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Fairytale Of New York Song Lyrics Guitar Chords 

Fairytale of New York beginner piano notes now included. The fingerstyle / picking guitar tab included and a version in DADGAD tuning in a PDF file.. Probably the best Christmas song of all time and I also say Shane is one of the greatest songwriters of all time.  Tin whistle sheet music music notes are included, which are suitable for other musical instruments such as accordion, banjo, and keyboard.don't forget to try the capo if the key doesn't suit your voice. [ Letter notes are also suited to recorder, melodica and flute ].

Recorded by The Pogues And Kirsty McColl, Kirsty was the daughter of Ewan McColl who 
was married to Peggy Seeger. The video is one of the first demo takes where Cath O'Riordian who was the bass player does the duet with Shane. This version is much slower and most of the song is with just the accordion playing lead notes. This slower take is ideal for anybody trying to learn the lead notes on banjo, accordion or tin whistle.
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This song was voted the third best Christmas hit by readers of Time Out Magazine in England. Shane says that when they were being produced by Elvis Costello that Costello made a bet with him that he couldn't write a Christmas duet to sing with the Pogues bass 
player Cath o'Riordan who later became the wife of Elvis costello. Cath recorded a guide version of Fairytale on vocals and later left the group with her part being given to Kirsty McColl.

Song Meaning
"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues, featuring Kirsty MacColl, is a bittersweet Christmas song that captures themes of love, hope, disappointment, and nostalgia. The song, released in 1987, tells a story of two Irish immigrants in New York, reminiscing about the highs and lows of their relationship.

Here’s a deeper dive into its meaning:

1. Love and Loss
The couple in the song remembers their dreams of making it big in New York but are now grappling with disillusionment. Their relationship has turned toxic, and they exchange bitter insults in the middle of the song. Yet, there's an underlying sense that their love still exists beneath the surface of their anger.

2. Broken Dreams
The lyrics reflect the American Dream gone awry. They arrived in New York with high hopes, but life’s hardships—poverty, addiction, and lost ambition—took their toll. Despite this, the characters still cling to fragments of their old dreams.

3. Hope and Redemption
Despite its melancholy tone and bitter exchanges, the song ends on a hopeful note. There's a lingering hope for a better future and perhaps even the possibility of reconciliation.

4. Cultural Reflection
The song is also a snapshot of the Irish immigrant experience in New York, touching on themes of longing for home, hope, and survival in a harsh new world. It’s gritty yet sentimental—reflecting the real-life struggles many faced.

Overall, the song’s mix of nostalgia, heartbreak, and resilience has made it a Christmas classic, celebrated for its raw, unpolished depiction of love and hardship during the holiday season. What do you think of its themes?


​Chords in the key of G Major below
Fairytale of New York lyrics and chords in the key of G Major
​ guitar chords in C Major
Fairytale of New York guitar chords in C Major
​lyrics and chords in D Major
Fairytale of New York lyrics and chords in D Major
Fairytale of New York sheet music for tin whistle
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Ebook of tin whistle tabs for The Pogues

​Don't let the size of the sheet music daunt you as I included the first two verses of the song and the second verse basically uses the same notes as the first.
Ebook Of The most popular tin whistle tabs for Shane MacGowan the Pogues songs
​Price €7.40
 Below is the list of songs in the Shane MacGowan Pogues / Popes ebook
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Here's an alternative version of the tab, same key of G but with the bells and whistles.

Fairytale of New York tin whistle tab by The Pogues
Fairytale of New York tin whistle tab by The Pogues page two
Fairytale of New York tin whistle tab by The Pogues page three
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The PDF file below is for the above version of the Pogues tab
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​Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 800 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
​The price of the ebooks is €7.50 

Other Pogues songs included in the ebook are Streams Of Whiskey , Lorelei , The Broad Majestic Shannon, A Rainy Night In Soho and A Pair Of Brown Eyes.
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Fairytale of New York beginner piano notes
Fairytale of New York beginner piano notes

Letter notes ebook

Fairytale Of New York Tin Whistle Notes
Intro:

 
A B G C# D' A D G F# E D D
 
Slow beginning sang by Shane:
 
A A D C# E D D
D' C# C# B
B C# D' A F# F#
D G F# F# E E 
A D C# E D D
D' D' C# C# B B
B B C# D' A F# F#
D G F# E D D
 
A B G C# D' A D G F# E D D
 
(Pace quickens, other instruments come in)
 
1st Verse
 D D D E F# E D E F# E D B D D D E F# A F# F# F# A F# D E
A A A F# D E D E F# E D B D D E F# A F# D E F# E D
 
A A A B F# E F# D
A A F# D E D
D E F# E D B G B A B C# D
F# A B A F# D A A A F# D E D E
E F# E D B G B A B C# D
 
Chorus
 
A B B B B C# D' D' C# B A D D E F#
D E F# D G F# E D F# E D
 
Last verse, begins with the words, "I could have been someone....."
 A A D C# E D D
A A B A G G
G A B A D D
D E D D C# C# 
A D C# E D D
A D' C# C# B B
B B C# D' A F# F#
F# F# D G F# E D
 
Play chorus once more:
 A B B B B C# D' D' C# B A D D E F#
D E F# D G F# E D F# E D
 Instrumental, ad lib to fade etc...

​Fairytale of New York beginner piano keyboard / melodica notes

 And the next version below is the one that I play meself. The low notes are the one's written in CAPITAL LETTERS up as far as B and the high notes are the lower case letters. This is an easier version than the one above played by Jean in the video

D  D   G      F#      A    G        g   f#   f#       e
It was Christmas Eve babe In the drunk tank
e   f#    g      d     B   B     G        c      B B  A   A
An old man said to me, won't see another one
D    G      F#  A      G  G       g     g       f#   f#      e       e
And then he sang a song The Rare Old Mountain Dew
e f#         g   d      B  B    G      c              B A      G
I turned my face away And dreamed about you

D    G  F# A  G   G      g        g   f#     f#     e  e
Got on a  lucky one Came in eight een to one
e    f#    g  d  B      G     c          B    B    A     A
I've got  a feeling This year's for me and you
D  G F#     A      G      g g     f#  f# e
So happy Christmas I love you ba-by
e f#  g    g d  B    B     G       c    B   A         G       G
I can see a better time When all our dreams come true

G          G   G     A   B   A     G         A     B  A   G  E
They've got cars big as bars They've got rivers of  gold
G   G    G     A      B      d          B    B    B   d      B    G   A
But the wind goes right through you It's no place for the old
d       d     d     B    G    A      G  A  B     A     G      E
When you first took my hand On a cold Christmas Eve
G    G     A     B    d      B     G    A    B   A   G
You promised me Broadway was waiting for me

d    d       d     e       d     d     B   G   d         d  B     G    A G
You were handsome You were pretty Queen of New York City
G       A   B       A   G     E   G     E      D        E   F#  G
When the band finished playing They howled out for more
B d e    d     B    G       d   d   d         B      G      A   G
Sinatra was swinging,  All the drunks they were singing
A    B       A  G  E  G     E     D         E           F#  G
We kissed on a corner Then danced through the night

d    e       e  e   e f#  g g  f#      e      d  B      G  A      B
The boys of the N-Y-  P-D choir Were singing "Galway Bay"
G    A    B     G      c   B     A   G    B       A      G
And the bells were ringing out For Christmas day


​​PDF Ebook Of Letter Notes

Fairytale Of New York Tin Whistle Sheet Music Notes

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fairytale-of-new-york-celtic_guitar_tab_in_dadgad_tuning.pdf
File Size: 1317 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

The pdf file above is for the tab in DADGAD tuning.

Fairytale of New York  solo guitar tab by The Pogues
Fairytale of New York fingerstyle guitar tab by The Pogues
Fairytale of New York fingerstyle guitar tab by The Pogues part two
Fairytale of New York finger picking guitar tab by The Pogues
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Free PDF Solo Tab For Download

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The Pogues And Kirsty McColl Photo
The Pogues And Kirsty McColl Fairytale Of New York
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