Gentle Mother lyrics and guitar chords
Gentle Mother Song Lyrics With Guitar Chords By Big Tom McBride And The Mainliners, also recorded by Larry Conningham,
Trudi Lawlor, Foster And Allen, Ann Breen and Farmer Dan. It was sang by Nathan Carter on The Late Late Show also, This song is a special request for Charlie Daly, the guitar chords are by Marc Fahrbach. This song was also recorded by Irish country singer Farmer Dan.
The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included in the PDF Sheet Music Book
Trudi Lawlor, Foster And Allen, Ann Breen and Farmer Dan. It was sang by Nathan Carter on The Late Late Show also, This song is a special request for Charlie Daly, the guitar chords are by Marc Fahrbach. This song was also recorded by Irish country singer Farmer Dan.
The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included in the PDF Sheet Music Book
Song Words Without The Chords
Big Tom And The Mainliners Lyrics And Chords
By the side of the clear crystal fountain
There stands a lonely church yard closely by
There's a tombstone decorated with primroses
In the memory of a loved one passed away
Shall I ne’er see a more gentle mother
In the fields where the wild flowers grow
I am sorry for the loss I can't recover
Neath yon willow lies my gentle mother’s love
Some children take a liking [to their parents
While some others fill their mothers hearts with pain
But some day they will be sorry for their blindness
When the crying will not bring her back again
Big Tom And The Mainliners Lyrics And Chords
By the side of the clear crystal fountain
There stands a lonely church yard closely by
There's a tombstone decorated with primroses
In the memory of a loved one passed away
Shall I ne’er see a more gentle mother
In the fields where the wild flowers grow
I am sorry for the loss I can't recover
Neath yon willow lies my gentle mother’s love
Some children take a liking [to their parents
While some others fill their mothers hearts with pain
But some day they will be sorry for their blindness
When the crying will not bring her back again
🎵 “Gentle Mother” — Key of G Major
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~70 BPM (slow and reflective)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 1. Strumming Pattern (Slow Folk Ballad)
A soft, steady 4/4 pattern — think “boom–chicka–boom–chicka.”
Pattern (per measure):
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Counting:
1 2& 3&4&
Tips:
Use thumb for bass note (beat 1).
Use light down-up brush for chords (beats 2–4).
Keep it gentle and flowing, not percussive.
Optional simpler version for verses:
↓ ↓ ↓↑
(use on verses, full pattern for chorus or refrain)
🎶 2. Fingerpicking Tab for All Verses
We’ll use Travis picking — alternating bass with a steady melody rhythm.
Pattern (per measure):
T – I – T – M
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Verse 1 Fingerpicking Arrangement
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
By the side of the clear crystal fountain,
G7 D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--1-------------|--1-------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
There stands a lonely church yard closely by,
D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
There’s a tombstone decorated with primroses,
Em Am
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
In the memory of a loved one passed away.
D D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------1---------|------0---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|
E|--2-------------|--2-------------|----------------|--3-------------|
(Instrumental turn or soft repeat line)
Verse 2 Fingerpicking Arrangement
D D7
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--2-------------|--2-------------|----------------|----------------|
Shall I ne’er see a more gentle mother,
G Em
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
In the fields where the wild flowers grow,
Am D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
I am sorry for the loss I can’t recover,
G Em
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
Neath yon willow lies my gentle mother’s love.
intro: G-Em-Am-D-D7-G-C-G
[G]By the side [G7]of the [D]clear [D7]crystal [G]fountain
There [Em]stands a [Am]lonely [D]church yard closely [D7]by
There's a [G]tombstone [G7]decor[D]ated [D7]with prim[G]roses
In the [Em]memory [Am]of a [D]loved one [D7]passed a[G]way
[D]Shall I ne’er see a [D7]more gentle [G]mother
In the [Em]fields [Am]where the [D]wild flowers [D7]grow
I am [G]sorry [G7]for the [D]loss I [D7]can't re[G]cover
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love
[G]Some children [G7]take a [D]liking [D7]to their [G]parents
While some [Em]others [Am]fill their [D]mothers hearts with [D7]pain
But some [G]day they [G7]will be [D]sorry [D7]for their [G]blindness
When the [Em]crying [Am]will not [D]bring her [D7]back a[G]gain
[D]Shall I ne’er see a [D7]more gentle [G]mother
In the [Em]fields [Am]where the [D]wild flowers [D7]grow
I am [G]sorry [G7]for the [D]loss I [D7]can't re[G]cover
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love-C-G
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~70 BPM (slow and reflective)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 1. Strumming Pattern (Slow Folk Ballad)
A soft, steady 4/4 pattern — think “boom–chicka–boom–chicka.”
Pattern (per measure):
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Counting:
1 2& 3&4&
Tips:
Use thumb for bass note (beat 1).
Use light down-up brush for chords (beats 2–4).
Keep it gentle and flowing, not percussive.
Optional simpler version for verses:
↓ ↓ ↓↑
(use on verses, full pattern for chorus or refrain)
🎶 2. Fingerpicking Tab for All Verses
We’ll use Travis picking — alternating bass with a steady melody rhythm.
Pattern (per measure):
T – I – T – M
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Verse 1 Fingerpicking Arrangement
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
By the side of the clear crystal fountain,
G7 D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--1-------------|--1-------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
There stands a lonely church yard closely by,
D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
There’s a tombstone decorated with primroses,
Em Am
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
In the memory of a loved one passed away.
D D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------1---------|------0---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|
E|--2-------------|--2-------------|----------------|--3-------------|
(Instrumental turn or soft repeat line)
Verse 2 Fingerpicking Arrangement
D D7
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--2-------------|--2-------------|----------------|----------------|
Shall I ne’er see a more gentle mother,
G Em
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
In the fields where the wild flowers grow,
Am D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
I am sorry for the loss I can’t recover,
G Em
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
Neath yon willow lies my gentle mother’s love.
intro: G-Em-Am-D-D7-G-C-G
[G]By the side [G7]of the [D]clear [D7]crystal [G]fountain
There [Em]stands a [Am]lonely [D]church yard closely [D7]by
There's a [G]tombstone [G7]decor[D]ated [D7]with prim[G]roses
In the [Em]memory [Am]of a [D]loved one [D7]passed a[G]way
[D]Shall I ne’er see a [D7]more gentle [G]mother
In the [Em]fields [Am]where the [D]wild flowers [D7]grow
I am [G]sorry [G7]for the [D]loss I [D7]can't re[G]cover
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love
[G]Some children [G7]take a [D]liking [D7]to their [G]parents
While some [Em]others [Am]fill their [D]mothers hearts with [D7]pain
But some [G]day they [G7]will be [D]sorry [D7]for their [G]blindness
When the [Em]crying [Am]will not [D]bring her [D7]back a[G]gain
[D]Shall I ne’er see a [D7]more gentle [G]mother
In the [Em]fields [Am]where the [D]wild flowers [D7]grow
I am [G]sorry [G7]for the [D]loss I [D7]can't re[G]cover
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love
Neath yon [Em]willow [Am]lies my [D]gentle [D7]mother’s [G]love-C-G
Guitar Chords In The Key Of D
[D]By the side [D7]of the [A]clear [A7]crystal [D]fountain
There [Bm]stands a [Em]lonely [A]church yard closely [A7]by
There's a [D]tombstone [D7]decor[A]ated [A7]with prim[D]roses
In the [Bm]memory [Em]of a [A]loved one [A7]passed a[D]way
[A]Shall I ne’er see a [A7]more gentle [D]mother
In the [Bm]fields [Em]where the [A]wild flowers [A7]grow
I am [D]sorry [D7]for the [A]loss I [A7]can't re[D]cover
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
[D]Some children [D7]take a [A]liking [A7]to their [D]parents
While some [Bm]others [Em]fill their [A]mothers hearts with [A7]pain
But some [D]day they [D7]will be [A]sorry [A7]for their [D]blindness
When the [Bm]crying [Em]will not [A]bring her [A7]back a[D]gain
[A]Shall I ne’er see a [A7]more gentle [D]mother
In the [Bm]fields [Em]where the [A]wild flowers [A7]grow
I am [D]sorry [D7]for the [A]loss I [A7]can't re[D]cover
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
[D]By the side [D7]of the [A]clear [A7]crystal [D]fountain
There [Bm]stands a [Em]lonely [A]church yard closely [A7]by
There's a [D]tombstone [D7]decor[A]ated [A7]with prim[D]roses
In the [Bm]memory [Em]of a [A]loved one [A7]passed a[D]way
[A]Shall I ne’er see a [A7]more gentle [D]mother
In the [Bm]fields [Em]where the [A]wild flowers [A7]grow
I am [D]sorry [D7]for the [A]loss I [A7]can't re[D]cover
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
[D]Some children [D7]take a [A]liking [A7]to their [D]parents
While some [Bm]others [Em]fill their [A]mothers hearts with [A7]pain
But some [D]day they [D7]will be [A]sorry [A7]for their [D]blindness
When the [Bm]crying [Em]will not [A]bring her [A7]back a[D]gain
[A]Shall I ne’er see a [A7]more gentle [D]mother
In the [Bm]fields [Em]where the [A]wild flowers [A7]grow
I am [D]sorry [D7]for the [A]loss I [A7]can't re[D]cover
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
Neath yon [Bm]willow [Em]lies my [A]gentle [A7]mother’s [D]love
Big Tom Gentle Mother Song
