Lullaby Of London Lyrics And Chords by the Pogues
Lullaby Of London Song Lyrics And Easy Guitar Chords. Written By Shane McGowan and recorded by The Pogues [ songs ] One of the best pieces of music I have ever heard , These are the chords to play if you want to play along with the Pogues. the guitar riff is. C-F-G-C C-F-G-C, Or if you don't like playing the F chord then place the capo on the 5th fret and play, G, C, D, and Em as I do in the youtube video. Other songs here about London include the very popular Streets Of London Song by Ralph McTell.
[Verse 1]
As I [C]walked [F]down by the [C]river [F]side
One [C]evening [F]in the [C]spring,
Heard a [C]long gone [F]song from [C]days gone [F]by,
Blown [C]in on [F]the great north [C]wind.
Though there [F]is no lonesome [C]corncrake’s cry
Of [Am]sorrow and de[F]light,
You can [C]hear the [F]cars and the [C]shouts from [F]bars,
And the [C]laughter, [F]and the [C]fights.
[Chorus]
May the [F]ghosts that howled round the [C]house at night,
Never [Am]keep you from your [F]sleep,
May they [C]all sleep [F]tight down in [C]hell to[F]night,
Or [C]wherever [F]they may [C]be.
[Verse 2]
As I [C]walked on [F]with a [C]heavy [F]heart,
Then a [C]stone danced [F]on the [C]tide,
And the [C]song went [F]on though the [C]lights were [F]gone,
And the [C]north wind [F]gently [C]sighed.
And an [F]evening breeze coming [C]from the east,
It [Am]kissed the river[F]side,
So I [C]pray now [F]child that you [C]sleep to[F]night,
When you [C]hear this [F]lulla[C]bye.
[Chorus]
May the [F]wind that blows from [C]haunted graves,
Never [Am]bring you misery,
May the [C]angels [F]bright watch [C]you to[F]night,
And [C]keep you [F]while you [C]sleep.
Notes:
As I [C]walked [F]down by the [C]river [F]side
One [C]evening [F]in the [C]spring,
Heard a [C]long gone [F]song from [C]days gone [F]by,
Blown [C]in on [F]the great north [C]wind.
Though there [F]is no lonesome [C]corncrake’s cry
Of [Am]sorrow and de[F]light,
You can [C]hear the [F]cars and the [C]shouts from [F]bars,
And the [C]laughter, [F]and the [C]fights.
[Chorus]
May the [F]ghosts that howled round the [C]house at night,
Never [Am]keep you from your [F]sleep,
May they [C]all sleep [F]tight down in [C]hell to[F]night,
Or [C]wherever [F]they may [C]be.
[Verse 2]
As I [C]walked on [F]with a [C]heavy [F]heart,
Then a [C]stone danced [F]on the [C]tide,
And the [C]song went [F]on though the [C]lights were [F]gone,
And the [C]north wind [F]gently [C]sighed.
And an [F]evening breeze coming [C]from the east,
It [Am]kissed the river[F]side,
So I [C]pray now [F]child that you [C]sleep to[F]night,
When you [C]hear this [F]lulla[C]bye.
[Chorus]
May the [F]wind that blows from [C]haunted graves,
Never [Am]bring you misery,
May the [C]angels [F]bright watch [C]you to[F]night,
And [C]keep you [F]while you [C]sleep.
Notes:
- Chords used: C, F, Am — simple and expressive.
- Strumming pattern: gentle Down – down-up – down-up, or slow arpeggios with thumb and fingers.
- Tempo: Slow air / lullaby (♩ ≈ 70–80).
- Optional Capo 5 → play in G shapes (G, C, Em) for a higher vocal range.
It's time to play A Pogues song. This one is Lullaby Of London which is another favorite for me. There's a little riff at the start middle and at the end, there's only a couple of verses so the riff is essential, otherwise the song would be over before you know it. The Pogues do it in the key of C Major and that's the way I done it, but I used the capo on the 5th fret to avoid playing the F chord, I do this because I'm aware there's hundreds of learners who hate playing F. This one is probably for intermediate guitar players as there are a lot of quick changes
Here's the easy guitar chords in the key of G.
As I [G]walked [C]down by the [G]river [C]side
One [G]evening [C]in the [G]spring,
Heard a [G]long gone [C]song from [G]days gone [C]by,
Blown [G]in on [C]the great north [G]wind.
Though there [C]is no lonesome [G]corncrake's cry
Of [Em]sorrow and de[C]light,
You can [G]hear the [C]cars and the [G]shouts from [C]bars,
And the [G]laughter, [C]and the [G]fights.
May the [C]ghosts that howled round the [G]house at night,
Never [Em]keep you from your [C]sleep,
May they [G]all sleep [C]tight down in [G]hell to[C]night,
Or [G]wherever [C]they may [G]be.
As I [G]walked on [C]with a [G]heavy [C]heart,
Then a [G]stone danced [C]on the [G]tide,
And the [G]song went [C]on though the [G]lights were [C]gone,
And the [G]north wind [C]gently [G]sighed.
And an [C]evening breeze coming [G]from the east,
It [Em]kissed the river[C]side,
So I [G]pray now [C]child that you [G]sleep to[C]night,
When you [G]hear this [C]lulla[G]bye.
May the [C]wind that blows from [G]haunted graves,
Never [Em]bring you misery,
May the [G]angels [C]bright watch [G]you to[C]night,
And [G]keep you [C]while you [G]sleep.
As I [G]walked [C]down by the [G]river [C]side
One [G]evening [C]in the [G]spring,
Heard a [G]long gone [C]song from [G]days gone [C]by,
Blown [G]in on [C]the great north [G]wind.
Though there [C]is no lonesome [G]corncrake's cry
Of [Em]sorrow and de[C]light,
You can [G]hear the [C]cars and the [G]shouts from [C]bars,
And the [G]laughter, [C]and the [G]fights.
May the [C]ghosts that howled round the [G]house at night,
Never [Em]keep you from your [C]sleep,
May they [G]all sleep [C]tight down in [G]hell to[C]night,
Or [G]wherever [C]they may [G]be.
As I [G]walked on [C]with a [G]heavy [C]heart,
Then a [G]stone danced [C]on the [G]tide,
And the [G]song went [C]on though the [G]lights were [C]gone,
And the [G]north wind [C]gently [G]sighed.
And an [C]evening breeze coming [G]from the east,
It [Em]kissed the river[C]side,
So I [G]pray now [C]child that you [G]sleep to[C]night,
When you [G]hear this [C]lulla[G]bye.
May the [C]wind that blows from [G]haunted graves,
Never [Em]bring you misery,
May the [G]angels [C]bright watch [G]you to[C]night,
And [G]keep you [C]while you [G]sleep.
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 WALTZ FEEL)
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern:
↓ (bass) ↓ ↑ (chords)
Beat 1 – play the bass note (lowest string of the chord)
Beats 2–3 – gentle down-up on the upper strings
Keep a soft, swaying motion: “ONE two three, ONE two three.”
Example: On G – pick low E (beat 1), then lightly strum strings 3-2-1 (2-3).
🪕 FINGERPICKING TAB – FIRST VERSE + CHORUS (3/4 TIME)
Finger pattern (per measure):
P – I – M – A – M – I (Thumb = bass E/A/D, Index = G, Middle = B, Ring = E)
Counted: 1 & 2 & 3 &
🎵 VERSE (First 4 lines)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--0-----------0-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|----------------------|3-----------3---------|----------------------|
E|3-----------3---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--0-----------0-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|----------------------|3-----------3---------|----------------------|
E|3-----------3---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
(Repeat this same picking pattern for the rest of the verse.)
🎶 CHORUS
C G
e|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|3-----------3---------|2-----------2---------|
E|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
Em C G
e|--------0-----------0-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--2-----------2-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|2-----------2---------|3-----------3---------|2-----------2---------|
E|0-----------0---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern:
↓ (bass) ↓ ↑ (chords)
Beat 1 – play the bass note (lowest string of the chord)
Beats 2–3 – gentle down-up on the upper strings
Keep a soft, swaying motion: “ONE two three, ONE two three.”
Example: On G – pick low E (beat 1), then lightly strum strings 3-2-1 (2-3).
🪕 FINGERPICKING TAB – FIRST VERSE + CHORUS (3/4 TIME)
Finger pattern (per measure):
P – I – M – A – M – I (Thumb = bass E/A/D, Index = G, Middle = B, Ring = E)
Counted: 1 & 2 & 3 &
🎵 VERSE (First 4 lines)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--0-----------0-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|----------------------|3-----------3---------|----------------------|
E|3-----------3---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--0-----------0-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|----------------------|3-----------3---------|----------------------|
E|3-----------3---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
(Repeat this same picking pattern for the rest of the verse.)
🎶 CHORUS
C G
e|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|3-----------3---------|2-----------2---------|
E|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
Em C G
e|--------0-----------0-|--------0-----------0-|--------3-----------3-|
B|------0---0-------0---|------1---1-------1---|------0---0-------0---|
G|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|----0-------0---0-----|
D|--2-----------2-------|--2-----------2-------|--0-----------0-------|
A|2-----------2---------|3-----------3---------|2-----------2---------|
E|0-----------0---------|----------------------|3-----------3---------|
Below is the list of tin whistle sheet music tab for The Pogues / Popes songs
Lullaby of London is included . Price €7.40
Shane MacGowan singer of Lullaby Of London
