Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is An Irish Soldier Laddie. I have never tried this song in the key of G, but it works just fine!

An Irish Soldier Laddie(PDF)

Irish Soldier Laddie

‘Twas a [G]morning in July, I was [C]walking to [G]Tipperary

When I heard a battle cry from the [A]mountains over [D7]head

As I [G]looked up in the sky I saw an [C]Irish soldier [G]laddie

He [D]looked at me right [D7]fearlessly and [G]said:

Will ye [D7]stand in the [C]band like a [G]true Irish man,

And go and fight the [D]forces of the [D7]crown?

Will ye [G]march with O’Neill to an [C]Irish battle field?

For [D]tonight we go to [D7]free old Wexford [G]town!

Said I to that soldier boy “Won’t you take me to your captain
T’would be my pride and joy for to march with you today.
My young brother fell in Cork and my son at Innes Carthay!”
Unto the noble captain I did say:

Will ye stand in the band like a true Irish man,
And go and fight the forces of the crown?
Will ye march with O’Neill to an Irish battle field?
For tonight we go to free old Wexford town!

As we marched back again in the shadow of the evening
With our banners flying low to the memory of our dead
We returned unto our homes but without my soldier laddie
And I still hear those brave words he said:

Will ye stand in the band like a true Irish man,
And go and fight the forces of the crown?
Will ye march with O’Neill to an Irish battle field?
For tonight we go to free old Wexford town!

This Irish Pub Song Of The Day is one of my favorites to play on the banjo. Usually it’s the Colonel that sings this one while I do my best to make him laugh.

Donegal Danny(PDF)

Donegal Danny

I [G]remember the night when [C]he came [G]in from the [C]wintry cold and [G]damp

A giant of a man in an [Em]oilskin coat and a [Am]bundle which showed he was a [D7]tramp

He [G]stood at the bar and [C]called for a [G]pint and [C]turned to gaze into the [G]fire

On a night like this to be [Em]safe and warm Is my [Am]one and only [D7]desire

Chorus:

So [G]here’s to those that are [C]dead and [G]gone The friends that I left [D7]here

And [G]here’s to you then I’ll [C]bid you [G]adieu

Since Donegal [D7]Danny’s been [G]here me [Em]boys, [G]Donegal [D7]Danny’s been [G]here

Then in a voice that was hushed and low he said: listen I’ll tell you a tale
How a man of the sea became a man of the road and never more will set sail
I’ve fished out of Howth and Killybegs, Ardglass and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me and I’ll end me days on the shore

One fateful night in the wind and the rain we set sail from Killybeys town,
There were five of us from sweet Donegal and one from County Down,
We were fishermen who worked the sea and never counted the cost
But I never thought’ere that night was done that my fine friends would all be lost

Then the storm it broke and drove the boat to the rocks about ten miles from shore,
As we fought the tide we hoped inside to see our homes once more
Than we struck a rock and holed the bow and all of us knew that she’d go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea and prayed to God we wouldn’t drown

But the raging sea was rising still as we struck out for the land
And she fought with all her cruelty to claim that brilliant band
By St John’s point in the early dawn I dragged myself to the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she’d done and vowed to sail her never more

Ever since that night I’ve been on the road travelling and trying to forget
That awful night I lost all my friends, I see their faces yet
And oft times at night when the sea is high and the rain is tearing at me skin
I hear the cries of drowning men floating on the wind

Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is a personal favorite. I love to change the last word of the last verse to someone’s name. Usually I make fun of poor old Joel.

One For The Morning Glory(PDF)

ONE FOR THE MORNING GLORY

At the [G]end of the day, I like a little drink
to [D7]raise up me voice and [G]sing
And an [C]hour or two with a [G]fine, brown brew
and I’m [A]ready for [D7]anything

At the [G]Cross Keys Inn there were sisters four,
the [D7]landlord’s daughters [G]fair
And [C]every night when they’d [G]turn out the light
I would [D7]tiptoe up the [D]stair …singin’

Chorus:

[G]One for the morning [C]glo[G]ry, [D7]two for the early [G]dew
[C]Three for the [G]man who will [C]stand his [G]round
And [C]four for the [D7]love of [G]you, me [Em]girl,
[C]Four for the [D7]love of [G]you

I got the call from a foreign shore to go and fight the foe
And I thought no more of the sisters four, but still I was sad to go
I sailed away on a ship, the Morning Glory was her name
And we’d all fall down when the rum went ’round, then get up and start again

I bore once more for my native shore, farewell to the raging seas
And the Cross Keys Inn, it was beckonin’, and me heart was filled with glee
For there on the shore were the sisters four with a bundle upon each knee
There were three little girls and a bouncing boy, and they all looked
just like me…

Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is Let the People Sing by the Wolfe Tones. It’s a little of out the normal chord progression, but I think you’ll get the hang of it.

Let The People Sing(PDF)

LET THE PEOPLE SING

For [G] those who are in love there’s a [D] song that’s warm and [G] tender,
For [C] those who are oppress[G]sed in [D] song we can protest,
So [G] liberate your mind and [D] give your soul [G] expression,
[C] Open up your [G] hearts and I’ll [D] sing for you this [G] song.

[chorus]
Let the [G] people sing their stories and their songs,
And the [C] music of their native [G] land,
The lullabies and battle cries and songs of hope and joy,
[A] Join us hand in [D] hand,
[G] All across this ancient land [C] throughout the test of [G] time,
It was music that kept their spirits [Em] free,
Those [A] songs of [D] yours and of [G] mine.

It was back in ancient times The Bard would tell his stories
Of the hero’s, of the villain, of the chieftain in the glen
Through Elizabethan times and Cromwellian war and fury
Put pipers to the sword, killed our harpers and our bards.

Ireland land of song your music lives forever,
In your mountains and your valleys in your hills and in your glens,
Our music has survived through famine and oppression,
To the generations gone I will sing for you this song.

Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is Seven Old Ladies. I learned this version from Charlie Taylor in Michigan over a decade ago. If you can keep a straight face during the song, you are a better person than I am.

Seven Old Ladies(PDF)

SEVEN OLD LADIES

And it’s [G]oh dear, what can the matter be?
[C]Seven old ladies got [D7]stuck in the lavatory
[G]They were there from Sunday to Saturday
[C]nobody [D7]knew they were [G]there

Well the first old lady was Jennifer Primm [C]she went in on a [D7]personal whim
She [G]got herself stuck between the bowl and the rim
[C]Nobody [D7]knew she was [G]there

The second old lady was old Mrs. Humphrey
When she went in, she made herself comfy
When she tried to get up, she couldn’t get her bum free
And nobody knew she was there.

The third old lady was Chit Chester’s daughter
She went in to get rid of some water
She very near drowned, for the rising tide caught her
And nobody knew she was there.

The fourth old lady was skinny Mrs. Boulder
She sat on the throne; there was no one to hold her
Quick as a flash she was up to her shoulder
And nobody knew she was there.

The fifth old lady was old Mrs. Craper
When she went in, she couldn’t find the paper
The only thing there was bricklayer’s scraper
And nobody knew she was there.

The sixth old lady was old Mrs. Mason
She had to be quick so she used the basin
And that was the water the Pope washed his face in
And nobody knew she was there.

The seventh old lady was old Mrs. Pender
She went in to adjust her suspenders
She got herself tangled with her feminine gender
And nobody knew she was there.

Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is one of my personal favorites and I’m glad it got requested. It’s Fields of Athenry and once again it’s a song with rich imagery.  You can not only image the scene but you can feel the angst and injustice in the song.

Fields of Athenry(PDF)

FIELDS OF ATHENRY

[G]By a lonely prison wall, I [C]heard a young girl [G]call – [D7]ing
[G]Michael they have [C]taken you [D7]away
For you [G]stole Trevelyn’s [C]corn, so the [G]young might see the [D7]morn
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the [G]bay  [C]  [G]

Chorus:-
[G]Low [C]lie, the [G]fields of Athen – [Em]ry
Where [G]once we watched the [Em]small birds [D7]fly
Our [G]love was on the [C]wing, we had [G]dreams and songs to [D7]sing
It’s so lonely ’round the fields of Athen – [G]ry  [C]  [G]

By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling
Nothing matters Mary when you’re free
Against the famine and the crown, I rebelled they ran me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity

Chorus

By a lonely harbour wall, she watched the last star falling
And that prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she’ll wait and hope and pray, for her love in Botany Bay
It’s so lonely ’round the fields of Athenry

Today’s Irish Pub Song Of The Day is A Nation Once Again. It was voted the #1 song of the 20th Century by BBC Radio. It was once in consideration to be the Irish National Anthem.

A Nation Once Again(PDF)

A NATION ONCE AGAIN

When [G]boyhood’s fire was in my blood I [C]read of [D7]ancient [G]freemen,
Of Greece and Rome who [Em]bravely stood, Three [A]hundred men and [D7]three men;
And then I prayed I yet might see Our [Em]fetters rent in [Bm]twain,
And [C]Ireland long a [Am]province [D7]be [G]A Nation [D7]once [G]again.

A nation once [C]again, A [Am]nation once [D7]again,
And [G]Ireland, long a [C]province[D7]be A [G]Nation [D7]once [G]again.

And from that time, through wildest woe, That hope has shown a far light,
Nor could love’s brightest summer glow Outshine that solemn starlight;
It seemed to watch above my head In forum, field and fame,
Its angel voice sang round my bed, A Nation once again.

It whisper’d too, that freedom’s ark, And service high and holy,
Would be profaned by feeling dark And passions vain or lowly;
For, Freedom comes from God’s right hand, And needs a godly train;
And righteous men must make our land A nation once again.

So as I grew from boy to man I bent me to my bidding
The spirit of each selfish plan And cruel passions ridding
For thus I hoped some day to aid Oh, can such hope be vain?
When my dear country shall be made A nation once again.