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. Back to Christy Moore Songs .

[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