Teddy O'Neill Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords
A traditional song written around 1840 and most likely comes from the North of Ireland. The lyrics in the first verse suggest it's all a dream but by the third verse it becomes a reality for Nora [song] as her true loves leaves on a ship. The guitar chords are in the key of G And also D in chordpro. This song is usually sang by Women. The youtube video is by Delores Keane who is one of Ireland's finest contemporary ballad singers. The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included. My Own Dear Galway Bay [ lyrics ] is the song Delores Keane is best known for around these parts. In 2022 Teddy O'Neill was the party piece for the Westmeath Rose Rachel Duffy
from Moate who went on to win the contest.
The sheet music / mandolin / tenor banjo tab for Teddy O'Neill is in the ebook of mandolin tabs here . The tin whistle notes are in my other ebook of songs here
from Moate who went on to win the contest.
The sheet music / mandolin / tenor banjo tab for Teddy O'Neill is in the ebook of mandolin tabs here . The tin whistle notes are in my other ebook of songs here
The Harmonica Tab Is In This Ebook of Irish Songs
[G]I dreamt all last night O bad [C]cess to [Am]my [D]dreaming!
I'd [G]die if I [Em]thought 'twould come [A7]surely to [D]pass.
I [G]dreamt while the tears down my [C]pillow [Am]were [D]streaming
That [G]Teddy was [E]courting a[A]nother [D]fair [G]lass.
And [D]didn't I wake with a [D7]weeping and [G]wailing;
The [Em]grief in my heart was too [A]deep to con[D]ceal.
My [G]mother cried, "Nora, dear, [C]what is [Am]your [D]ailing?"
But [G]all I could [E]answer was [A]Teddy [D]O'[G]Neill."
I've seen the old cabin beyond the wee boreen;
I've seen the old crossroads where we used to dance.
I've rambled the lane where he called me his storeen
And my girlish heart felt the thrill of romance.
But now all around me is so sad and so dreary,
All dark and all silent -- no piper, no reel.
Not even the sun through my casement shines cheery
Since I left my darling boy Teddy O'Neill.
Shall I ever forget when the big ship was ready
And the time it was come for my love to depart?
How I cried like a child, "Oh goodbye to you, Teddy,"
With a tear on my cheek and a stone in my heart.
He said 'twas far better his fate he went roving,
But what would be gold to the joy I would feel
If he'd only come back to me, tender and loving,
Though poor, but my own darling Teddy O'Neill.
Teddy O’Neill(Traditional Irish Ballad – chords Key of G Major, all verses have chords)
[Verse 1]
[G]I dreamt all last night, O bad [C]cess to [Am]my [D]dreaming,
I’d [G]die if I [Em]thought ’twould come [A7]surely to [D]pass.
I [G]dreamt while the tears down my [C]pillow [Am]were [D]streaming,
That [G]Teddy was [E]courting a[A]nother [D]fair [G]lass.
And [D]didn’t I wake with a [D7]weeping and [G]wailing,
The [Em]grief in my heart was too [A]deep to con[D]ceal.
My [G]mother cried, “Nora, dear, [C]what is [Am]your [D]ailing?”
But [G]all I could [E]answer was, [A]“Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.”
[Verse 2]
I’ve [G]seen the old cabin beyond the wee [C]bore[Am]en,[D]
I’ve [G]seen the old [Em]crossroads where [A7]we used to [D]dance.
I’ve [G]rambled the lane where he [C]called me his [Am]sto[D]reen,
And my [G]girlish heart [E]thrilled to his [A]sweet ro[D]mance.
But [D]now all around me is [D7]so sad and [G]dreary,
All [Em]dark and all silent — no [A]piper, no [D]reel.
Not [G]even the sun through my [C]casement [Am]shines [D]cheery,
Since [G]I left my [E]darling boy, [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
[Verse 3]
Shall I [G]ever forget when the big ship was [C]rea[Am]dy,[D]
And the [G]time it had [Em]come for my [A7]love to de[D]part?
How I [G]cried like a child, “Oh, good[C]bye to you, [Am]Ted[D]dy,”
With a [G]tear on my [E]cheek and a [A]stone in my [D]heart.
He [D]said ’twas far better his [D7]fate to go [G]roving,
But [Em]what would be gold to the [A]joy I would [D]feel,
If he’d [G]only come back to me, [C]tender and [Am]lov[D]ing,
Though [G]poor, but my [E]own darling [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 time – Waltz Feel)Use a gentle, steady pattern to match the flow of a slow Irish waltz:
↓ ↓ ↑ — or count 1 2-3
(Down on beat 1, down-up softly on beats 2 & 3)
Optional for a more traditional feel:
🎶 Simple Intro Tab (G to C to D to G progression)(Play once before you start singing)
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| B|-----0----------|-----1-0--------|-----3-2-0------|-----0----------| G|---0---0--------|---0-----0------|---2-----2------|---0---0--------| D|-0-------0------|-2--------------|-0--------------|-0--------------| A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| E|----------------|----------------|----------------|-3--------------| G chord C chord D chord G end Softly arpeggiate (pick one note at a time) for a warm Irish ballad tone.
🎵 Outro (Optional – Slow down on last line)Repeat softly:
Though [G]poor, but my [E]own darling [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
Then gently fingerpick a final G arpeggio to end.
I'd [G]die if I [Em]thought 'twould come [A7]surely to [D]pass.
I [G]dreamt while the tears down my [C]pillow [Am]were [D]streaming
That [G]Teddy was [E]courting a[A]nother [D]fair [G]lass.
And [D]didn't I wake with a [D7]weeping and [G]wailing;
The [Em]grief in my heart was too [A]deep to con[D]ceal.
My [G]mother cried, "Nora, dear, [C]what is [Am]your [D]ailing?"
But [G]all I could [E]answer was [A]Teddy [D]O'[G]Neill."
I've seen the old cabin beyond the wee boreen;
I've seen the old crossroads where we used to dance.
I've rambled the lane where he called me his storeen
And my girlish heart felt the thrill of romance.
But now all around me is so sad and so dreary,
All dark and all silent -- no piper, no reel.
Not even the sun through my casement shines cheery
Since I left my darling boy Teddy O'Neill.
Shall I ever forget when the big ship was ready
And the time it was come for my love to depart?
How I cried like a child, "Oh goodbye to you, Teddy,"
With a tear on my cheek and a stone in my heart.
He said 'twas far better his fate he went roving,
But what would be gold to the joy I would feel
If he'd only come back to me, tender and loving,
Though poor, but my own darling Teddy O'Neill.
Teddy O’Neill(Traditional Irish Ballad – chords Key of G Major, all verses have chords)
[Verse 1]
[G]I dreamt all last night, O bad [C]cess to [Am]my [D]dreaming,
I’d [G]die if I [Em]thought ’twould come [A7]surely to [D]pass.
I [G]dreamt while the tears down my [C]pillow [Am]were [D]streaming,
That [G]Teddy was [E]courting a[A]nother [D]fair [G]lass.
And [D]didn’t I wake with a [D7]weeping and [G]wailing,
The [Em]grief in my heart was too [A]deep to con[D]ceal.
My [G]mother cried, “Nora, dear, [C]what is [Am]your [D]ailing?”
But [G]all I could [E]answer was, [A]“Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.”
[Verse 2]
I’ve [G]seen the old cabin beyond the wee [C]bore[Am]en,[D]
I’ve [G]seen the old [Em]crossroads where [A7]we used to [D]dance.
I’ve [G]rambled the lane where he [C]called me his [Am]sto[D]reen,
And my [G]girlish heart [E]thrilled to his [A]sweet ro[D]mance.
But [D]now all around me is [D7]so sad and [G]dreary,
All [Em]dark and all silent — no [A]piper, no [D]reel.
Not [G]even the sun through my [C]casement [Am]shines [D]cheery,
Since [G]I left my [E]darling boy, [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
[Verse 3]
Shall I [G]ever forget when the big ship was [C]rea[Am]dy,[D]
And the [G]time it had [Em]come for my [A7]love to de[D]part?
How I [G]cried like a child, “Oh, good[C]bye to you, [Am]Ted[D]dy,”
With a [G]tear on my [E]cheek and a [A]stone in my [D]heart.
He [D]said ’twas far better his [D7]fate to go [G]roving,
But [Em]what would be gold to the [A]joy I would [D]feel,
If he’d [G]only come back to me, [C]tender and [Am]lov[D]ing,
Though [G]poor, but my [E]own darling [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 time – Waltz Feel)Use a gentle, steady pattern to match the flow of a slow Irish waltz:
↓ ↓ ↑ — or count 1 2-3
(Down on beat 1, down-up softly on beats 2 & 3)
Optional for a more traditional feel:
- Bass note + Down-Up pattern (great for fingerpicking or light flatpicking):
Bass – Down-Up
Pick the root note of each chord on beat 1.
🎶 Simple Intro Tab (G to C to D to G progression)(Play once before you start singing)
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| B|-----0----------|-----1-0--------|-----3-2-0------|-----0----------| G|---0---0--------|---0-----0------|---2-----2------|---0---0--------| D|-0-------0------|-2--------------|-0--------------|-0--------------| A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| E|----------------|----------------|----------------|-3--------------| G chord C chord D chord G end Softly arpeggiate (pick one note at a time) for a warm Irish ballad tone.
🎵 Outro (Optional – Slow down on last line)Repeat softly:
Though [G]poor, but my [E]own darling [A]Teddy [D]O’[G]Neill.
Then gently fingerpick a final G arpeggio to end.
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 900 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 . Teddy O'Neill Sheet Music And Tin Whistle Notes Included.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50 . Teddy O'Neill Sheet Music And Tin Whistle Notes Included.
Rachel Duffy Singing Teddy O'Neill At The Rose Of Tralee
Here are the chords in the key of D
[D]I dreamt all last night O bad [G]cess to [Em]my [A]dreaming!
I'd [D]die if I [Bm]thought 'twould come [E7]surely to [A]pass.
I [D]dreamt while the tears down my [G]pillow [Em]were [A]streaming
That [D]Teddy was [B]courting a[E]nother [A]fair [D]lass.
And [A]didn't I wake with a [A7]weeping and [D]wailing;
The [Bm]grief in my heart was too [E]deep to con[A]ceal.
My [D]mother cried, "Nora, dear, [G]what is [Em]your [A]ailing?"
But [D]all I could [B]answer was [E]Teddy [A]O'[D]Neill."
[D]I dreamt all last night O bad [G]cess to [Em]my [A]dreaming!
I'd [D]die if I [Bm]thought 'twould come [E7]surely to [A]pass.
I [D]dreamt while the tears down my [G]pillow [Em]were [A]streaming
That [D]Teddy was [B]courting a[E]nother [A]fair [D]lass.
And [A]didn't I wake with a [A7]weeping and [D]wailing;
The [Bm]grief in my heart was too [E]deep to con[A]ceal.
My [D]mother cried, "Nora, dear, [G]what is [Em]your [A]ailing?"
But [D]all I could [B]answer was [E]Teddy [A]O'[D]Neill."
Teddy O'Neill - Irish Folk Song
