ISLE OF EIGG Lyrics Guitar Chords
4/4 (The McCalmans)The McCalmans played this song in A Major using the capo on 2nd fret. The sheet music is included in G Major. The chords are by Marc Fahrbach, Written by Robin Laing, from the album Flams On The Water recorded in 1990
Intro: G-D-G-D-G
'Twas (G)in the merry (C)month of May, when (G)balmy (D)winds first (G)blow. -(Em)
I met my love in (C)Arisaig - (G)where rhododendrons (D)grow. -(G)
I met my love in (C)Arisaig in the (G)shadow of Craig (D)Mor, -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
G-D-G
And in the (G)months that (C)followed our (G)love and (D)friendship (G)grew, -(Em)
Warmed by the (C)summer sun and a (G)love that was so (D)new. -(G)
We walked amongst the (C)hills and heard the (G)crashing ocean’s (D)roar. -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
G-D-G
(G)Autumn came to (C)Arisaig with (G)colours (D)air to (G)view. -(Em)
Birds were flying (C)South again - (G)soon we'd leave there, (D)too. -(G)
A sad song echoed (C)in the hills - (G)Lochaber no (D)more. -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
Repeat 1st verse
Em
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
'Twas (G)in the merry (C)month of May, when (G)balmy (D)winds first (G)blow. -(Em)
I met my love in (C)Arisaig - (G)where rhododendrons (D)grow. -(G)
I met my love in (C)Arisaig in the (G)shadow of Craig (D)Mor, -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
G-D-G
And in the (G)months that (C)followed our (G)love and (D)friendship (G)grew, -(Em)
Warmed by the (C)summer sun and a (G)love that was so (D)new. -(G)
We walked amongst the (C)hills and heard the (G)crashing ocean’s (D)roar. -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
G-D-G
(G)Autumn came to (C)Arisaig with (G)colours (D)air to (G)view. -(Em)
Birds were flying (C)South again - (G)soon we'd leave there, (D)too. -(G)
A sad song echoed (C)in the hills - (G)Lochaber no (D)more. -(G)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore. -(Em)
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
Repeat 1st verse
Em
The sun shone on the (C)Isle of Eigg, (G)far from the (D)silver (G)shore.
Strumming Pattern (Soft Folk 4/4)
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2& 3&4&
How to play:
Beat 1 → light downstroke on the bass strings (thumb or pick)
Beat 2& → gentle down-up on middle strings
Beat 3&4& → soft flowing up-down-up to keep the rhythm moving
Think of the waves lapping at Arisaig’s shore — smooth, rolling, and calm.
For a quieter verse, you can simplify to:
↓ (pause) ↓↑
Count: 1 – 2 – 3&4
This makes it sound more intimate, like a storytelling session by the fire.
🎸 3. Fingerpicking Pattern (Flowing Arpeggio)
Use this rolling 4/4 arpeggio for the verses.
Pattern:
T – I – M – A – M – I – M – A
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B, Ring = high E)
🎶 Example Fingerpicking Tabs
G Major
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|----------------0---------------|
A|--2-----------2-----------------|
E|--3-----------------------------|
C Major
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--3-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
D Major
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2-----------------------------|
E|--0-----------------------------|
💡 Verse Example (Full Flow)
G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|----------------0-------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2-----------2---------|--3---------------------|
E|--3---------------------|------------------------|
'Twas in the merry month of May, when balmy winds first blow...
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Keep your right hand relaxed and let the notes flow evenly — it should sound like waves or gentle wind.
Don’t rush transitions between G–C–D; let the chords ring slightly into each other.
🎵 Bass alternation (for motion):
G: 6th → 4th
C: 5th → 4th
D: 4th → 3rd
🎵 Ornaments (for Scottish flavor):
On G, add a light hammer-on 0→2 on the A string.
On C, hammer 0→2 on the D string occasionally.
On D, hammer 0→2 on the G string softly.
🎵 Ending:
Finish gently with a slow arpeggiated G chord:
e|--3-----|
B|----0---|
G|------0-|
D|--------0|
A|--2-----|
E|--3-----|
Let it fade — like the sound of the sea under a glowing sunset.
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2& 3&4&
How to play:
Beat 1 → light downstroke on the bass strings (thumb or pick)
Beat 2& → gentle down-up on middle strings
Beat 3&4& → soft flowing up-down-up to keep the rhythm moving
Think of the waves lapping at Arisaig’s shore — smooth, rolling, and calm.
For a quieter verse, you can simplify to:
↓ (pause) ↓↑
Count: 1 – 2 – 3&4
This makes it sound more intimate, like a storytelling session by the fire.
🎸 3. Fingerpicking Pattern (Flowing Arpeggio)
Use this rolling 4/4 arpeggio for the verses.
Pattern:
T – I – M – A – M – I – M – A
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B, Ring = high E)
🎶 Example Fingerpicking Tabs
G Major
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|----------------0---------------|
A|--2-----------2-----------------|
E|--3-----------------------------|
C Major
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--3-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
D Major
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2-----------------------------|
E|--0-----------------------------|
💡 Verse Example (Full Flow)
G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|----------------0-------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2-----------2---------|--3---------------------|
E|--3---------------------|------------------------|
'Twas in the merry month of May, when balmy winds first blow...
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Keep your right hand relaxed and let the notes flow evenly — it should sound like waves or gentle wind.
Don’t rush transitions between G–C–D; let the chords ring slightly into each other.
🎵 Bass alternation (for motion):
G: 6th → 4th
C: 5th → 4th
D: 4th → 3rd
🎵 Ornaments (for Scottish flavor):
On G, add a light hammer-on 0→2 on the A string.
On C, hammer 0→2 on the D string occasionally.
On D, hammer 0→2 on the G string softly.
🎵 Ending:
Finish gently with a slow arpeggiated G chord:
e|--3-----|
B|----0---|
G|------0-|
D|--------0|
A|--2-----|
E|--3-----|
Let it fade — like the sound of the sea under a glowing sunset.
Below is the sheet music for Isle Of Eigg by The McCalmans.
Isle of Eigg song
