah
C
Santa doesn't
Am
Know you like I do (Doesn't
Know you like I do)
I've been there through the
Dm
Good and bad
Know how to make you laugh
G
Kiss all your tears away, babe
Oh, only I can do that
C
Santa doesn't
Am
Know you like I do (Doesn't
Know you like I do)
Dm
I know all of your favorite Songs
Pick up each time you call
G
So, why can't I be the one
E
To give you everything you Want
C
You gonna leave me all alone? On Christmas
Am
Baby, what'd I ever do
To deserve all that
Dm
Can't we just, like, snuggle
G
Ha, underneath the tree? By The fireplace
You know I make those cookies You like
C Am
Santa doesn't know you like I Do
Dm
Well, maybe this Christmas time
You'll finally realise that I
G
Could be the one
E
To give you everything you want
End of song Play again?
Harmony analysis
The song opens on C and ends on E. Its chords belong to both C major and Am, so every chord below is read both ways.
Major view
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
Minor view
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: we can't honestly pick a side here — the song moves freely between C major and A minor because it opens on C and the major V chord points straight at Am. Try reading the chords both ways and see which feels more like home to you.
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to C or to Am; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | Tonic — home | C · E · G | 9× |
| ii | Dm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · A | 10× |
| iii | Em | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | E · G · B | 3× |
| V/vi | E | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B | 3× |
| IV | F | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · A · C | 2× |
| V | G | Dominant — strongest pull home | G · B · D | 9× |
| vi | Am | Relative minor — the melancholy side | A · C · E | 9× |
| V7/ii | A7 | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Dmsecondary dominant | A · C# · E · G | 1× |
| vii° | Bdim | Leading-tone chord — tension | B · D · F | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Tonic — home | A · C · E | 9× |
| V7/iv | A7 | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Dmsecondary dominant | A · C# · E · G | 1× |
| ii° | Bdim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | B · D · F | — |
| III | C | Relative major — the bright side | C · E · G | 9× |
| iv | Dm | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F · A | 10× |
| v | Em | Minor dominant — soft pull | E · G · B | 3× |
| V | E | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | E · G# · B | 3× |
| VI | F | Submediant — warm colour | F · A · C | 2× |
| VII | G | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | G · B · D | 9× |
The key pair is C major and its relative A minor (no sharps or flats). 8 different chords appear 46 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Am brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from C, the same E is V/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Am. A7 acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key.
The move to watch is Dm → G, heard 8 times. From the C side it reads ii → V (ii → V: the classic preparation of the dominant); from the Am side it is iv → VII. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The first chord is C; the ear learns where home is within a second. Dm, C, Am, G carry the song: ii–I–vi–V relative to C, iv–III–i–VII relative to Am. E is the interesting twist: in C it is a chromatic chord (V/vi), while in Am it becomes the dominant (V) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on Dm → G (ii → V in C, iv → VII in Am): ii → V — the classic preparation of the dominant. Ending on E, the song seals C as home.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Ready-made lists by difficulty and mood.
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