Autumn Gold Lyrics And Chords
From the 1976 album Paul Brady And Andy Irvine. Also recorded by Sweeney's Men. Other hit records by Andy Irvine include The West Coast Of Clare song and the old classic Arthur McBride.
My (C)mood is clothed in Autumn’s(G)shades
My (F)summer (Dm)sun begins to(Am) fade
Fa(Dm)ding away with the waning(Am)year
Cha(C)nging my (Dm)tempo now (C)Autumn is here.
Time to leave my friends behind
I leave this town with you on my mind
The dead leaves are burning, the year is decaying
Winter returning, no use in delaying
One week ago we walked by here
I never dreamed life’s death was so near
We laughed and played the summer through.
The sun is going and I must go too
Autumn Gold the Winter snow,
There’s some goes north but its north I must go
Leaving this town and the friends that I know
It’s late in the year there’ll be ice and snow
When the sun returns I’ll come back too
I’ll write a song and I’ll sing it for you.
My (F)summer (Dm)sun begins to(Am) fade
Fa(Dm)ding away with the waning(Am)year
Cha(C)nging my (Dm)tempo now (C)Autumn is here.
Time to leave my friends behind
I leave this town with you on my mind
The dead leaves are burning, the year is decaying
Winter returning, no use in delaying
One week ago we walked by here
I never dreamed life’s death was so near
We laughed and played the summer through.
The sun is going and I must go too
Autumn Gold the Winter snow,
There’s some goes north but its north I must go
Leaving this town and the friends that I know
It’s late in the year there’ll be ice and snow
When the sun returns I’ll come back too
I’ll write a song and I’ll sing it for you.
Alternative Chords
Key Of D
My (D)mood is clothed in Autumn’s(A)shades
My (G)summer (Em)sun begins to(Bm) fade
Fa(Em)ding away with the waning(Bm)year
Cha(D)nging my (Em)tempo now (D)Autumn is here
Key Of G Major
My (G)mood is clothed in Autumn’s(D)shades
My (C)summer (Am)sun begins to(Em) fade
Fa(Am)ding away with the waning(Em)year
Cha(G)nging my (Am)tempo now (G)Autumn is here
Fingerpicking tab + strumming pattern
✅ Warm, reflective folk-ballad feel (~70 BPM, 4/4)
🎶 My Mood Is Clothed in Autumn’s Shades
Key: G | Tempo: ♩ = 70 | Time: 4/4 | Style: Gentle folk
🎸 Strumming Pattern
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
1 2 & & 4 &
Keep it soft and flowing — thumb the bass note (root or fifth) on beats 1 and 3,
and brush light upstrokes on 2 and 4.
Fingerpicking Pattern:
T – I – M – I (Thumb on bass, Index middle on G/B strings)
🍂 Verse 1
My (G)mood is clothed in Autumn’s (D)shades
e|-------3-----------2-----------3----------------|
B|-----0---0-------3---3-------0---0--------------|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0------------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0----------------------|
A|--2------------------------2--------------------|
E|--3------------------------------------------------
G D G
My (C)summer (Am)sun begins to (Em)fade
e|-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0----|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0--|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0|
D|--2-----------2-----------2-----------2----------|
A|--3-----------0------------------------2--------|
E|--------------------------------------0---------|
C Am Em
Fa(Am)ding away with the waning (Em)year
e|-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0----|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0--|
G|---2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0|
D|--2-----------2-----------2-----------2----------|
A|--0-----------0------------------------2--------|
E|--------------------------------------0---------|
Am Am Em
Cha(G)nging my (Am)tempo now (G)Autumn is here
e|-------3-----------0-----------3----------------|
B|-----0---0-------1---1-------0---0--------------|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0------------|
D|--0-----------2-----------0----------------------|
A|--2-----------0-----------2--------------------|
E|--3------------------------3--------------------|
G Am G
🎵 Chord Reference
G 320003
D xx0232
C x32010
Am x02210
Em 022000
🍁 Performance Tips
Keep a gentle fingerpicked rhythm to mirror the calm, reflective mood.
Let open strings (especially on G and Em) ring freely for warmth.
Optional: alternate the bass (root → fifth) for a soft rolling feel.
On the line “Changing my tempo now Autumn is here”, slightly slow the final G chord for effect.
Key Of D
My (D)mood is clothed in Autumn’s(A)shades
My (G)summer (Em)sun begins to(Bm) fade
Fa(Em)ding away with the waning(Bm)year
Cha(D)nging my (Em)tempo now (D)Autumn is here
Key Of G Major
My (G)mood is clothed in Autumn’s(D)shades
My (C)summer (Am)sun begins to(Em) fade
Fa(Am)ding away with the waning(Em)year
Cha(G)nging my (Am)tempo now (G)Autumn is here
Fingerpicking tab + strumming pattern
✅ Warm, reflective folk-ballad feel (~70 BPM, 4/4)
🎶 My Mood Is Clothed in Autumn’s Shades
Key: G | Tempo: ♩ = 70 | Time: 4/4 | Style: Gentle folk
🎸 Strumming Pattern
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
1 2 & & 4 &
Keep it soft and flowing — thumb the bass note (root or fifth) on beats 1 and 3,
and brush light upstrokes on 2 and 4.
Fingerpicking Pattern:
T – I – M – I (Thumb on bass, Index middle on G/B strings)
🍂 Verse 1
My (G)mood is clothed in Autumn’s (D)shades
e|-------3-----------2-----------3----------------|
B|-----0---0-------3---3-------0---0--------------|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0------------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0----------------------|
A|--2------------------------2--------------------|
E|--3------------------------------------------------
G D G
My (C)summer (Am)sun begins to (Em)fade
e|-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0----|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0--|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0|
D|--2-----------2-----------2-----------2----------|
A|--3-----------0------------------------2--------|
E|--------------------------------------0---------|
C Am Em
Fa(Am)ding away with the waning (Em)year
e|-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0----|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0--|
G|---2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0|
D|--2-----------2-----------2-----------2----------|
A|--0-----------0------------------------2--------|
E|--------------------------------------0---------|
Am Am Em
Cha(G)nging my (Am)tempo now (G)Autumn is here
e|-------3-----------0-----------3----------------|
B|-----0---0-------1---1-------0---0--------------|
G|---0-------0---2-------2---0-------0------------|
D|--0-----------2-----------0----------------------|
A|--2-----------0-----------2--------------------|
E|--3------------------------3--------------------|
G Am G
🎵 Chord Reference
G 320003
D xx0232
C x32010
Am x02210
Em 022000
🍁 Performance Tips
Keep a gentle fingerpicked rhythm to mirror the calm, reflective mood.
Let open strings (especially on G and Em) ring freely for warmth.
Optional: alternate the bass (root → fifth) for a soft rolling feel.
On the line “Changing my tempo now Autumn is here”, slightly slow the final G chord for effect.
