Danny Boy - Chords, Lyrics and Origins

Chords

C                       C7                                          F           Dm7
Oh Danny boy,    the pipes, the pipes are calling

                       C               Am7                           Dm7   G7
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side

                         C       C7                                F         Dm7
The summer's gone,   and all the flowers dying

                    C     Am7          Dm7    G7        C        Csus4   C
Tis you 'tis you         must go and I must bide

       G7           C                 F                           C              G7
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow

                       Am        F                   Em              Dm7    G7
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow

                  C           F             D7        C              F
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine    or in shadow

                  C            Am      Dm7   G7           C    Csus4   C
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so




C                                  C7                             F         Dm7
But when you come,     and all the roses falling

             C              Am7                    Dm7   G7
If I am dead, as dead I may well be

                    C     C7                                      F        Dm7
Go out and find     the place where I am lying

                          C    Am7       Dm7 G7            C        Csus4   C
And kneel and say          an Ave   there for me

       G7      C                F                        C                 G7
And I will hear, tho' soft your tread above me

                        Am            F                Em         Dm7        G7
And then my grave will warm and sweeter be

                         C              F          D7                 C              F
For your shall bend and tell me      that you love me

                  C            Am       Dm7      G7          C   Csus4   C
And I will sleep in peace until you come to me


Lyrics

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side

The summer's gone, and all the flowers dying

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow

'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow

Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

 

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying

And I am dead, as dead I well may be

Go out and find the place where I am lying

And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I will hear, tho' soft your tread above me

And then my grave will warm and sweeter be

For you shall bend and tell me that you love me

And I will sleep in peace until you come to me.

Origins

The words were written by the English lawyer, lyricist, entertainer and broadcaster Frederic Edward Weatherly (1848-1929).  The tune is called "Londonderry Air" (or just "Derry Air").  For more information, see this very interesting article. 

The impossibly delicate version in the YouTube video is by Eva Cassidy.



Other Irish Folk Songs
Other Traditional Folk Songs


Eva Cassidy Web Site

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© Peter Webster 2013