Hit The Diff Lyrics By Marty Mone
The guitar chords are included. Hit The Diff Sheet Music link is below. Is Hit The Diff the most popular Irish song on youtube at this time ? The song was put up on youtube on the 29-12-2014 and by 26th of January 2015 it had a massive 242,086 hits. All credit goes to Marty for this well written catchy song about life on an Irish farm. Recently recorded by Richie Remo. Marty's second hit song is Slip The Clutch which is about driving lorries. Link to the sheet music below plus the tin whistle notes are available in the ebook. Solo guitar tab sheet music included.
Hit The Diff tenor banjo / mandolin tab sheet music link is included below
Towing liftin' sowing baling, drawing hauling and buck raking
Backin' stackin' plowin' crashing, tippin' rappin' tail doors flappin'
[A]Sucking diesel Cuttin' trucking, spreadin' piping double clutching
Spinning slidin' diggin' raking, rareing tearin' loosing weight.
Oh hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way
When I'm flat to the mat with the party hat when I'm heading for the tay.
They thought that we were quittin' when the Sun went down.
With the flame from the pipe we drove all night, 'till the fuel it ran out.
O give me a yoke with plenty of poke
And a can of easy start.And 1500 acres
hauling 40 tone of grass.
I said good bye before July to the woman in an offal rush
And it was near Christmas before i got back in touch
I found a sate But i had no brakes
Couldn't keep it cool With loads of power
I was behind an hour So i give the pump a scew
Out all nite. With no lights
Only seeing stars And the gloom from the moon
And the diesel light in the dash
[Repeat first verse and chorus ]
Overload on the downhill road slappin' through the gears
Sending snap chats of what I'm at to everyone on the beer
Hit [the duel to load and I stall the road, all wheels in the air
It was my chance to grease the nipples I never knew was there.
I [need some sleep and new teeth for diggin' dozin' in muck
In case it rains need an owl chain lying in the truck
Climing limeing mixing piping After the field is cut
There's many's a gap you won't get at with out 6,000 foot
[Repeat first verse and chorus]
O hit the diff and pray
That she go's all the way
When am flat to the mat
with the party hats
am heading for the tae
They thought that we where quitting
Cuz the summer doesn't last
but we,re heading to New Zealand
where the craic it only starts.
Backin' stackin' plowin' crashing, tippin' rappin' tail doors flappin'
[A]Sucking diesel Cuttin' trucking, spreadin' piping double clutching
Spinning slidin' diggin' raking, rareing tearin' loosing weight.
Oh hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way
When I'm flat to the mat with the party hat when I'm heading for the tay.
They thought that we were quittin' when the Sun went down.
With the flame from the pipe we drove all night, 'till the fuel it ran out.
O give me a yoke with plenty of poke
And a can of easy start.And 1500 acres
hauling 40 tone of grass.
I said good bye before July to the woman in an offal rush
And it was near Christmas before i got back in touch
I found a sate But i had no brakes
Couldn't keep it cool With loads of power
I was behind an hour So i give the pump a scew
Out all nite. With no lights
Only seeing stars And the gloom from the moon
And the diesel light in the dash
[Repeat first verse and chorus ]
Overload on the downhill road slappin' through the gears
Sending snap chats of what I'm at to everyone on the beer
Hit [the duel to load and I stall the road, all wheels in the air
It was my chance to grease the nipples I never knew was there.
I [need some sleep and new teeth for diggin' dozin' in muck
In case it rains need an owl chain lying in the truck
Climing limeing mixing piping After the field is cut
There's many's a gap you won't get at with out 6,000 foot
[Repeat first verse and chorus]
O hit the diff and pray
That she go's all the way
When am flat to the mat
with the party hats
am heading for the tae
They thought that we where quitting
Cuz the summer doesn't last
but we,re heading to New Zealand
where the craic it only starts.
Here's a little tip about using a capo and changing the key of a song.
If you place the capo on the 1st fret and play the chords above [ G Version ] you'll be playing in Ab.
If you place the capo on the 2nd you'll be in the key of A Major.
If it's on the 4th fret you'll be in the key of B Major.
If you place it on the 5th you'll be in the key of C Major.
If you place it on the 6th fret you'll be playing in the key of D Major.
If you place the capo on the 1st fret and play the chords above [ G Version ] you'll be playing in Ab.
If you place the capo on the 2nd you'll be in the key of A Major.
If it's on the 4th fret you'll be in the key of B Major.
If you place it on the 5th you'll be in the key of C Major.
If you place it on the 6th fret you'll be playing in the key of D Major.
Here's the chords in the key of G Major
To play along with Marty or Richie's version place a capo on the second fret and play these chords.
[G]Towing liftin' sowing baling, [C]drawing hauling and buck raking
[Em]Backin' stackin' plowin' crashing, [D]tippin' rappin' tail doors flappin'
[G]Sucking diesel Cuttin' trucking, [C]spreadin' piping double clutching
[Em]Spinning slidin' diggin' raking, rareing tearin' [G]loosing weight.
[G]Oh hit the diff and [D]pray that [Em]she goes all the way[C]
When I'm [G]flat to the mat with the party hat when I'm [C]heading for the tay.
They [G]thought that we were quittin' [C]when the Sun went down.
[G]With the flame from the pipe we drove all night, [C]'till the fuel it ran out.
[G] [Em] [G] [D] [C]
[Em]O give me a yoke with [G]plenty of poke
And a can of easy [C]start.And 1500 [G]acres
hauling [D]40 tone of [C]grass.
I said good [G]bye before july to the [C]woman in an offal rush
And it was [G]near christmas before i got [C]back in touch
I found a [G]sate But i had no brakes
Couldn't [C]keep it cool With loads of [G]power
I was behide an hour So i [C]give the pump a scew
Out [G]all nite. With no lights
Only [C]seeing stars And the gloom [Em]from the moon
And [G]the diesel light in the [C]dash
[Em]Overload on the [G]downhill road slappin' through [C]the gears
Sending snap chats of [G]what I'm at to [D]everyone on the [C]beer
Hit [Em]the duel to load and I [G]stall the road, all wheels [C]in the air
It was my chance to [G]greese the nip[D]ples I never knew was [C]there.
I [Em]need some sleep and new teeth for diggin' dozin' in [C]muck
In case it rains [G]need an owl chain [D]lying in the [C]truck
[Em]Climeing limeing [G]mixing piping After the [C]field is cut
Theres manys a gap you [G]won't get at with [D]out 6,000 [C]foot
To play along with Marty or Richie's version place a capo on the second fret and play these chords.
[G]Towing liftin' sowing baling, [C]drawing hauling and buck raking
[Em]Backin' stackin' plowin' crashing, [D]tippin' rappin' tail doors flappin'
[G]Sucking diesel Cuttin' trucking, [C]spreadin' piping double clutching
[Em]Spinning slidin' diggin' raking, rareing tearin' [G]loosing weight.
[G]Oh hit the diff and [D]pray that [Em]she goes all the way[C]
When I'm [G]flat to the mat with the party hat when I'm [C]heading for the tay.
They [G]thought that we were quittin' [C]when the Sun went down.
[G]With the flame from the pipe we drove all night, [C]'till the fuel it ran out.
[G] [Em] [G] [D] [C]
[Em]O give me a yoke with [G]plenty of poke
And a can of easy [C]start.And 1500 [G]acres
hauling [D]40 tone of [C]grass.
I said good [G]bye before july to the [C]woman in an offal rush
And it was [G]near christmas before i got [C]back in touch
I found a [G]sate But i had no brakes
Couldn't [C]keep it cool With loads of [G]power
I was behide an hour So i [C]give the pump a scew
Out [G]all nite. With no lights
Only [C]seeing stars And the gloom [Em]from the moon
And [G]the diesel light in the [C]dash
[Em]Overload on the [G]downhill road slappin' through [C]the gears
Sending snap chats of [G]what I'm at to [D]everyone on the [C]beer
Hit [Em]the duel to load and I [G]stall the road, all wheels [C]in the air
It was my chance to [G]greese the nip[D]ples I never knew was [C]there.
I [Em]need some sleep and new teeth for diggin' dozin' in [C]muck
In case it rains [G]need an owl chain [D]lying in the [C]truck
[Em]Climeing limeing [G]mixing piping After the [C]field is cut
Theres manys a gap you [G]won't get at with [D]out 6,000 [C]foot
“Hit The Diff” by Marty Mone is a modern Irish country banger — it’s a fast, driving song in 8/8 time, with that classic diesel-fueled tractor groove. It combines humor and country grit, and the guitar accompaniment should sound percussive, bright, and rhythmic.
Here’s a complete guitar arrangement with both strumming and fingerpicking tab, designed to follow the engine-like drive of the song.
🎶 “Hit The Diff” — Guitar Arrangement
Key: D Major
Meter: 8/8 (feels like 4/4 with double-time feel)
Tempo: ♪ = 206 (fast, driving country rock)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
🎸 1️⃣ STRUMMING PATTERN — “Tractor Engine Groove”
The pulse is straight 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&, with accented downstrokes to simulate the mechanical rhythm of the lyrics (“towing, lifting, sowing, baling…”).
Pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑
(Accent beats 1, 3, and the last ↑)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Keep it tight and percussive (palm-mute near the bridge).
Snap the upstrokes lightly on the higher strings.
For verse phrasing, use muted chugging — for chorus, open up!
Example (A chord):
e|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|
B|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
G|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
D|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
A|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|
E|---------------------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑
🎵 2️⃣ CHORDS USED
Chord Fingering Comment
A x02220 main rhythm chord
A/E 002220 drives the verses
A9 x02423 for color
Asus2 x02200
Asus4 x02230
D xx0232
D9 xx0210 adds pop-country flavor
Dsus2 xx0230
E 022100
Esus4 022200
F#m 244222
F#m11 202200
Em 022000
Am x02210
Bm x24432 optional for fills
G 320003
G/A 3x2003
🚜 3️⃣ STRUMMING MAP — Verse Progression (Simplified)
Section Lyrics Chords
1 Towin’, liftin’, sowin’, bailin’, drawin’, haulin’... A – D – E – A
2 Backin’, stackin’, ploughin’, crashin’... A – E – A
3 Suckin’ diesel, cuttin’, truckin’, spreadin’... F#m – Am – Em – B
4 Hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way A – E – F#m – D
5 When I’m flat to the mat with the party hat... A – E – D – A
6 Flame from the pipe we drove all night... A – Esus4 – D9 – G/A
7 Give me a yoke with plenty of poke... A – E – Bsus2 – A
8 Fifteen hundred acres pullin’ forty ton of grass A – E – F#m – A
9 So I give the pump a screw... F#m – Asus2 – D – E
10 Diesel light on the dash Dsus2 – A – D – G – A
🎸 4️⃣ FINGERPICKING PATTERN — Engine Roll (8/8 Feel)
Use this driving fingerpicking groove for intros or lighter verses.
Pattern (one measure of 8/8):
P – i – m – a – P – m – i – a
Example (A chord):
A
e|---------0---------0---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-0----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a P m i a
Example (D chord):
D
e|---------2---------2---|
B|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---0--------------------|
A|------------------------|
E|------------------------|
Example (E chord):
E
e|---------0---------0---|
B|-------0---0-----0---0-|
G|-----1-------1-1-------|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-2----------------------|
E|0-----------------------|
🎵 5️⃣ INTRO & FIRST LINE TAB
“Towing, liftin’, sowin’, balin’, drawin’, haulin’ and buck-rakin’...”
A D
e|---------0---------0---|---------2---------2---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|---0-------------------|
A|-0----------------------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
Towing, lifting, sowing, baling…
E A
e|---------0---------0---|---------0---------0---|
B|-------0---0-----0---0-|-------2---2-----2---2-|
G|-----1-------1-1-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|---2-------------------|
A|-2----------------------|-0---------------------|
E|0-----------------------|-----------------------|
Backing, stacking, ploughing, crashing…
🎵 6️⃣ CHORUS FINGERPICK TAB
“Hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way…”
A E
e|---------0---------0---|---------0---------0---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------0---0-----0---0-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----1-------1-1-------|
D|---2--------------------|---2-------------------|
A|-0----------------------|-2---------------------|
E|------------------------|0----------------------|
F#m D
e|---------2---------2---|---------2---------2---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---4--------------------|---0-------------------|
A|-4----------------------|-----------------------|
E|2-----------------------|-----------------------|
...pray that she goes all the way...
🎧 7️⃣ PERFORMANCE NOTES
Intro: fingerpick or light muted strumming.
Verses: palm-muted driving downstrokes (A and D alternating).
Chorus: open up with full strumming.
Bridge (So I give the pump a screw): drop dynamics, then kick back in strong.
Optional: add hammer-ons on A → Asus4 or D → Dsus2 for movement.
🚛 8️⃣ OUTRO (Diesel Fade)
End on A chord, with muted downstrokes mimicking the engine slowing:
e|--0--0--0--0--0--|
B|--2--2--2--2--2--|
G|--2--2--2--2--2--|
D|--2--2--2--2--2--|
A|--0--0--0--0--0--|
E|------------------|
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
(fade out)
Here’s a complete guitar arrangement with both strumming and fingerpicking tab, designed to follow the engine-like drive of the song.
🎶 “Hit The Diff” — Guitar Arrangement
Key: D Major
Meter: 8/8 (feels like 4/4 with double-time feel)
Tempo: ♪ = 206 (fast, driving country rock)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
🎸 1️⃣ STRUMMING PATTERN — “Tractor Engine Groove”
The pulse is straight 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&, with accented downstrokes to simulate the mechanical rhythm of the lyrics (“towing, lifting, sowing, baling…”).
Pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑
(Accent beats 1, 3, and the last ↑)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Keep it tight and percussive (palm-mute near the bridge).
Snap the upstrokes lightly on the higher strings.
For verse phrasing, use muted chugging — for chorus, open up!
Example (A chord):
e|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|
B|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
G|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
D|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
A|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|
E|---------------------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑
🎵 2️⃣ CHORDS USED
Chord Fingering Comment
A x02220 main rhythm chord
A/E 002220 drives the verses
A9 x02423 for color
Asus2 x02200
Asus4 x02230
D xx0232
D9 xx0210 adds pop-country flavor
Dsus2 xx0230
E 022100
Esus4 022200
F#m 244222
F#m11 202200
Em 022000
Am x02210
Bm x24432 optional for fills
G 320003
G/A 3x2003
🚜 3️⃣ STRUMMING MAP — Verse Progression (Simplified)
Section Lyrics Chords
1 Towin’, liftin’, sowin’, bailin’, drawin’, haulin’... A – D – E – A
2 Backin’, stackin’, ploughin’, crashin’... A – E – A
3 Suckin’ diesel, cuttin’, truckin’, spreadin’... F#m – Am – Em – B
4 Hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way A – E – F#m – D
5 When I’m flat to the mat with the party hat... A – E – D – A
6 Flame from the pipe we drove all night... A – Esus4 – D9 – G/A
7 Give me a yoke with plenty of poke... A – E – Bsus2 – A
8 Fifteen hundred acres pullin’ forty ton of grass A – E – F#m – A
9 So I give the pump a screw... F#m – Asus2 – D – E
10 Diesel light on the dash Dsus2 – A – D – G – A
🎸 4️⃣ FINGERPICKING PATTERN — Engine Roll (8/8 Feel)
Use this driving fingerpicking groove for intros or lighter verses.
Pattern (one measure of 8/8):
P – i – m – a – P – m – i – a
Example (A chord):
A
e|---------0---------0---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-0----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a P m i a
Example (D chord):
D
e|---------2---------2---|
B|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---0--------------------|
A|------------------------|
E|------------------------|
Example (E chord):
E
e|---------0---------0---|
B|-------0---0-----0---0-|
G|-----1-------1-1-------|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-2----------------------|
E|0-----------------------|
🎵 5️⃣ INTRO & FIRST LINE TAB
“Towing, liftin’, sowin’, balin’, drawin’, haulin’ and buck-rakin’...”
A D
e|---------0---------0---|---------2---------2---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|---0-------------------|
A|-0----------------------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
Towing, lifting, sowing, baling…
E A
e|---------0---------0---|---------0---------0---|
B|-------0---0-----0---0-|-------2---2-----2---2-|
G|-----1-------1-1-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---2--------------------|---2-------------------|
A|-2----------------------|-0---------------------|
E|0-----------------------|-----------------------|
Backing, stacking, ploughing, crashing…
🎵 6️⃣ CHORUS FINGERPICK TAB
“Hit the diff and pray that she goes all the way…”
A E
e|---------0---------0---|---------0---------0---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------0---0-----0---0-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----1-------1-1-------|
D|---2--------------------|---2-------------------|
A|-0----------------------|-2---------------------|
E|------------------------|0----------------------|
F#m D
e|---------2---------2---|---------2---------2---|
B|-------2---2-----2---2-|-------3---3-----3---3-|
G|-----2-------2-2-------|-----2-------2-2-------|
D|---4--------------------|---0-------------------|
A|-4----------------------|-----------------------|
E|2-----------------------|-----------------------|
...pray that she goes all the way...
🎧 7️⃣ PERFORMANCE NOTES
Intro: fingerpick or light muted strumming.
Verses: palm-muted driving downstrokes (A and D alternating).
Chorus: open up with full strumming.
Bridge (So I give the pump a screw): drop dynamics, then kick back in strong.
Optional: add hammer-ons on A → Asus4 or D → Dsus2 for movement.
🚛 8️⃣ OUTRO (Diesel Fade)
End on A chord, with muted downstrokes mimicking the engine slowing:
e|--0--0--0--0--0--|
B|--2--2--2--2--2--|
G|--2--2--2--2--2--|
D|--2--2--2--2--2--|
A|--0--0--0--0--0--|
E|------------------|
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
(fade out)
Example of the sheet music for hit the diff.
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 1,000 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 . Hit The Diff is included.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50 . Hit The Diff is included.
Hit the diff tin whistle notes example
Guitar Tab Hit The Diff
Marty Mone song Hit The Diff
