N17 lyrics and chords for The Saw doctors
This song is about returning home to Tuam Co. Galway and seeing the unique stone walls that you haven't seen for years .I have included the tin whistle sheet music and letter notes.The Sawdoctors.
Well[G] I didn't see much[C] future[G] when I left the Christian[C] brothers school
So[G] I waved it goo[C]dbye with a wistful smile and[G] left the[C] girls of Tume
And[G] sometimes when[C] im reminiscing I see the [G]prefabs and[C] my old friends
And I[G] know that they'll be[C] changed or gone by the[G] time I get home again
[Chorus]
And[G] I wish I was on that[C] N 1[D]7
[Stone walls and the grass is green]
Yes[G] I wish I was on that[C] N1[D]7
[Stone walls and the grass is green]
[F]Travelling with[C] just my[G] thoughts and dreams
Well the ould fella left me at Shannon was the last time I travelled that road
And as I turned left a Claregalway I could feel a lump in my throat
As I pictured the thousands of times that I travelled that well worn track
And I know that things will be different if ever I decide to go back
Now aws I tumble down highways or filty overcrowed trains
There's no one to talk to in transit so I sit there and daydream away
And behind all these muddled up problems of living on a forign soil
I can still see the twists and turns on the road from the square to the town of the tribes
So[G] I waved it goo[C]dbye with a wistful smile and[G] left the[C] girls of Tume
And[G] sometimes when[C] im reminiscing I see the [G]prefabs and[C] my old friends
And I[G] know that they'll be[C] changed or gone by the[G] time I get home again
[Chorus]
And[G] I wish I was on that[C] N 1[D]7
[Stone walls and the grass is green]
Yes[G] I wish I was on that[C] N1[D]7
[Stone walls and the grass is green]
[F]Travelling with[C] just my[G] thoughts and dreams
Well the ould fella left me at Shannon was the last time I travelled that road
And as I turned left a Claregalway I could feel a lump in my throat
As I pictured the thousands of times that I travelled that well worn track
And I know that things will be different if ever I decide to go back
Now aws I tumble down highways or filty overcrowed trains
There's no one to talk to in transit so I sit there and daydream away
And behind all these muddled up problems of living on a forign soil
I can still see the twists and turns on the road from the square to the town of the tribes
For this song, you want a driving, almost constant motion. A good pattern focuses on heavy downstrokes while incorporating some lighter ups to keep the energy up.
1 (and) 2 (and) 3 (and) 4 (and)
Pro Tip: In songs where the chord changes frequently, like your verse structure (G-C-G-C), try playing the pattern D D U on the first chord and U D U on the second chord to complete the cycle and keep the rhythm smooth across the change.
🎼 Fingerpicking Tab for Verses
The verses of "N17" are often played with a driving, picked bass line that moves beneath the melody. This pattern uses a steady Alternating Bass technique to keep the rhythm driving forward.
Right Hand (Finger Assignment):
$$T-I-M-I$$This simple four-note pattern is repeated constantly (eight notes per measure) for a steady, pulsing rhythm.
Tab for Verse Chords
ChordBass Notes (T)Picking Fingers (I, M)G6th string then 4th string3rd (G) and 2nd (B) strings
C5th string then 4th string3rd (G) and 2nd (B) strings
G Major (G)
The pattern below is repeated twice to cover one full measure (4 beats):
| e|----------------|
| B|------0---------|
| G|----0---0-------|
| D|----------0-----|
| A|----------------|
| E|3---------------|
C Major (C)
The pattern below is repeated twice to cover one full measure (4 beats):
| e|----------------|
| B|------1---------|
| G|----0---0-------|
| D|----------------|
| A|3---------------|
| E|----------------|
- Pattern: D D U U D U
- Tempo: Up-tempo (Medium-Fast)
- Accent/Feel: Play this pattern relatively fast. The bolded downstrokes are the key beats.
1 (and) 2 (and) 3 (and) 4 (and)
Pro Tip: In songs where the chord changes frequently, like your verse structure (G-C-G-C), try playing the pattern D D U on the first chord and U D U on the second chord to complete the cycle and keep the rhythm smooth across the change.
🎼 Fingerpicking Tab for Verses
The verses of "N17" are often played with a driving, picked bass line that moves beneath the melody. This pattern uses a steady Alternating Bass technique to keep the rhythm driving forward.
Right Hand (Finger Assignment):
- T = Thumb (Picks the bass note on the low E, A, or D strings)
- I = Index (Picks the G string)
- M = Middle (Picks the B string)
$$T-I-M-I$$This simple four-note pattern is repeated constantly (eight notes per measure) for a steady, pulsing rhythm.
Tab for Verse Chords
ChordBass Notes (T)Picking Fingers (I, M)G6th string then 4th string3rd (G) and 2nd (B) strings
C5th string then 4th string3rd (G) and 2nd (B) strings
G Major (G)
The pattern below is repeated twice to cover one full measure (4 beats):
| e|----------------|
| B|------0---------|
| G|----0---0-------|
| D|----------0-----|
| A|----------------|
| E|3---------------|
- Strum Order: E (3rd fret, Thumb) - G (open, Index) - B (open, Middle) - G (open, Index)
C Major (C)
The pattern below is repeated twice to cover one full measure (4 beats):
| e|----------------|
| B|------1---------|
| G|----0---0-------|
| D|----------------|
| A|3---------------|
| E|----------------|
- Strum Order: A (3rd fret, Thumb) - G (open, Index) - B (1st fret, Middle) - G (open, Index)
- Verse 1
G C G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|--2---------------------|--3----------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
Well I didn't see much future when I left the Christian brothers school
G C G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|--2---------------------|--3----------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
So I waved it goodbye with a wistful smile and left the girls of Tuam
G C G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|--2---------------------|--3----------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
And sometimes when I'm reminiscing I see the prefabs and my old friends
G C G C
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|--2---------------------|--3----------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
And I know that they’ll be changed or gone by the time I get home again
Chorus
G C D
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------2-----------2---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------3---3-------3---3-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----2-------2---2-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--2---------------------|
And I wish I was on that N1-7 — stone walls and the grass is green
G C D
e|--------3-----------3---|--------0-----------0---|--------2-----------2---|
B|------0---0-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------3---3-------3---3-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----2-------2---2-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|--2----------------------|--3---------------------|------------------------|
E|--3----------------------|------------------------|--2---------------------|
Yes I wish I was on that N1-7 — stone walls and the grass is green
F C G
e|--------1-----------1---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|
B|------1---1-------1---1-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----2-------2---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--3-----------3---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|-------------------------|--3---------------------|--2---------------------|
E|-------------------------|------------------------|--3---------------------|
Travelling with just my thoughts and dreams
Here's the chords in the key of D Major
Well[D] I didn't see much[G] future[D] when I left the Christian[G] brothers school
So[D] I waved it goo[G]dbye with a wistful smile and[D] left the[G] girls of Tume
And[D] sometimes when[G] im reminiscing I see the [D]prefabs and[G] my old friends
And I[D] know that they'll be[G] changed or gone by the[D] time I get home again
And[D] I wish I was on that[G] N 1[A]7
Stone walls and the grass is green
Yes[D] I wish I was on that[G] N1[A]7
Stone walls and the grass is green
[C]Travelling with[G] just my[D] thoughts and dreams
Well[D] I didn't see much[G] future[D] when I left the Christian[G] brothers school
So[D] I waved it goo[G]dbye with a wistful smile and[D] left the[G] girls of Tume
And[D] sometimes when[G] im reminiscing I see the [D]prefabs and[G] my old friends
And I[D] know that they'll be[G] changed or gone by the[D] time I get home again
And[D] I wish I was on that[G] N 1[A]7
Stone walls and the grass is green
Yes[D] I wish I was on that[G] N1[A]7
Stone walls and the grass is green
[C]Travelling with[G] just my[D] thoughts and dreams
Below is the tin whistle sheet music for N 17 by The Saw Doctors. This is the basics of the tune, but some of the other verses use slightly different notes.
Below are the basic letter notes for the above music. Some people would rather play the letter notes as they find them much quicker and easy to learn. All the lower case letters are the high notes past B. All the capital letters are the lower notes.
N. 17 Sheet Music / Tin Whistle Notes Are In The Ebooks Below plus other songs from The Saw Doctors including -
Red Cortina, Joyce Country Céilí Band, I Used To Love Her, and Never Mind The Strangers
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 1,000 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
Red Cortina, Joyce Country Céilí Band, I Used To Love Her, and Never Mind The Strangers
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 1,000 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
Oil painting of a girl playing the Irish tin whistle
