Snowy Breasted Pearl Irish Song Lyrics And Chords
Written by George Petrie. Recorded by Paddy Reilly , The Wolfe Tones , John McCormack to name a few , The song dates back to 1855. The Wolfe Tones play this old folk song in the key of C#. And here's the sheet music for snowy breasted pearl which is a lovely tune to play on the tin whistle.
Snowy Breasted Pearl Song Words And Chords In C Major
There's[C] Collen[Am] fair as[C] May for a year and for a [G7]day
I have[C] sought by eve[Am]ry[F] way her[G7] heart to [C]gain.
[C]There's no art of[Am] tongue or[C] eye, fond youths with maidens[G7] try
But I've[C] tried with[Am] ceaseless[F] sighs[G7] yet tried in[C] vain
If to[C] France or[Am] far off to[Em] Spain she'd[G] cross the watery[Em] main
To[F] see her face[D7] again the seas I'd[G7] brave
For if 'tis[C] heavens[Am] decre[C]e that mine she may notG7] be
May the[C] Son of[Am] Mary[F] me in[G7] mercy[C] save
Oh thou blooming milk-white dove,
To whom I've given true love,
Do not ever reprove my constancy;
There are maidens would be mine, with wealth in land or kine,
If my heart would but incline to turn from thee;
But a kiss with welcome bland, and a touch of thy fair hand,
Are all that I demand would'st thou not spurn,
For if not mine dear girl, oh snowy breasted pearl,
May I never from the fair with life return.
There's[C] Collen[Am] fair as[C] May for a year and for a [G7]day
I have[C] sought by eve[Am]ry[F] way her[G7] heart to [C]gain.
[C]There's no art of[Am] tongue or[C] eye, fond youths with maidens[G7] try
But I've[C] tried with[Am] ceaseless[F] sighs[G7] yet tried in[C] vain
If to[C] France or[Am] far off to[Em] Spain she'd[G] cross the watery[Em] main
To[F] see her face[D7] again the seas I'd[G7] brave
For if 'tis[C] heavens[Am] decre[C]e that mine she may notG7] be
May the[C] Son of[Am] Mary[F] me in[G7] mercy[C] save
Oh thou blooming milk-white dove,
To whom I've given true love,
Do not ever reprove my constancy;
There are maidens would be mine, with wealth in land or kine,
If my heart would but incline to turn from thee;
But a kiss with welcome bland, and a touch of thy fair hand,
Are all that I demand would'st thou not spurn,
For if not mine dear girl, oh snowy breasted pearl,
May I never from the fair with life return.
🎵 Key: G Major
Time: 3/4 (waltz time)
Tempo: ~90 bpm
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 folk waltz)
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count 1 2 3
Accent 1 slightly for a “boom-chuck-chuck” feel
Or simplified:
Bass – Down-Up – Down-Up
(Alternate the bass note between the root and fifth each bar for movement.)
🎶 Chords with Lyrics
Verse 1
There's [G]Collen [Em]fair as [G]May for a year and for a [D7]day
I have [G]sought by eve[Em]ry [C]way her [D7]heart to [G]gain.
There's no [G]art of [Em]tongue or [G]eye, fond youths with maidens [D7]try
But I've [G]tried with [Em]ceaseless [C]sighs [D7]yet tried in [G]vain
If to [G]France or [Em]far off to [Bm]Spain she'd [D]cross the watery [Bm]main
To [C]see her face [A7]again the seas I'd [D7]brave
For if [G]'tis heav[Em]en's de[G]cree that mine she may not [D7]be
May the [G]Son of [Em]Mary [C]me in [D7]mercy [G]save
Verse 2
Oh thou [G]blooming [Em]milk-white [G]dove, to whom I've given true [D7]love,
Do not [G]ever re[Em]prove my [C]constan[D7]cy;
There are [G]maidens [Em]would be [G]mine, with wealth in land or [D7]kine,
If my [G]heart would [Em]but in[C]cline to [D7]turn from [G]thee;
But a [G]kiss with [Em]welcome [G]bland, and a touch of thy fair [D7]hand,
Are all [G]that I [Em]demand, would’st [C]thou not [D7]spurn,
For if [G]not mine [Em]dear girl, [G]oh snowy-breasted [D7]pearl,
May I [G]never [Em]from the [C]fair with [D7]life re[G]turn.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse 1)
Style: Travis / arpeggiated 3/4 pattern (thumb alternates bass, fingers pick upper notes)
Notation:
p = thumb (bass)
i = index (3rd string)
m = middle (2nd string)
a = ring (1st string)
Here’s a sample tab for one verse (simplified melody-based accompaniment):
G Em G D7
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------3-------3-|-------2-------2-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
G Em C D7
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------2-------2-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|-----1---1---1---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G Em C D7 G
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------2-------2-|-------3-------3-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|-----1---1---1---|-----0---0---0---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|---0-------0-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|---0-------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---3-------------|
💡 Tips
Keep the bass steady with your thumb on beats 1 and 3, melody/harmony plucked on 2.
You can embellish with hammer-ons from open to fretted bass notes for a more Irish feel.
A capo on 2nd fret works nicely if you want to sing higher (key of A).
Time: 3/4 (waltz time)
Tempo: ~90 bpm
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 folk waltz)
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count 1 2 3
Accent 1 slightly for a “boom-chuck-chuck” feel
Or simplified:
Bass – Down-Up – Down-Up
(Alternate the bass note between the root and fifth each bar for movement.)
🎶 Chords with Lyrics
Verse 1
There's [G]Collen [Em]fair as [G]May for a year and for a [D7]day
I have [G]sought by eve[Em]ry [C]way her [D7]heart to [G]gain.
There's no [G]art of [Em]tongue or [G]eye, fond youths with maidens [D7]try
But I've [G]tried with [Em]ceaseless [C]sighs [D7]yet tried in [G]vain
If to [G]France or [Em]far off to [Bm]Spain she'd [D]cross the watery [Bm]main
To [C]see her face [A7]again the seas I'd [D7]brave
For if [G]'tis heav[Em]en's de[G]cree that mine she may not [D7]be
May the [G]Son of [Em]Mary [C]me in [D7]mercy [G]save
Verse 2
Oh thou [G]blooming [Em]milk-white [G]dove, to whom I've given true [D7]love,
Do not [G]ever re[Em]prove my [C]constan[D7]cy;
There are [G]maidens [Em]would be [G]mine, with wealth in land or [D7]kine,
If my [G]heart would [Em]but in[C]cline to [D7]turn from [G]thee;
But a [G]kiss with [Em]welcome [G]bland, and a touch of thy fair [D7]hand,
Are all [G]that I [Em]demand, would’st [C]thou not [D7]spurn,
For if [G]not mine [Em]dear girl, [G]oh snowy-breasted [D7]pearl,
May I [G]never [Em]from the [C]fair with [D7]life re[G]turn.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse 1)
Style: Travis / arpeggiated 3/4 pattern (thumb alternates bass, fingers pick upper notes)
Notation:
p = thumb (bass)
i = index (3rd string)
m = middle (2nd string)
a = ring (1st string)
Here’s a sample tab for one verse (simplified melody-based accompaniment):
G Em G D7
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------3-------3-|-------2-------2-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
G Em C D7
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------2-------2-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|-----1---1---1---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G Em C D7 G
e|-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------2-------2-|-------3-------3-|
B|-----0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---|-----1---1---1---|-----1---1---1---|-----0---0---0---|
G|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2-------2-----|---0-------0-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|---0-------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|---2-------------|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|---3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---3-------------|
💡 Tips
Keep the bass steady with your thumb on beats 1 and 3, melody/harmony plucked on 2.
You can embellish with hammer-ons from open to fretted bass notes for a more Irish feel.
A capo on 2nd fret works nicely if you want to sing higher (key of A).
