Johnny McEldoo lyrics and Guitar chords
Johnny McEldoo sheet music lyrics and chords. Traditional song recorded by The Clancys And Tommy Makem
[G]There was Johnny McEl[Em]doo and Mc[G]Ghee and[Em] me, and a[G] couple or two or[Em] three went on a[D7] spree one[G] day
We[G] had a bob or[Em] two which we[G] knew how to[Em] blew, and the[G] beer and whiskey[Em] flew and we[D7] all felt[G] gay
We visited McCann's, McIllmann's, Humpty Dan's, we then went in to Swann's our stomachs for to pack
We ordered out a feed which indeed we did need, and we finished it with speed but we still felt slack
Johnny McEldoo turned red, white and blue when a plate of Irish stew he soon put out of sight
He shouted out "Encore" [ lyrics ] with a roar for some more, that he never felt before such a keen appetite
He ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram! But him we couldn't ram though we tried our level best
For everything we brought, cold or hot, mattered not, it went down him like a shot, but he still stood the test
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scared, we thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
We told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower twice as much again and more before he had his fill
He nearly supped a trough full of broth says McGrath, "He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large, he began to scowl and barge and his blood went on fire
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair, and to finish the affair called the shopman a liar
The shopman he drew out, and no doubt, he did clout, McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
He tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose he'd have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
McEldoo began to howl and to growl, by my sowl, he threw an empty bowl at the shopkeepers head
It struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled the skin off his chin and the ructions did begin and we all fought and bled
The peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five, at us they made a drive for us all to march away
We paid for all the mate, that we ate, stood a trate, and went home to reminate on the spree that day
We[G] had a bob or[Em] two which we[G] knew how to[Em] blew, and the[G] beer and whiskey[Em] flew and we[D7] all felt[G] gay
We visited McCann's, McIllmann's, Humpty Dan's, we then went in to Swann's our stomachs for to pack
We ordered out a feed which indeed we did need, and we finished it with speed but we still felt slack
Johnny McEldoo turned red, white and blue when a plate of Irish stew he soon put out of sight
He shouted out "Encore" [ lyrics ] with a roar for some more, that he never felt before such a keen appetite
He ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram! But him we couldn't ram though we tried our level best
For everything we brought, cold or hot, mattered not, it went down him like a shot, but he still stood the test
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scared, we thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
We told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower twice as much again and more before he had his fill
He nearly supped a trough full of broth says McGrath, "He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large, he began to scowl and barge and his blood went on fire
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair, and to finish the affair called the shopman a liar
The shopman he drew out, and no doubt, he did clout, McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
He tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose he'd have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
McEldoo began to howl and to growl, by my sowl, he threw an empty bowl at the shopkeepers head
It struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled the skin off his chin and the ructions did begin and we all fought and bled
The peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five, at us they made a drive for us all to march away
We paid for all the mate, that we ate, stood a trate, and went home to reminate on the spree that day
✅ Full lyrics with chords in G Major
🎵 Strumming pattern for the right lively feel
🎸 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse
🎶 Johnny McEldoo — in G Major
Verse 1
[G]There was Johnny McEl[Em]doo and Mc[G]Ghee and [Em]me,
And a [G]couple or two or [Em]three went on a [D7]spree one [G]day,
We [G]had a bob or [Em]two which we [G]knew how to [Em]blew,
And the [G]beer and whiskey [Em]flew and we [D7]all felt [G]gay.
Verse 2
[G]We visited Mc[Em]Cann’s, McIll[G]mann’s, Humpty [Em]Dan’s,
We [G]then went in to [Em]Swann’s our stomachs [D7]for to [G]pack,
We [G]ordered out a [Em]feed which in[G]deed we did [Em]need,
And we [G]finished it with [Em]speed but we [D7]still felt [G]slack.
Verse 3
[G]Johnny McEl[Em]doo turned [G]red, white and [Em]blue
When a [G]plate of Irish [Em]stew he soon put [D7]out of [G]sight,
He [G]shouted out “En[Em]core!” with a [G]roar for some [Em]more,
That he [G]never felt before such a [D7]keen appeti[G]te.
Verse 4
[G]He ordered eggs and [Em]ham, bread and [G]jam, what a [Em]cram,
But him [G]we couldn’t [Em]ram though we [D7]tried our level [G]best,
For [G]everything we [Em]brought, cold or [G]hot, mattered [Em]not,
It went [G]down him like a [Em]shot, but he [D7]still stood the [G]test.
Verse 5
[G]He swallowed tripe and [Em]lard by the [G]yard, we got [Em]scared,
We [G]thought it would go [Em]hard when the [D7]waiter brought the [G]bill,
We [G]told him to give [Em]o’er, but he [G]swore he could [Em]lower
Twice as [G]much again and [Em]more before he [D7]had his [G]fill.
Verse 6
[G]He nearly supped a [Em]trough full of [G]broth, says Mc[Em]Grath,
“He’ll [G]devour the table[Em]cloth if you [D7]don’t hold him [G]in!”
When the [G]waiter brought the [Em]charge, McEl[G]doo felt so [Em]large,
He be[G]gan to scowl and [Em]barge and his [D7]blood went on [G]fire.
Verse 7
[G]He began to curse and [Em]swear, tear his [G]hair in des[Em]pair,
And to [G]finish the af[Em]fair called the [D7]shopman a [G]liar,
The [G]shopman he drew [Em]out, and no [G]doubt, he did [Em]clout,
McEl[G]doo he kicked a[Em]bout like an [D7]old foot[G]ball.
Verse 8
[G]He tattered all his [Em]clothes, broke his [G]nose, I sup[Em]pose,
He’d have [G]killed him with a [Em]few blows in [D7]no time at [G]all,
McEl[G]doo began to [Em]howl and to [G]growl, by my [Em]sowl,
He [G]threw an empty [Em]bowl at the [D7]shopkeeper’s [G]head.
Verse 9
[G]It struck poor Mickey [Em]Flynn, peeled the [G]skin off his [Em]chin,
And the [G]ructions did be[Em]gin and we [D7]all fought and [G]bled,
The [G]peelers did ar[Em]rive, man a[G]live, four or [Em]five,
At us [G]they made a [Em]drive for us [D7]all to march a[G]way.
Verse 10
[G]We paid for all the [Em]meat that we [G]ate, stood a [Em]treat,
And we [G]went home to re[Em]minate on the [D7]spree that [G]day!
🎵 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Fast, cheerful Irish jig time (but in straight 4/4).
Pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count 1 2 & & 4 &)
Keep it bouncy and bright, ~110–120 bpm.
Accent beat 2 slightly for a lilting rhythm.
For a “pub feel,” you can alternate the bass:
G chord → bass on low E (3rd fret)
Em chord → bass on low E (open)
D7 chord → bass on D (open)
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab — First Verse
Here’s a Travis-picking style (thumb alternating bass, fingers picking melody strings):
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[Em]
e|-------0---------0-|-------0---------0-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-2-------2---------|-2-------2---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|0-------------------|0-----------------|
[D7]
e|-------2---------2-|-------2---------2-|
B|-----1---1-----1---|-----1---1-----1---|
G|---2-------2-------|---2-------2-------|
D|-0-------0---------|-0-------0---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------------|-------------------|
You can use this pattern throughout—steady, alternating thumb bass, with fingers outlining the melody.
🎵 Strumming pattern for the right lively feel
🎸 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse
🎶 Johnny McEldoo — in G Major
Verse 1
[G]There was Johnny McEl[Em]doo and Mc[G]Ghee and [Em]me,
And a [G]couple or two or [Em]three went on a [D7]spree one [G]day,
We [G]had a bob or [Em]two which we [G]knew how to [Em]blew,
And the [G]beer and whiskey [Em]flew and we [D7]all felt [G]gay.
Verse 2
[G]We visited Mc[Em]Cann’s, McIll[G]mann’s, Humpty [Em]Dan’s,
We [G]then went in to [Em]Swann’s our stomachs [D7]for to [G]pack,
We [G]ordered out a [Em]feed which in[G]deed we did [Em]need,
And we [G]finished it with [Em]speed but we [D7]still felt [G]slack.
Verse 3
[G]Johnny McEl[Em]doo turned [G]red, white and [Em]blue
When a [G]plate of Irish [Em]stew he soon put [D7]out of [G]sight,
He [G]shouted out “En[Em]core!” with a [G]roar for some [Em]more,
That he [G]never felt before such a [D7]keen appeti[G]te.
Verse 4
[G]He ordered eggs and [Em]ham, bread and [G]jam, what a [Em]cram,
But him [G]we couldn’t [Em]ram though we [D7]tried our level [G]best,
For [G]everything we [Em]brought, cold or [G]hot, mattered [Em]not,
It went [G]down him like a [Em]shot, but he [D7]still stood the [G]test.
Verse 5
[G]He swallowed tripe and [Em]lard by the [G]yard, we got [Em]scared,
We [G]thought it would go [Em]hard when the [D7]waiter brought the [G]bill,
We [G]told him to give [Em]o’er, but he [G]swore he could [Em]lower
Twice as [G]much again and [Em]more before he [D7]had his [G]fill.
Verse 6
[G]He nearly supped a [Em]trough full of [G]broth, says Mc[Em]Grath,
“He’ll [G]devour the table[Em]cloth if you [D7]don’t hold him [G]in!”
When the [G]waiter brought the [Em]charge, McEl[G]doo felt so [Em]large,
He be[G]gan to scowl and [Em]barge and his [D7]blood went on [G]fire.
Verse 7
[G]He began to curse and [Em]swear, tear his [G]hair in des[Em]pair,
And to [G]finish the af[Em]fair called the [D7]shopman a [G]liar,
The [G]shopman he drew [Em]out, and no [G]doubt, he did [Em]clout,
McEl[G]doo he kicked a[Em]bout like an [D7]old foot[G]ball.
Verse 8
[G]He tattered all his [Em]clothes, broke his [G]nose, I sup[Em]pose,
He’d have [G]killed him with a [Em]few blows in [D7]no time at [G]all,
McEl[G]doo began to [Em]howl and to [G]growl, by my [Em]sowl,
He [G]threw an empty [Em]bowl at the [D7]shopkeeper’s [G]head.
Verse 9
[G]It struck poor Mickey [Em]Flynn, peeled the [G]skin off his [Em]chin,
And the [G]ructions did be[Em]gin and we [D7]all fought and [G]bled,
The [G]peelers did ar[Em]rive, man a[G]live, four or [Em]five,
At us [G]they made a [Em]drive for us [D7]all to march a[G]way.
Verse 10
[G]We paid for all the [Em]meat that we [G]ate, stood a [Em]treat,
And we [G]went home to re[Em]minate on the [D7]spree that [G]day!
🎵 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Fast, cheerful Irish jig time (but in straight 4/4).
Pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count 1 2 & & 4 &)
Keep it bouncy and bright, ~110–120 bpm.
Accent beat 2 slightly for a lilting rhythm.
For a “pub feel,” you can alternate the bass:
G chord → bass on low E (3rd fret)
Em chord → bass on low E (open)
D7 chord → bass on D (open)
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab — First Verse
Here’s a Travis-picking style (thumb alternating bass, fingers picking melody strings):
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[Em]
e|-------0---------0-|-------0---------0-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-2-------2---------|-2-------2---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|0-------------------|0-----------------|
[D7]
e|-------2---------2-|-------2---------2-|
B|-----1---1-----1---|-----1---1-----1---|
G|---2-------2-------|---2-------2-------|
D|-0-------0---------|-0-------0---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------------|-------------------|
You can use this pattern throughout—steady, alternating thumb bass, with fingers outlining the melody.
Johnny McEldoo sheet music lyrics and chords
