Only Ireland Needs Your Tears Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords
During the Irish civil war, between 17th November 1922 and 2nd May 1923, 77 Republicans paid the ultimate price in front of a Free State firing squad. Many of these men – some of them quite young and usually sentenced for no higher offence than being ‘in possession of a gun and ammunition without proper authority’ - wrote last letters home in their final hours *. Most of these letters contain very similar messages and this song tries to capture this general sprit, so that these brave men and their sacrifice for Ireland may not be forgotten but be kept in our minds
Intro: F-F-G-G C-G-C-C
Dear [C]parents, sweetheart, siblings, [G]friends,
Just [F]some few lines to let you [G]know
That [F]when you read this [G]I’ll be [C]dead;
I’m [F]shot today, but please don’t [G]fret
I’m [F]happy and pre[G]pared to [C]go
Chorus
So [F]keep me in your minds and [G]prayers
[G7]Un[C]til we meet again in [G]heaven
I [F]stood with pride for [G]Ireland [Am]dear
And [Dm]faced the rifles without [G]fear
A [F]brave lad, one of [G]seventy-[C]seven
C-C
Don’t [C]cry for me who gladly [G]joined
The [F]ranks of those that follow [G]Pearse.
Our [F]country’s split, our [G]cause be[C]trayed
By [F]England’s power and her Free [G]State.
So only [F]Ireland [G]needs your [C]tears
Chorus, starting with ‘But…’ + C-C
The [C]priest was here, a fine old [G]man,
[F]Heard my confession, prayed with [G]me
And [F]later when I’m [G]bound to [C]leave
A [F]last Communion I’ll re[G]ceive
Be[F]fore I’m off my [G]God to [C]see
Chorus + C-C
It [C]seems like grace bestowed on [G]me
To [F]die that you might live in [G]peace
I [F]know my hour and [G]know my [C]fate
My [F]conscience’s pure and free of [G]hate
So [F]I’ll walk out this [G]morn with [C]ease
Chorus + F-F-G-G C-G-C-C
The [C]blood we shed and tears we [G]spill
Shall [F]heal this land and set it [G]free
And [F]if I only [G]saw your [C]faces
En[F]closed you all in fond em[G]braces
The [F]happiest soul on [G]earth I’d [C]be
Chorus + D-D (Change of key!)
Now [D]all is said and I must [A]part
The [G]dawn is close and time moves [A]on
May [G]joy be with you [A]day and [D]night
I’ll [G]see you on the other [A]side
Your [G]loving brother, [A]friend and [D]son
Chorus in D, using these chords:
G-G-A-A7 D-D-A-A G-A-D-D G-G-A-A G-A-D-D
G-G-A-A D-A-D-D
Lyrics without chords
Dear parents, sweetheart, siblings, friends,
Just some few lines to let you know
That when you read this I’ll be dead;
I’m shot today, but please don’t fret
I’m happy and prepared to go
Chorus
So keep me in your minds and prayers
Until we meet again in heaven
I stood with pride for Ireland dear
And faced the rifles without fear
A brave lad, one of seventy-seven
Don’t cry for me who gladly joined
The ranks of those that follow Pearse.
Our country’s split, our cause betrayed
By England’s power and her Free State.
So only Ireland needs your tears
Chorus, starting with ‘But…’
The priest was here, a fine old man,
Heard my confession, prayed with me
And later when I’m bound to leave
A last Communion I’ll receive
Before I’m off my God to see
Chorus
It seems like grace bestowed on me
To die that you might live in peace
I know my hour and know my fate
My conscience’s pure and free of hate
So I’ll walk out this morn with ease
Chorus
The blood we shed and tears we spill
Shall heal this land and set it free
And if I only saw your faces
Enclosed you all in fond embraces
The happiest soul on earth I’d be
Chorus
Now all is said and I must part
The dawn is close and time moves on
May joy be with you day and night
I’ll see you on the other side
Your loving brother, friend and son
Intro: F-F-G-G C-G-C-C
Dear [C]parents, sweetheart, siblings, [G]friends,
Just [F]some few lines to let you [G]know
That [F]when you read this [G]I’ll be [C]dead;
I’m [F]shot today, but please don’t [G]fret
I’m [F]happy and pre[G]pared to [C]go
Chorus
So [F]keep me in your minds and [G]prayers
[G7]Un[C]til we meet again in [G]heaven
I [F]stood with pride for [G]Ireland [Am]dear
And [Dm]faced the rifles without [G]fear
A [F]brave lad, one of [G]seventy-[C]seven
C-C
Don’t [C]cry for me who gladly [G]joined
The [F]ranks of those that follow [G]Pearse.
Our [F]country’s split, our [G]cause be[C]trayed
By [F]England’s power and her Free [G]State.
So only [F]Ireland [G]needs your [C]tears
Chorus, starting with ‘But…’ + C-C
The [C]priest was here, a fine old [G]man,
[F]Heard my confession, prayed with [G]me
And [F]later when I’m [G]bound to [C]leave
A [F]last Communion I’ll re[G]ceive
Be[F]fore I’m off my [G]God to [C]see
Chorus + C-C
It [C]seems like grace bestowed on [G]me
To [F]die that you might live in [G]peace
I [F]know my hour and [G]know my [C]fate
My [F]conscience’s pure and free of [G]hate
So [F]I’ll walk out this [G]morn with [C]ease
Chorus + F-F-G-G C-G-C-C
The [C]blood we shed and tears we [G]spill
Shall [F]heal this land and set it [G]free
And [F]if I only [G]saw your [C]faces
En[F]closed you all in fond em[G]braces
The [F]happiest soul on [G]earth I’d [C]be
Chorus + D-D (Change of key!)
Now [D]all is said and I must [A]part
The [G]dawn is close and time moves [A]on
May [G]joy be with you [A]day and [D]night
I’ll [G]see you on the other [A]side
Your [G]loving brother, [A]friend and [D]son
Chorus in D, using these chords:
G-G-A-A7 D-D-A-A G-A-D-D G-G-A-A G-A-D-D
G-G-A-A D-A-D-D
Lyrics without chords
Dear parents, sweetheart, siblings, friends,
Just some few lines to let you know
That when you read this I’ll be dead;
I’m shot today, but please don’t fret
I’m happy and prepared to go
Chorus
So keep me in your minds and prayers
Until we meet again in heaven
I stood with pride for Ireland dear
And faced the rifles without fear
A brave lad, one of seventy-seven
Don’t cry for me who gladly joined
The ranks of those that follow Pearse.
Our country’s split, our cause betrayed
By England’s power and her Free State.
So only Ireland needs your tears
Chorus, starting with ‘But…’
The priest was here, a fine old man,
Heard my confession, prayed with me
And later when I’m bound to leave
A last Communion I’ll receive
Before I’m off my God to see
Chorus
It seems like grace bestowed on me
To die that you might live in peace
I know my hour and know my fate
My conscience’s pure and free of hate
So I’ll walk out this morn with ease
Chorus
The blood we shed and tears we spill
Shall heal this land and set it free
And if I only saw your faces
Enclosed you all in fond embraces
The happiest soul on earth I’d be
Chorus
Now all is said and I must part
The dawn is close and time moves on
May joy be with you day and night
I’ll see you on the other side
Your loving brother, friend and son