A Rainy Night In Soho lyrics and chords
By Shane Mc Gowan And The Pogues, Lyrics and guitar chords Also recorded by Christy Moore and by Damien Dampsey, Written By Shane MacGowan. the youtube video is of myself which will show you how to play the song on guitar. I place a capo on the 5th fret and play G, C and D for the whole song. The key doesn't change, I'm still in the key of C Major, the same as The Pogues play it. This is an easy way of playing without using the F chord. A Rainy Night In Soho Tin Whistle Notes .The Pogues , who do cover versions of The Pogues songs also play this song in the key of C Major. Guitar tab fingerstyle included.
Here are the guitar chords in the key of D.
I've[D] been loving you a[G] long time ,[A],,,[D] down all the years down all the[G] days,[A],,
[D]And I've cried for all your[G] troubles,,,[A],,[D]smiled at your funny little[G] ways,,[A]
[D]We watched our friends grow up to[G]gether,,,[A][D]and we saw them as they[G] fell,,[A]
[D]Some of them fell into[G] heaven,,[A],,,[D]some of them fell into[G] hell
I've[D] been loving you a[G] long time ,[A],,,[D] down all the years down all the[G] days,[A],,
[D]And I've cried for all your[G] troubles,,,[A],,[D]smiled at your funny little[G] ways,,[A]
[D]We watched our friends grow up to[G]gether,,,[A][D]and we saw them as they[G] fell,,[A]
[D]Some of them fell into[G] heaven,,[A],,,[D]some of them fell into[G] hell
The Pouges version is in the key of C
I've[C] been loving you a[F] long time ,[G],,,[C] down all the years down all the[F] days,[G],,
[C]And I've cried for all your[F] troubles,,,[G],,[C]smiled at your funny little[F] ways,,[G]
[C]We watched our friends grow up to[F]geather,,,[G][C]and we saw them as they[F] fell,,[G]
[C]Some of them fell into[F] heaven,,[G],,,[C]some of them fell into[F] hell
I took shelter from a shower, and I stepped into your arms
On a rainy night in Soho, the wind was whistling all it's charms
I sang you all my sorrows,you told me all your joys
Whatever happened to that old song,to all those little boys and girls
Sometimes I wake up in the morning,the ginger lady by my bed
Covered in a cloak of silence,I hear you talking in my head
I'm not singing for the future,I'm not dreaming of the past
I'm not talking of the first time,I never think about the past
Now the song is nearly over,we may never find out what it means
Still there's a lot I'm hoping for me,and your the measure of my dreams
The measure of my dreams
I've[C] been loving you a[F] long time ,[G],,,[C] down all the years down all the[F] days,[G],,
[C]And I've cried for all your[F] troubles,,,[G],,[C]smiled at your funny little[F] ways,,[G]
[C]We watched our friends grow up to[F]geather,,,[G][C]and we saw them as they[F] fell,,[G]
[C]Some of them fell into[F] heaven,,[G],,,[C]some of them fell into[F] hell
I took shelter from a shower, and I stepped into your arms
On a rainy night in Soho, the wind was whistling all it's charms
I sang you all my sorrows,you told me all your joys
Whatever happened to that old song,to all those little boys and girls
Sometimes I wake up in the morning,the ginger lady by my bed
Covered in a cloak of silence,I hear you talking in my head
I'm not singing for the future,I'm not dreaming of the past
I'm not talking of the first time,I never think about the past
Now the song is nearly over,we may never find out what it means
Still there's a lot I'm hoping for me,and your the measure of my dreams
The measure of my dreams
A Rainy Night In Soho is also played in the key of C by The Pogues, for this one I again play it in the key of C using the capo on the 5th, it's the same three chords all the way through. Although it's one of the best love songs written in the last 30 years it only reached number sixty seven in the British charts when released. A lack of air play from the radio stations ment it never got into the top 20 in Ireland or Britain.
Here are the guitar chords in the key of G.
I've [G] been loving you a [C] long time [D],,, [G] down all the years down all the [C] days, [D] [G] And I've cried for all your [C] troubles [D],,, [G] smiled at your funny little [C] ways, [D] [G] We watched our friends grow up to **[C]**geather [D],,, [G] and we saw them as they [C] fell, [D] [G] Some of them fell into [C] heaven [D],,, [G] some of them fell into [C] hell [D]
Verse 2
I took [G] shelter from a [C] shower [D],,, [G] and I stepped into your [C] arms, [D] On a [G] rainy night in [C] Soho [D],,, [G] the wind was whistling all it's [C] charms, [D] I sang [G] you all my [C] sorrows [D],,, [G] you told me all your [C] joys, [D] Whatever [G] happened to that old [C] song [D],,, [G] to all those little boys and [C] girls [D]
Verse 3
Sometimes [G] I wake up in the [C] morning [D],,, [G] the ginger lady by my [C] bed, [D] Covered [G] in a cloak of [C] silence [D],,, [G] I hear you talking in my [C] head, [D] I'm not [G] singing for the [C] future [D],,, [G] I'm not dreaming of the [C] past, [D] I'm not [G] talking of the [C] first time [D],,, [G] I never think about the [C] last [D]
Verse 4
Now the [G] song is nearly [C] over [D],,, [G] we may never find out what it [C] means, [D] Still there's [G] a lot I'm hoping for [C] me [D],,, [G] and you're the measure of my [C] dreams, [D] The [G] measure of my [C] dreams [D]
Below is a performance-ready accompaniment:
a strumming pattern in 12/8
a fingerpicking tab for the first verse (in G Major).
🎵 A Rainy Night in Soho (12/8 time, G Major)
🎶 Strumming Pattern (12/8 Feel)
Think slow, swaying triplets — each bar has 4 pulses (like a slow blues ballad).
↓ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑
Count it as: 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a
Tips:
Emphasize the first beat of each group (the “1, 2, 3, 4”)
Keep strums light and fluid, like a slow roll
For a gentler touch: play Bass–down–up / Bass–down–up
This creates the dreamy, flowing feel the Pogues’ version has.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse (12/8)
Style: flowing arpeggio pattern in 12/8
Tempo: ~60–65 bpm
Right hand pattern (per bar):
p–i–m, p–i–m, p–i–m, p–i–m
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B or E string)
Each measure below is one bar of 12/8.
Fingerpicking Verse Tab
G Major (I've been loving you a long time)
e|-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|
B|-----------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
C Major (down all the years down all the days)
e|-------------------0-------------------0-------------------0-------------------0---|
B|-----------1-----------1-------1-----------1-------1-----------1-------1-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------|
A|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D Major (cried for all your troubles)
e|-------------------2-------------------2-------------------2-------------------2---|
B|-----------3-----------3-------3-----------3-------3-----------3-------3-----------|
G|-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2---|
D|---0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G Major (smiled at your funny little ways)
e|-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|
B|-----------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
Playing Notes
Each set of four triplets = one 12/8 measure (listen to the natural swing).
Keep your thumb steady on the bass (6th string for G, 5th for C, 4th for D).
Let each note ring smoothly into the next — it should feel like a slow rolling wave.
Optionally, hammer-on softly into the first melody note of each chord to imitate Shane MacGowan’s expressive phrasing.
I've [G] been loving you a [C] long time [D],,, [G] down all the years down all the [C] days, [D] [G] And I've cried for all your [C] troubles [D],,, [G] smiled at your funny little [C] ways, [D] [G] We watched our friends grow up to **[C]**geather [D],,, [G] and we saw them as they [C] fell, [D] [G] Some of them fell into [C] heaven [D],,, [G] some of them fell into [C] hell [D]
Verse 2
I took [G] shelter from a [C] shower [D],,, [G] and I stepped into your [C] arms, [D] On a [G] rainy night in [C] Soho [D],,, [G] the wind was whistling all it's [C] charms, [D] I sang [G] you all my [C] sorrows [D],,, [G] you told me all your [C] joys, [D] Whatever [G] happened to that old [C] song [D],,, [G] to all those little boys and [C] girls [D]
Verse 3
Sometimes [G] I wake up in the [C] morning [D],,, [G] the ginger lady by my [C] bed, [D] Covered [G] in a cloak of [C] silence [D],,, [G] I hear you talking in my [C] head, [D] I'm not [G] singing for the [C] future [D],,, [G] I'm not dreaming of the [C] past, [D] I'm not [G] talking of the [C] first time [D],,, [G] I never think about the [C] last [D]
Verse 4
Now the [G] song is nearly [C] over [D],,, [G] we may never find out what it [C] means, [D] Still there's [G] a lot I'm hoping for [C] me [D],,, [G] and you're the measure of my [C] dreams, [D] The [G] measure of my [C] dreams [D]
Below is a performance-ready accompaniment:
a strumming pattern in 12/8
a fingerpicking tab for the first verse (in G Major).
🎵 A Rainy Night in Soho (12/8 time, G Major)
🎶 Strumming Pattern (12/8 Feel)
Think slow, swaying triplets — each bar has 4 pulses (like a slow blues ballad).
↓ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑
Count it as: 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a
Tips:
Emphasize the first beat of each group (the “1, 2, 3, 4”)
Keep strums light and fluid, like a slow roll
For a gentler touch: play Bass–down–up / Bass–down–up
This creates the dreamy, flowing feel the Pogues’ version has.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse (12/8)
Style: flowing arpeggio pattern in 12/8
Tempo: ~60–65 bpm
Right hand pattern (per bar):
p–i–m, p–i–m, p–i–m, p–i–m
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B or E string)
Each measure below is one bar of 12/8.
Fingerpicking Verse Tab
G Major (I've been loving you a long time)
e|-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|
B|-----------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
C Major (down all the years down all the days)
e|-------------------0-------------------0-------------------0-------------------0---|
B|-----------1-----------1-------1-----------1-------1-----------1-------1-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------|
A|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D Major (cried for all your troubles)
e|-------------------2-------------------2-------------------2-------------------2---|
B|-----------3-----------3-------3-----------3-------3-----------3-------3-----------|
G|-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2-------2-----------2---|
D|---0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G Major (smiled at your funny little ways)
e|-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|
B|-----------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------|
G|-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0-------0-----------0---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-------|
Playing Notes
Each set of four triplets = one 12/8 measure (listen to the natural swing).
Keep your thumb steady on the bass (6th string for G, 5th for C, 4th for D).
Let each note ring smoothly into the next — it should feel like a slow rolling wave.
Optionally, hammer-on softly into the first melody note of each chord to imitate Shane MacGowan’s expressive phrasing.
Below is the PDF Ebook of folk songs lyrics and chords. The songs are in 3 different keys, There's over 500 songs in the ebook. Most have only 3 easy chords.
Price €8.90 . I'll email the ebook after payment.
Price €8.90 . I'll email the ebook after payment.
Pogues Guitar Tab A Rainy Night In Soho In C Major
Guitar Tab In D Major [ fingerstyle ]
To play along with The PoguestrA singing A Rainy Night In Soho on the youtube video play in the key of C Major by using the chords above.
Shane MacGowan The Pogues Singer
