Johnny Cope Guitar Chords And Lyrics by The Corries

Johnny Cope sheet music notes in do re me solfege in D Major are now included. A traditional Scottish folk song about government forces being attacked by The Jacobites led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, this was a suprise attack which took place near the village of Preston Pans, the tune of the song is older that the words which were written by Adam Skirving. Also recorded by Andy Stewart, Alastair McDonald and in Ireland by Planxty. A list of the Corries songs . 4/4 timing. Guitar work by Marc. The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included.

Cope [Am]sent a letter frae Dunbar'
Sayin [G]‘Chairlie meet me an' ye dare
And [Am]I'll learn ye the [G]airt o' war
If ye'll [Am]meet me [Em]in the [Am]morning’

Chorus (repeat after each or each 2nd verse)
[C]Hey, Johnny Cope, are ye waukin' yet
Or [G]are your drums a-beating yet
If [Am]ye were [G]waukin' [Am]I would [Em]wait
Tae [Am]gang tae the [G]coals in the [Am]morning

When [Am]Chairlie looked the letter upon
He [G]drew his sword his scabbard from
[Am]Follow me, my [G]merry men
And we’ll [Am]meet Johnny [Em]Cope in the [Am]morning

When [Am]Johnny Cope he heard o' this
He [G]thought it wouldnae be amiss
Tae [Am]hae a horse in [G]readiness
Tae [Am]flee aw[Em]a' in the [Am]morning

[Am]Fye noo Johnny, get up and rin
The [G]Highland bagpipes mak' a din
It’s [Am]better tae sleep wi' a [G]hale skin
It will [Am]be a [Em]bloody [Am]morning

When [Am]Johnny Cope tae Dunbar cam'
They [G]speirt at him, ‘Whaur's a' your men?’
The [Am]de'il confound me [G]gin I ken
For I [Am]left them [Em]a' in the [Am]morning

Now [Am]Johnny, troth ye werenae blate
Tae [G]come wi' the news o' your ain defeat
And [Am]leave your men in [G]sic a strait
Sae [Am]early [Em]in the [Am]morning

In [Am]faith, quo' Johnny, I got sic flegs
Wi’ [G]their claymores and philabegs
Gin I [Am]face them again de'il [G]brak' my legs
So I [Am]wish ye [Em]a' good [Am]morning

​this is the lively Jacobite song “Hey Johnny Cope” — a proud Scottish battle tune with a lilting 6/8 (march/reel) feel. Below you’ll find both a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab that work beautifully for all verses and the chorus.

🎵 Hey Johnny Cope — in A Minor

Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~95 BPM (lively march / 6/8 swing)
Time Signature: 6/8 (counted “ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six”)

🎸 1. Lyrics with Chords
Cope [Am]sent a letter frae Dunbar'  
Sayin [G]‘Chairlie meet me an' ye dare  
And [Am]I'll learn ye the [G]airt o' war  
If ye'll [Am]meet me [Em]in the [Am]morning’  

Chorus  
[C]Hey, Johnny Cope, are ye waukin' yet  
Or [G]are your drums a-beating yet  
If [Am]ye were [G]waukin' [Am]I would [Em]wait  
Tae [Am]gang tae the [G]coals in the [Am]morning  

🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (6/8 March Feel)

Scottish tunes in 6/8 swing use a rolling but punchy rhythm.

↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6

or written:

(Bass) – Down – Up – Down – Up

How to play it:

Beat 1: hit the bass note with thumb or pick (E, A, or D string).

Beats 2–3, 5–6: light down-up strums.

Accent the first beat slightly to give that march feel.

Example for Am:

A string (bass) → down-up → down-up

It should feel rolling, not rigid — imagine bagpipes and drums driving it.

🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab for All Verses

We’ll use a 6/8 rolling arpeggio pattern:

T – I – M – T – I – M
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)

Let notes ring for a droning, Celtic sound.

Verse Fingerpicking Example
   Am
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|
G|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
 Cope sent a letter frae Dunbar

   G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
 Sayin Chairlie meet me an' ye dare

   Am                        G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
 And I'll learn ye the airt o' war If ye'll meet me in the morning

Chorus Fingerpicking Example
   C
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|
A|--3-------------|--3-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
 Hey Johnny Cope, are ye waukin' yet

   G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
 Or are your drums a-beating yet

   Am                        G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
 If ye were waukin I would wait Tae gang tae the coals in the morning

The piano sheet music with chords

Johnny Cope Tin Whistle Sheet Music Notes

Johnny Cope sheet music and tin whistle notes

Johnny Cope sheet music notes in do re me solfege in D Major

Johnny Cope Standard Sheet Music In G Major