The Bard Of Armagh lyrics and guitar chords-Irish Folk Song-
The Bard Of Armagh lyrics and guitar chords-Irish Folk Song- Written By Thomas Campbell 1801 and is set to the tune ''Streets Of Laredo'' Recorded By The Clancys And Tommy Makem. The youtube video is of Billy Finnegan.3/4 (Thomas Campbell)
The lyrics below fit singer Billy Finnegan on his album ‚My Irish Homeland’. His version uses the same general chord structure but is played in a key of E major (D=E, G=A, A=B, A7=B7) with a change of key in the last two verses (D=F, G=Bb, A=C, A7=C7). Other songs about Armagh here included the Bridie Gallagher hit song The Boys From The Co. Armagh Song which was her biggest hit.
The lyrics below fit singer Billy Finnegan on his album ‚My Irish Homeland’. His version uses the same general chord structure but is played in a key of E major (D=E, G=A, A=B, A7=B7) with a change of key in the last two verses (D=F, G=Bb, A=C, A7=C7). Other songs about Armagh here included the Bridie Gallagher hit song The Boys From The Co. Armagh Song which was her biggest hit.
THE BARD OF ARMAGH
The harper of this ballad remembers the joy of his long-lost youth. Much as the singer of Granuaile finds solace in the folk- memories of Gaelic antiquity, this bard contrasts his present lot with the "carefree" days under King James. Written by Thomas Campbell in 1801, the setting of the lay is the 1770s.
The title of the song may have been a metaphor for Patrick Donnelly, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh; the prelate is known to have disguised himself as an itinerant musician so that he could tend to his flock undisturbed by Priest Hunters. Another notable trope is the ballad's reference to Phelim Brady's already dead "wife," Kathleen-a name fast becoming a synonym for Ireland.
The harper of this ballad remembers the joy of his long-lost youth. Much as the singer of Granuaile finds solace in the folk- memories of Gaelic antiquity, this bard contrasts his present lot with the "carefree" days under King James. Written by Thomas Campbell in 1801, the setting of the lay is the 1770s.
The title of the song may have been a metaphor for Patrick Donnelly, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh; the prelate is known to have disguised himself as an itinerant musician so that he could tend to his flock undisturbed by Priest Hunters. Another notable trope is the ballad's reference to Phelim Brady's already dead "wife," Kathleen-a name fast becoming a synonym for Ireland.
Intro: D-A7-D-A D-A-(D-A)-D
Oh, (D)list to the (G)lay of a (D)poor Irish (A)harper
And (D)scorn not the (A)strings of his (D)withered old (G)hand
Re(D)member his (A7)fingers they (D)once could move (A)sharper
To (D)raise up the (A)memory of his (D)dear na(A)tive (D)land
When (D)I was a (G)young lad, King (D)Jamie did (A)flourish
And I (D)followed the (A)wars in my (D)brogues bound with (G)straw
And (D)all the fair (A7)colleens from (D)Wexford to (A)Durrish
Called me (D)bold Phelim (A)Brady, the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
Repeat Intro
How I (D)long for to (G)muse on the (D)days of my (A)boyhood
Though (D)four score and (A)three years have (D)flitted since (G)then
Still it (D)gives sweet re(A7)flections, as (D)every young (A)joy should
For (D)light hearted (A)boys make the (D)best of (A)old (D)men
At (D)pattern or (G)fair I could (D)twist my (A)shillelagh
Or (D)trip through the (A)jig with my (D)brogues bound with (G)straw
Whilst (D)all the pretty (A7)maidens a(D)round me a(A)ssembled
Loving (D)bold Phelim (A)Brady the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
Al(D)though I have (G)travelled this (D)wide world (A)over
For (D)Erin's a (A)home and a (D)parent to (G)me
Then, (D)oh, let the (A7)ground that my (D)old bones shall (A)cover
Be (D)cut from the (A)soil that is (D)trod by (A)the (D)free
And (D)when Sergeant (G)Death in his (D)cold arms em(A)brace me
Oh, (D)lull me to (A)sleep with (D)"Erin Go (G)Bragh"
By the (D)side of my (A7)Kathleen, my (D)young wife oh (A)place me
Then for(D)get Phelim (A)Brady , the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
Oh, (D)list to the (G)lay of a (D)poor Irish (A)harper
And (D)scorn not the (A)strings of his (D)withered old (G)hand
Re(D)member his (A7)fingers they (D)once could move (A)sharper
To (D)raise up the (A)memory of his (D)dear na(A)tive (D)land
When (D)I was a (G)young lad, King (D)Jamie did (A)flourish
And I (D)followed the (A)wars in my (D)brogues bound with (G)straw
And (D)all the fair (A7)colleens from (D)Wexford to (A)Durrish
Called me (D)bold Phelim (A)Brady, the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
Repeat Intro
How I (D)long for to (G)muse on the (D)days of my (A)boyhood
Though (D)four score and (A)three years have (D)flitted since (G)then
Still it (D)gives sweet re(A7)flections, as (D)every young (A)joy should
For (D)light hearted (A)boys make the (D)best of (A)old (D)men
At (D)pattern or (G)fair I could (D)twist my (A)shillelagh
Or (D)trip through the (A)jig with my (D)brogues bound with (G)straw
Whilst (D)all the pretty (A7)maidens a(D)round me a(A)ssembled
Loving (D)bold Phelim (A)Brady the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
Al(D)though I have (G)travelled this (D)wide world (A)over
For (D)Erin's a (A)home and a (D)parent to (G)me
Then, (D)oh, let the (A7)ground that my (D)old bones shall (A)cover
Be (D)cut from the (A)soil that is (D)trod by (A)the (D)free
And (D)when Sergeant (G)Death in his (D)cold arms em(A)brace me
Oh, (D)lull me to (A)sleep with (D)"Erin Go (G)Bragh"
By the (D)side of my (A7)Kathleen, my (D)young wife oh (A)place me
Then for(D)get Phelim (A)Brady , the (D)Bard of (A)Ar(D)magh
THE BARD IS IN SESSION
The storyteller and poet who were better with words and music than anyone else had it made, and this was true from Wales to Brittany, from 1000 BCE on.
Bards, or whatever else a culture called them, had to be good at praising their higher-ups, slinging insults and capturing the whole folk memory of their people in tales and prophetic utterances, just to keep everyone in line. Some harped, some worked with harpers and some had additional specialties. The vates could divine running water, and not surprisingly, they were the ones who first defined the future of Riverdance.
There was a lot of learning you had to do to become a top-of-the-line bard, though. Some tried the shortcut of spending a night under the famous Black Stone of Arddu, in Snowdonia, Wales. Doing so would have you emerge in the morning either a certified bard or certifiably insane, and occasionally it was hard to tell anyway. Most bards played it safe by spending their formative years composing and memorizing poetry and string work.
By 18, they were expected to have mastered those three "strains" of music that made an audience happy, melancholic and narcoleptic. The higher-up bards also had special gold and silver boughs to help heal wounded men and women in labor, sick people and savage breasts overall. This was long before National Health, and the kings and higher-ups would just bow before bards in this branch of medicine.
The Druids (dru-wid, for "oak knowledge") were more formidable. Often compared with the Hindu Brahmin, they were the ultimate intelligentsia - priests, mystics, time-travellers, astronomers and the ultimate weather- men who could make it hot, make it cold and call down great mists to vanish within. As highly visible judges, they settled many song copyright disputes, and did it all without the white robes and beards later historians would dress them in. They also traded mystical enhance- ments with Egypt, Greece and Babylonia.
Druids, in fact, were such walking encyclopedias that any musician stuck for a theme and brave enough could go to them. You just had to be careful about getting landed with a geis, a Druidic order that compelled some- one to perform or stop performing a specific act, often for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, Druidism didn't seem to have the power to halt the heavy hand of later kings and law- makers. However, a debatable version of the whole thing was revived, robed and bearded in the 18th century, and has been making plenty of white noise ever since.
The storyteller and poet who were better with words and music than anyone else had it made, and this was true from Wales to Brittany, from 1000 BCE on.
Bards, or whatever else a culture called them, had to be good at praising their higher-ups, slinging insults and capturing the whole folk memory of their people in tales and prophetic utterances, just to keep everyone in line. Some harped, some worked with harpers and some had additional specialties. The vates could divine running water, and not surprisingly, they were the ones who first defined the future of Riverdance.
There was a lot of learning you had to do to become a top-of-the-line bard, though. Some tried the shortcut of spending a night under the famous Black Stone of Arddu, in Snowdonia, Wales. Doing so would have you emerge in the morning either a certified bard or certifiably insane, and occasionally it was hard to tell anyway. Most bards played it safe by spending their formative years composing and memorizing poetry and string work.
By 18, they were expected to have mastered those three "strains" of music that made an audience happy, melancholic and narcoleptic. The higher-up bards also had special gold and silver boughs to help heal wounded men and women in labor, sick people and savage breasts overall. This was long before National Health, and the kings and higher-ups would just bow before bards in this branch of medicine.
The Druids (dru-wid, for "oak knowledge") were more formidable. Often compared with the Hindu Brahmin, they were the ultimate intelligentsia - priests, mystics, time-travellers, astronomers and the ultimate weather- men who could make it hot, make it cold and call down great mists to vanish within. As highly visible judges, they settled many song copyright disputes, and did it all without the white robes and beards later historians would dress them in. They also traded mystical enhance- ments with Egypt, Greece and Babylonia.
Druids, in fact, were such walking encyclopedias that any musician stuck for a theme and brave enough could go to them. You just had to be careful about getting landed with a geis, a Druidic order that compelled some- one to perform or stop performing a specific act, often for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, Druidism didn't seem to have the power to halt the heavy hand of later kings and law- makers. However, a debatable version of the whole thing was revived, robed and bearded in the 18th century, and has been making plenty of white noise ever since.
Here are alternative guitar chords for the key of G Major.
Oh, (G)list to the (C)lay of a (G)poor Irish (D)harper
And (G)scorn not the (D)strings of his (G)withered old (C)hand
Re(G)member his (D7)fingers they (G)once could move (D)sharper
To (G)raise up the (D)memory of his (G)dear na(D)tive (G)land
Oh, (G)list to the (C)lay of a (G)poor Irish (D)harper
And (G)scorn not the (D)strings of his (G)withered old (C)hand
Re(G)member his (D7)fingers they (G)once could move (D)sharper
To (G)raise up the (D)memory of his (G)dear na(D)tive (G)land
