Reynard The Fox Lyrics And Chords
A song i learned at school and never sang it again. The youtube video is of Sweeney's Men.Reynard the fox sheet music, followed by the mandolin / tenor banjo tab and tin whistle notes included.
Ewan McColl recorded it. as did The Wolfe Tones, I'm sure there are other versions in other country, this is the Irish version of the song. Also recorded by Fairport Convention and Julian Cope
Ewan McColl recorded it. as did The Wolfe Tones, I'm sure there are other versions in other country, this is the Irish version of the song. Also recorded by Fairport Convention and Julian Cope
Reynard The Fox Lyrics And Chords In D Major
On[D] the first day of spring in the[C] year ninety-[D]three
There was great recre[Bm]ation was in[Em] this count[A]ry
There was[D] gentlemen and [G]farmers over hills and dales and[D] rocks
They[D] rode so joy[G]fuly in[A7] search of a[D] fox.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark away
Tally-[D]ho, hark away me boys a[G]way,[A] hark a[D]way
When Renolds was started he was facing Tullamore
With Arklow and Wicklow along the sea shore
He kept his brush in view every yard of the way
And it's straight he took his course through the main the street
of Rosstrade
Now Reynard, sly Reynard, he hid in a tree that night
But they swore they would watch him until daylight
And early next morning the woods did resound
With the echo of horns and the sweet cry of hounds.
When Reynard left the tree, boys, he faced to the hollow
Where none but the hounds and the footmen could follow
The gentlemen cried, "Watch him, watch him, what shall we do?
For if the rocks don't stop him he will cross Killaloo."
When bold Reynard was taken, his wishes to fulfill,
He called for ink and paper and a pen to write his will
And now you come to mention it they found it wasn't a blank
For he gave them all a cheque on the National Bank.
"To you, Mr Casey, I leave me whole estate
And to you, Pat O'Brien, me money and me plate
And I leave to you, your Ladyship, me brush, me mask and cap
For you jumped walls and ditches and you never looked for a gap."
On[D] the first day of spring in the[C] year ninety-[D]three
There was great recre[Bm]ation was in[Em] this count[A]ry
There was[D] gentlemen and [G]farmers over hills and dales and[D] rocks
They[D] rode so joy[G]fuly in[A7] search of a[D] fox.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark away
Tally-[D]ho, hark away me boys a[G]way,[A] hark a[D]way
When Renolds was started he was facing Tullamore
With Arklow and Wicklow along the sea shore
He kept his brush in view every yard of the way
And it's straight he took his course through the main the street
of Rosstrade
Now Reynard, sly Reynard, he hid in a tree that night
But they swore they would watch him until daylight
And early next morning the woods did resound
With the echo of horns and the sweet cry of hounds.
When Reynard left the tree, boys, he faced to the hollow
Where none but the hounds and the footmen could follow
The gentlemen cried, "Watch him, watch him, what shall we do?
For if the rocks don't stop him he will cross Killaloo."
When bold Reynard was taken, his wishes to fulfill,
He called for ink and paper and a pen to write his will
And now you come to mention it they found it wasn't a blank
For he gave them all a cheque on the National Bank.
"To you, Mr Casey, I leave me whole estate
And to you, Pat O'Brien, me money and me plate
And I leave to you, your Ladyship, me brush, me mask and cap
For you jumped walls and ditches and you never looked for a gap."
About the song.
this one’s a proper slice of old Irish countryside antics — fox-hunting, horse-riding, hound-shouting, and enough shouting of “Tally-ho!” to choke a choir of aristocrats.
🦊 Act 1: The Great Sporting OccasionIt’s spring of ’93 --
not the French Revolution, mind you --
but a lovely Irish fox hunt.
There’s gentlemen on polished horses,
farmers on hairy ones,
and likely a few who just borrowed a horse and hoped no one noticed.
They’re galloping over rocks, hills and bogs,
roaring:
“Tally-ho, hark away!”
Which is posh fox-hunter code for:
“Let’s chase this poor fox ’til either he dies or we do.”
🦊 Act 2: The Fox With More Brains Than The Lot of Them. Reynard the fox isn’t your average furry eejit.
No — this lad is practically a four-legged Houdini.
He bolts past Tullamore, Wicklow, Arklow --
running along the coast like he’s on a scenic tour.
Every step of the way, he keeps his tail up like he’s waving a flag that says:
“Catch me if ye can, ye saddle-polishing gobshites!”
He flies right through the middle of Rosstrade --
probably past a few lads outside the pub going:
look at him go!”
🦊 Act 3: Reynard Sleeps in a Tree. That night, the fox hides in a tree,
like a ginger ninja with paws.
The hunters stay watching,
leaning on their saddles going:
“We’ll get you in the morning, ya furry rogue.”
At dawn the forest rings with horns and hounds --
a symphony of yelping and trombone-like bugles.
🦊 Act 4: The Fox Writes His Last Will. When Reynard is finally caught --
instead of just dying dramatically,
he demands:
“Ink! Paper! A pen!”
This fox isn’t just clever --
he’s legally responsible.
He writes a will:
“jumped walls and ditches and never looked for a gap!”
What a compliment --
she rode like a mad Irishwoman--
straight over obstacles instead of around them.
☘️ The Irish Spirit Summary. This song is:
outsmarting the gentry, running like lightning, writing a will like a gentleman…
and probably thinking the whole time:
“I’d have gotten away if not for these posh hoor’s hounds!”
A tale of wit, sport, and just enough mischief to make it truly Irish.
this one’s a proper slice of old Irish countryside antics — fox-hunting, horse-riding, hound-shouting, and enough shouting of “Tally-ho!” to choke a choir of aristocrats.
🦊 Act 1: The Great Sporting OccasionIt’s spring of ’93 --
not the French Revolution, mind you --
but a lovely Irish fox hunt.
There’s gentlemen on polished horses,
farmers on hairy ones,
and likely a few who just borrowed a horse and hoped no one noticed.
They’re galloping over rocks, hills and bogs,
roaring:
“Tally-ho, hark away!”
Which is posh fox-hunter code for:
“Let’s chase this poor fox ’til either he dies or we do.”
🦊 Act 2: The Fox With More Brains Than The Lot of Them. Reynard the fox isn’t your average furry eejit.
No — this lad is practically a four-legged Houdini.
He bolts past Tullamore, Wicklow, Arklow --
running along the coast like he’s on a scenic tour.
Every step of the way, he keeps his tail up like he’s waving a flag that says:
“Catch me if ye can, ye saddle-polishing gobshites!”
He flies right through the middle of Rosstrade --
probably past a few lads outside the pub going:
look at him go!”
🦊 Act 3: Reynard Sleeps in a Tree. That night, the fox hides in a tree,
like a ginger ninja with paws.
The hunters stay watching,
leaning on their saddles going:
“We’ll get you in the morning, ya furry rogue.”
At dawn the forest rings with horns and hounds --
a symphony of yelping and trombone-like bugles.
🦊 Act 4: The Fox Writes His Last Will. When Reynard is finally caught --
instead of just dying dramatically,
he demands:
“Ink! Paper! A pen!”
This fox isn’t just clever --
he’s legally responsible.
He writes a will:
- leaves his estate to Mr. Casey
- his money to Pat O’Brien
- his hunting gear to Her Ladyship
“jumped walls and ditches and never looked for a gap!”
What a compliment --
she rode like a mad Irishwoman--
straight over obstacles instead of around them.
☘️ The Irish Spirit Summary. This song is:
- 1 part fox hunt
- 1 part scenic jog through half of Ireland
- 1 part aristocrats pretending to be warriors
- and 1 part genius fox with a flair for dramatic paperwork
outsmarting the gentry, running like lightning, writing a will like a gentleman…
and probably thinking the whole time:
“I’d have gotten away if not for these posh hoor’s hounds!”
A tale of wit, sport, and just enough mischief to make it truly Irish.
🎸 Key: D Major
Tempo: Lively (≈ 100–110 BPM, jig-like feel)
Time: 4/4
🎶 Strumming Pattern (for all verses & chorus)
A steady, folky gallop feel — similar to Irish rhythm guitar in reels/jigs:
Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
(Count: 1 – 2& – &4&)
Or, with alternating bass notes:
D chord: alternate 4th → 5th string
G chord: alternate 6th → 4th string
A7 chord: alternate 5th → 4th string
Optional rhythmic touch: accent beat 2 for that bouncing folk drive.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab (for 1st Verse Only)
A light Travis-style pattern alternating bass and melody strings:
Picking pattern (generic):
Thumb (bass) → Index → Middle → Ring
Then alternate bass → Index → Middle → Ring
Here’s the tab for the first verse:
D C D
e|--------2-------------2-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------1---1---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2-----0-------0-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
Bm Em A
e|--------2-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------|
B|------3---3---------0---0---------2---2---------2---2-----------|
G|----4-------4-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--4-----------4-2-----------2-2-----------2-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D G D
e|--------2-------------3-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-0-----------0-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D G A7 D
e|--------2-------------3-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------2---2---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----0-------0-----0-------0-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
🎤 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1 (Fingerpicking or light strum)
[D]On the first day of spring in the [C]year ninety-[D]three,
There was great recrea[Bm]tion was in [Em]this count[A]ry,
There was [D]gentlemen and [G]farmers over [D]hills and dales and rocks,
They [D]rode so joy[G]fully in [A7]search of a [D]fox.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark a[D]way.
Chorus (Full Strum)
Tally-[D]ho, hark away me boys a[G]way, [A]hark a[D]way!
Verse 2
[D]When Renolds was started he was [C]facing Tulla[D]more,
With [D]Arklow and Wicklow a[Bm]long the sea [Em]shore,
He [D]kept his brush in [G]view every [D]yard of the way,
And it's [D]straight he took his [G]course through the [A7]main street of Ross[D]trade.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark a[D]way!
Verse 3
[D]Now Reynard, sly Reynard, he [C]hid in a tree that [D]night,
But they [D]swore they would watch him un[Bm]til day[Em]light,
And [D]early next morning the [G]woods did re[D]sound,
With the [D]echo of horns and the [G]sweet cry of [A7]hounds.
[D]When Reynard left the tree, boys, he [C]faced to the hol[D]low,
Where [D]none but the hounds and the [Bm]footmen could [Em]follow,
The [D]gentlemen cried, “Watch him, [G]watch him, what shall we [D]do?
For if the [D]rocks don’t stop him he’ll [G]cross Kilal[A7]oo!”
Verse 4
[D]When bold Reynard was taken, his [C]wishes to ful[D]fill,
He [D]called for ink and paper and a [Bm]pen to write his [Em]will,
And [D]now you come to [G]mention it, they [D]found it wasn’t a blank,
For he [D]gave them all a [G]cheque on the [A7]National [D]Bank.
[D]“To you, Mr Casey, I [C]leave me whole es[D]tate,
And to [D]you, Pat O’Brien, me [Bm]money and me [Em]plate,
And I [D]leave to you, your [G]Ladyship, me [D]brush, me mask and cap,
For you [D]jumped walls and [G]ditches and you [A7]never looked for a [D]gap
Tempo: Lively (≈ 100–110 BPM, jig-like feel)
Time: 4/4
🎶 Strumming Pattern (for all verses & chorus)
A steady, folky gallop feel — similar to Irish rhythm guitar in reels/jigs:
Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
(Count: 1 – 2& – &4&)
Or, with alternating bass notes:
D chord: alternate 4th → 5th string
G chord: alternate 6th → 4th string
A7 chord: alternate 5th → 4th string
Optional rhythmic touch: accent beat 2 for that bouncing folk drive.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab (for 1st Verse Only)
A light Travis-style pattern alternating bass and melody strings:
Picking pattern (generic):
Thumb (bass) → Index → Middle → Ring
Then alternate bass → Index → Middle → Ring
Here’s the tab for the first verse:
D C D
e|--------2-------------2-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------1---1---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2-----0-------0-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
Bm Em A
e|--------2-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------|
B|------3---3---------0---0---------2---2---------2---2-----------|
G|----4-------4-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--4-----------4-2-----------2-2-----------2-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D G D
e|--------2-------------3-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-0-----------0-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D G A7 D
e|--------2-------------3-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------2---2---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----0-------0-----0-------0-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0-0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
🎤 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1 (Fingerpicking or light strum)
[D]On the first day of spring in the [C]year ninety-[D]three,
There was great recrea[Bm]tion was in [Em]this count[A]ry,
There was [D]gentlemen and [G]farmers over [D]hills and dales and rocks,
They [D]rode so joy[G]fully in [A7]search of a [D]fox.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark a[D]way.
Chorus (Full Strum)
Tally-[D]ho, hark away me boys a[G]way, [A]hark a[D]way!
Verse 2
[D]When Renolds was started he was [C]facing Tulla[D]more,
With [D]Arklow and Wicklow a[Bm]long the sea [Em]shore,
He [D]kept his brush in [G]view every [D]yard of the way,
And it's [D]straight he took his [G]course through the [A7]main street of Ross[D]trade.
[D]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[A7]ho hark a[D]way!
Verse 3
[D]Now Reynard, sly Reynard, he [C]hid in a tree that [D]night,
But they [D]swore they would watch him un[Bm]til day[Em]light,
And [D]early next morning the [G]woods did re[D]sound,
With the [D]echo of horns and the [G]sweet cry of [A7]hounds.
[D]When Reynard left the tree, boys, he [C]faced to the hol[D]low,
Where [D]none but the hounds and the [Bm]footmen could [Em]follow,
The [D]gentlemen cried, “Watch him, [G]watch him, what shall we [D]do?
For if the [D]rocks don’t stop him he’ll [G]cross Kilal[A7]oo!”
Verse 4
[D]When bold Reynard was taken, his [C]wishes to ful[D]fill,
He [D]called for ink and paper and a [Bm]pen to write his [Em]will,
And [D]now you come to [G]mention it, they [D]found it wasn’t a blank,
For he [D]gave them all a [G]cheque on the [A7]National [D]Bank.
[D]“To you, Mr Casey, I [C]leave me whole es[D]tate,
And to [D]you, Pat O’Brien, me [Bm]money and me [Em]plate,
And I [D]leave to you, your [G]Ladyship, me [D]brush, me mask and cap,
For you [D]jumped walls and [G]ditches and you [A7]never looked for a [D]gap
Guitar chords in C
On[C] the first day of spring in the[A#] year ninety-[C]three
There was great recre[Am]ation was in[Dm] this count[G]ry
There was[C] gentlemen and [F]farmers over hills and dales and[C] rocks
They[C] rode so joy[F]fuly in[G7] search of a[C] fox.
[C]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[G7]ho hark away
Tally-[C]ho, hark away me boys a[F]way,[G] hark a[C]way.
Chords In G Major
On[G] the first day of spring in the[F] year ninety-[G]three
There was great recre[Em]ation was in[Am] this count[D]ry
There was[G] gentlemen and [C]farmers over hills and dales and[G] rocks
They[G] rode so joy[C]fuly in[D7] search of a[G] fox.
[G]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[D7]ho hark away
Tally-[G]ho, hark away me boys a[C]way,[D] hark a[G]way
On[C] the first day of spring in the[A#] year ninety-[C]three
There was great recre[Am]ation was in[Dm] this count[G]ry
There was[C] gentlemen and [F]farmers over hills and dales and[C] rocks
They[C] rode so joy[F]fuly in[G7] search of a[C] fox.
[C]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[G7]ho hark away
Tally-[C]ho, hark away me boys a[F]way,[G] hark a[C]way.
Chords In G Major
On[G] the first day of spring in the[F] year ninety-[G]three
There was great recre[Em]ation was in[Am] this count[D]ry
There was[G] gentlemen and [C]farmers over hills and dales and[G] rocks
They[G] rode so joy[C]fuly in[D7] search of a[G] fox.
[G]Tally-ho, hark away, tally-[D7]ho hark away
Tally-[G]ho, hark away me boys a[C]way,[D] hark a[G]way
Reynard the fox sheet music, followed by the mandolin tab and tin whistle notes
