Joe McCann Lyrics And Guitar Chords
Written by Eamon O’Doherty and recorded by Christy Moore. To play along with Christy place a capo on the 3rd fret and used the chords given. I have given 2 different versions of the chords and both are played with capo 3rd. It's up to yourself which one you use.
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[G]Come all of you fine[C] people wherever you may be
I’ll [G]sing of a [C]brave Belfast[G] man Who [C]scorned the army's might though they’d shoot him on sight And they[G] shot down [C]Joe Mc[G]Cann, Joe Mc[C]Cann. And they [G]shot down [C]Joe Mc[G]Cann. In a [C]Belfast bakery in the August of the year When [G]internment was im[C]posed throughout the [G]land Six [C]volunteers from Belfast held 60 soldiers at bay And their [G]leader was Joe McCann And they [G]shot down [C]Joe Mc[G]Cann. He fought for the [C]people in the markets where he worked In [G]defence of the [C]rights of [G]man But the [C]undercover crew told the soldiers what to do They [G]shot Joe McCann, Joe McCann. They [G]shot Joe McCann, [C]Joe Mc[G]Cann. He had no[C] gun so he started to run To [G]escape them as [C]many’s the time be[G]fore One [C]bullet brought him down as he lay on the ground They [G]shot him [C]ten times [G]more He fought and he [C]died for the people of this land The [G]protestant and [C]catholic working[G] man He caused the [C]bosses fear and for this they paid him dear When they[G] murdered Joe McCann They [G]shot him [C]ten times [G]more Here's what Christy said in his great book One Voice
I recorded Joe McCann in 1976. I sang it in Ballymurphy one night and it was not at all appreciated. Sections of the audience had to be restrained from coming up on stage for instant dialogue. Joe McCann was a soldier but internecine warfare had tarnished his image in the Provo. heartlands and some Free State balladeer was not going to sing his praises just anywhere. I learned my lesson. Joe McCann has followed me around the world and I still hear his name called out in distant places. The song was written by Eamon O'Doherty, late of Derry and the last 40 years living in Dublin. He is a sculpture of many national monuments, a one time portrait artist and flute player. He wrote this song after Joe was shot in a gun battle with the British paras. in the Markets area of Belfast. |
Version Two
(C) Come all of you fine people wher(G)ever you may (C) be I’ll (G) sing of a brave Belfast man Who (C) scorned the army's might though they’d (G) shoot him on (C) sight And they (G) shot down (F) Joe Mc(C)Cann, Joe McCann. And they (G) shot down (F) Joe Mc(C)Cann In a Belfast bakery in the (G) August of the (C) year When (G) internment was imposed throughout the land Six (C) volunteers from Belfast held (G) 60 soldiers at (C) bay And their (G) leader was (F) Joe Mc(C)Cann, Joe McCann. And their (G) leader was (F) Joe Mc(C)Cann He fought for the people in the (G) markets where he (C) worked In de(G)fence of the rights of man But the (C) undercover crew told the (G) soldiers what to (C) do And they (G) shot down (F) Joe Mc( C)Cann, Joe McCann. They (G) shot down (F) Joe Mc(C)Cann Version three Christie Moore’s version is in D#m major with a capo on the 3rd fret. If you like to simlify the chords without a huge change to the tune use C instead of the F-chords and G intead of G6 and G7. Intro: Play one instrumental verse Come (G)all of you fine (C)people wher(G)ever you may (C)be I’ll (G)sing of a (C)brave Belfast (G)man -G6-G7 Who (C)scorned the army's might though they’d shoot him on sight And they (G)shot down (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann, Joe Mc(C)Cann. They (G)shot down (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann. -G6-G (G)In a Belfast (C)bakery in the (G)August of the (C)year When in(G)ternment was im(C)posed throughout the (G)land -G6-G7 Six (C)volunteers from Belfast held 600 troops at bay And their (G)leader was (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann, Joe Mc(C)Cann. Their (G)leader was (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann. -G6-G He (G)fought for the (C)people in the (G)markets where he (C)worked In de(G)fence of the (C)rights of (G)man -G6-G7 But the (C)undercover crew told the soldiers what to do And they (G)shot down (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann, Joe Mc(C)Cann. They (G)shot down (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann. -G6-G He (G)had no (C)gun so he (G)started to (C)run To es(G)cape them as (C)many’s the time be(G)fore -G6-G7 One (C)bullet brought him down as he lay on the ground They (G)shot him (F)ten times (G)more, ten times (C)more, They (G)shot him (F)ten times (G)more. -G6-G His (G)cause was the (C)freedom of the (G)people of this (C)land (Alt: He (G)fought and he (C)died for the (G)people of this (C)land) The (G)protestant and (C)catholic working (G)man -G6-G7 He (C)caused the bosses fear and for this they paid him dear When they (G)murdered brave (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann, Joe Mc(C)Cann. When they (G)murdered brave (F)Joe Mc(G)Cann. -G6-G Outro: Play one instrumental verse plus another one fading |
