Paddy Lie Back Irish song lyrics and guitar chords
A traditional Irish song recorded by The Wolfe Tones, also by The Dublin City Ramblers, Sons Of Erin. Sea Shanty. .
Song Chords For G Major
T'was[G] a cold and frosty[C] morning in Sep[G]tem[Em]ber
And[G] all of me money it was[A] spent,,[D]
Where it[G] went to oh[C] Lord I cant re[G]mem[Em]ber
So[G] down to the[D] shipping office[G] went
[Chorus]
Oh[G] Paddy lie[C] back,oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your[G] slack,take in your slack
Take your turn put[Em] on your hats and jump fo[A]r board,,[D]
About[G] ship's for[C] England boys be[G] handy
For we'er[G] bound for Valp[C]arai so in the[G] morn
[2]
Last night there was a great demand for sailors
For the colonies for Frisco and for France
So I slipped aboard a lively barque,the Hotspur
And was paralytic drunk before before we went
[3]
There were Frenchmen,there were Germans there were Russians
There were jolly jacks came just across from from France
And not one of them could speak a word of English
But they'd answer to the name of Bill or Dan
[4]
I woke up in the morning sick and sore
I wished I'd never sailed to sea once more
When a voice it came thundering through the floor
Get up and pay attention to your name
[5]
Well I wished that I was safely in the boozer
With Molly or with peggy on me knee
And I know exactly what I'd like to do now
And if you were here you'd do the same as me
T'was[G] a cold and frosty[C] morning in Sep[G]tem[Em]ber
And[G] all of me money it was[A] spent,,[D]
Where it[G] went to oh[C] Lord I cant re[G]mem[Em]ber
So[G] down to the[D] shipping office[G] went
[Chorus]
Oh[G] Paddy lie[C] back,oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your[G] slack,take in your slack
Take your turn put[Em] on your hats and jump fo[A]r board,,[D]
About[G] ship's for[C] England boys be[G] handy
For we'er[G] bound for Valp[C]arai so in the[G] morn
[2]
Last night there was a great demand for sailors
For the colonies for Frisco and for France
So I slipped aboard a lively barque,the Hotspur
And was paralytic drunk before before we went
[3]
There were Frenchmen,there were Germans there were Russians
There were jolly jacks came just across from from France
And not one of them could speak a word of English
But they'd answer to the name of Bill or Dan
[4]
I woke up in the morning sick and sore
I wished I'd never sailed to sea once more
When a voice it came thundering through the floor
Get up and pay attention to your name
[5]
Well I wished that I was safely in the boozer
With Molly or with peggy on me knee
And I know exactly what I'd like to do now
And if you were here you'd do the same as me
A strumming pattern that fits the shanty rhythm, and
2️⃣ A fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus.
🎵 Full Song with Chords
Verse 1
T’was [G]a cold and frosty [C]morning in Sep[G]tem[Em]ber
And [G]all of me money it was [A]spent,[D]
Where it [G]went to, oh [C]Lord, I can’t re[G]mem[Em]ber,
So [G]down to the [D]shipping office [G]went.
Chorus
Oh [G]Paddy lie [C]back, oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your [G]slack, take in your slack,
Take your turn, put [Em]on your hats and jump [A]for board,[D]
About [G]ship’s for [C]England boys be [G]handy,
For we’re [G]bound for Valp[C]arai so in the [G]morn.
Verse 2
Last [G]night there was a [C]great demand for [G]sailors,[Em]
For the [G]colonies, for Frisco and for [A]France,[D]
So I [G]slipped aboard a [C]lively barque, the [G]Hotspur,[Em]
And was [G]paralytic [D]drunk before we [G]went.
Chorus (same chords)
Verse 3
There were [G]Frenchmen, there were [C]Germans, there were [G]Russians,[Em]
There were [G]jolly jacks just [A]over from from [D]France,
And not [G]one of them could [C]speak a word of [G]English,[Em]
But they’d [G]answer to the [D]name of Bill or [G]Dan.
Chorus
Verse 4
I [G]woke up in the [C]morning sick and [G]sore,[Em]
I [G]wished I’d never [A]sailed to sea once [D]more,
When a [G]voice it came [C]thundering through the [G]floor,[Em]
“Get [G]up and pay at[D]tention to your [G]name!”
Chorus
Verse 5
Well I [G]wished that I was [C]safely in the [G]boozer,[Em]
With [G]Molly or with [A]Peggy on me [D]knee,
And I [G]know exactly [C]what I’d like to [G]do now,[Em]
And if [G]you were here you’d [D]do the same as [G]me.
Final Chorus
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Shanty Swing)
Tempo: ~100–110 bpm (steady “rowing” feel)
Time Signature: 4/4
Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
(Accent the 2nd “Down-Up” slightly for swing)
Count it as:
1 – 2& – 3&4&
If you want a more march-like shanty beat:
Bass – Down – Bass – Down-Up
(where “Bass” = play lowest string of the chord)
🪕 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse 1 + Chorus)
Here’s a simple Travis-style pattern in G major tuning (standard tuning, capo 0):
Pattern: Thumb (T) alternates between bass strings; index (I) and middle (M) pluck melody/upper notes.
🎶 Verse 1 (Fingerpicking)
[G]
e|---------3-----------3---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Twas a cold and frosty...
[C]
e|---------0-----------0---------|
B|-------1---1-------1---1-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|---2-----------2---------------|
A|-3-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
...morning in September
[G] [Em]
e|---------3-----------0---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Continue same pattern for the rest of the verse lines.
🎵 Chorus (Fingerpicking)
[G]
e|---------3-----------3---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Oh Paddy lie back...
[C]
e|---------0-----------0---------|
B|-------1---1-------1---1-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|---2-----------2---------------|
A|-3-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
[G] [Em]
e|---------3-----------0---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
[A] [D]
e|---------0-----------2---------|
B|-------2---2-------3---3-------|
G|-----2-------2---2-------2-----|
D|---2-----------0---------------|
A|-0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
2️⃣ A fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus.
🎵 Full Song with Chords
Verse 1
T’was [G]a cold and frosty [C]morning in Sep[G]tem[Em]ber
And [G]all of me money it was [A]spent,[D]
Where it [G]went to, oh [C]Lord, I can’t re[G]mem[Em]ber,
So [G]down to the [D]shipping office [G]went.
Chorus
Oh [G]Paddy lie [C]back, oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your [G]slack, take in your slack,
Take your turn, put [Em]on your hats and jump [A]for board,[D]
About [G]ship’s for [C]England boys be [G]handy,
For we’re [G]bound for Valp[C]arai so in the [G]morn.
Verse 2
Last [G]night there was a [C]great demand for [G]sailors,[Em]
For the [G]colonies, for Frisco and for [A]France,[D]
So I [G]slipped aboard a [C]lively barque, the [G]Hotspur,[Em]
And was [G]paralytic [D]drunk before we [G]went.
Chorus (same chords)
Verse 3
There were [G]Frenchmen, there were [C]Germans, there were [G]Russians,[Em]
There were [G]jolly jacks just [A]over from from [D]France,
And not [G]one of them could [C]speak a word of [G]English,[Em]
But they’d [G]answer to the [D]name of Bill or [G]Dan.
Chorus
Verse 4
I [G]woke up in the [C]morning sick and [G]sore,[Em]
I [G]wished I’d never [A]sailed to sea once [D]more,
When a [G]voice it came [C]thundering through the [G]floor,[Em]
“Get [G]up and pay at[D]tention to your [G]name!”
Chorus
Verse 5
Well I [G]wished that I was [C]safely in the [G]boozer,[Em]
With [G]Molly or with [A]Peggy on me [D]knee,
And I [G]know exactly [C]what I’d like to [G]do now,[Em]
And if [G]you were here you’d [D]do the same as [G]me.
Final Chorus
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Shanty Swing)
Tempo: ~100–110 bpm (steady “rowing” feel)
Time Signature: 4/4
Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
(Accent the 2nd “Down-Up” slightly for swing)
Count it as:
1 – 2& – 3&4&
If you want a more march-like shanty beat:
Bass – Down – Bass – Down-Up
(where “Bass” = play lowest string of the chord)
🪕 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse 1 + Chorus)
Here’s a simple Travis-style pattern in G major tuning (standard tuning, capo 0):
Pattern: Thumb (T) alternates between bass strings; index (I) and middle (M) pluck melody/upper notes.
🎶 Verse 1 (Fingerpicking)
[G]
e|---------3-----------3---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Twas a cold and frosty...
[C]
e|---------0-----------0---------|
B|-------1---1-------1---1-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|---2-----------2---------------|
A|-3-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
...morning in September
[G] [Em]
e|---------3-----------0---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Continue same pattern for the rest of the verse lines.
🎵 Chorus (Fingerpicking)
[G]
e|---------3-----------3---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
Oh Paddy lie back...
[C]
e|---------0-----------0---------|
B|-------1---1-------1---1-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|---2-----------2---------------|
A|-3-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
[G] [Em]
e|---------3-----------0---------|
B|-------0---0-------0---0-------|
G|-----0-------0---0-------0-----|
D|-------------------------------|
A|---2-----------2---------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|
[A] [D]
e|---------0-----------2---------|
B|-------2---2-------3---3-------|
G|-----2-------2---2-------2-----|
D|---2-----------0---------------|
A|-0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
Here's the chords in the key of C
T'was[C] a cold and frosty[F] morning in Sep[C]tem[Am]ber
And[C] all of me money it was[D] spent[G]
Where it[C] went to oh[F] Lord I cant re[C]mem[Am]ber
So[C] down to the[G] shipping office[C] went
Oh[C] Paddy lie[F] back,oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your[C] slack,take in your slack
Take your turn put[Am] on your hats and jump fo[D]r board[G]
About[C] ship's for[F] England boys be[C] handy
For we'er[C] bound for Valp[F]arai so in the[C] morn
Back to the Wolfe Tones Lyrics And Chords
T'was[C] a cold and frosty[F] morning in Sep[C]tem[Am]ber
And[C] all of me money it was[D] spent[G]
Where it[C] went to oh[F] Lord I cant re[C]mem[Am]ber
So[C] down to the[G] shipping office[C] went
Oh[C] Paddy lie[F] back,oh Paddy lie back,
Take in your[C] slack,take in your slack
Take your turn put[Am] on your hats and jump fo[D]r board[G]
About[C] ship's for[F] England boys be[C] handy
For we'er[C] bound for Valp[F]arai so in the[C] morn
Back to the Wolfe Tones Lyrics And Chords
