THE BLIND HARPER SONG LYRICS AND GUITAR CHORDS

The chords given below are very simple and cannot capture at all Andy Irvine’s great Bouzouki playing. However they will suffice to play along get the spirit of this traditional ballad. Use a capo on the 3rd fret to change the key to D# major and mind that Andy Irvine didn’t use all verses. My Heart's Tonight In Ireland Song was also a hit for singer and musician Andy Irvine ..

(C)Have you (G7)heard of the (F)blind har(C)per
How (C)he lived (G)in Hog(F)maven (C)town
(C)He went (G)down to (F)fair Eng(C)land
To (C)steal King (Am)Henry's (G)wanton (Am)brown

(C)First he (G7)went un(F)to his (C)wife
With (C)all the (G)haste as (F)go could (C)he
"This (C)work", he (G)said, "will (F)never go (C)well,
with(C)out the (Am)help of our (G)good grey (Am)mare"

(C)Said she, "You (G7)take the (F)good grey (C)mare
She'll (C)run o'er (G)hills both (F)low and (C)high.
Go (C)take the (G)halter (F)in your (C)hose
And (C)leave the (Am)foal at (G)home with (Am)me"

He's (C)up and (G7)went to (F)England (C)gone
He (C)went as (G)fast as (F)go could (C)he
And (C)when he (G)got to (F)Carlisle (C)gates
Who (C)should there (Am)be, but (G)King Hen(Am)ry

"Come (C)in, come (G7)in, you (F)blind har(C)per
And (C)of your (G)music, (F)let me (C)hear"
But (C)up and (G)said the (F)blind har(C)per
"I'd (C)rather have a (Am)stable (G)for my (Am)mare"

The (C)king looked (G7)over his (F)left shoul(C)der
And he (C)said un(G)to his (F)stable (C)groom
"Go (C)take the (G)poor blind (F)harper's (C)mare"
And (C)put her be(Am)side my (G)wanton (Am)brown"

(C)Then he's (G7)harped and (F)then he (C)sang
'Till he (C)played them (G)all so (F)sound a(C)sleep
And (C)quietly (G)he took (F)off his (C)shoes
And (C)down the (Am)stairs (G)he did (Am)creep

(C)Straight (G7)to the stable (F)door he's (C)gone
With a (C)thread so (G)light as (F)light could (C)be
(C)When he (G)opened (F)and went (C)in
(C)He found (Am)thirty (G)steeds and (Am)three

He (C)took the (G7)halter (F)from his (C)hose
And (C)from his (G)purse he (F)did not (C)fail
He (C)slipped it (G)over the (F)wanton's (C)nose
And (C)tied it (Am)to the (G)grey mare's (Am)tail

Then he (C)let her (G7)loose at the (F)castle (C)gates
She (C)didn't (G)fail to (F)find her (C)way
(C)She went (G)back to her (F)own colt (C)foal
(C)Three long (Am)hours be(G)fore the (Am)day

Then (C)in the (G7)morning, at (F)fair day(C)light
When (C)they had (G)ended (F)all their (C)cheer
Be(C)hold, the (G)wanton (F)brown had (C)gone
So (C)had the (Am)poor blind (G)harper's (Am)mare

(C)"Oh, a(G7)las", said the (F)blind har(C)per
(C)"Ever a(G)las that (F)I came (C)here.
In (C)Scotland, I've (G)got a (F)little colt (C)foal.
In (C)England, they (Am)stole my (G)good grey (Am)mare"

(C)"Hold you (G7)tongue", said (F)King Hen(C)ry
"And (C)all your (G)mournings, (F)let them (C)be.
(C)You shall (G)get a (F)far better (C)mare
And (C)well paid (Am)shall your (G)colt foal (Am)be"

A(C)gain he (G7)harped and a(F)gain he (C)sang
The (C)sweetest (G)music he (F)let them (C)hear
He was (C)paid for a (G)foal that he (F)never had (C)lost
And (C)three times (Am)worth them (G)good grey (Am)mare

He was (C)paid for a (G)foal that he (F)never had (C)lost
And (C)three times (Am)worth them (G)good grey (Am)mare

Here are alternative guitar chords for the key of G Major.

(G)Have you (D7)heard of the (C)blind har(G)per
How (G)he lived (D)in Hog(C)maven (G)town
(G)He went (D)down to (C)fair Eng(G)land
To (G)steal King (Em)Henry's (D)wanton (Em)brown

(G)First he (D7)went un(C)to his (G)wife
With (G)all the (D)haste as (C)go could (G)he
"This (G)work", he (D)said, "will (C)never go (G)well,
with(G)out the (Em)help of our (D)good grey (Em)mare"

(G)Said she, "You (D7)take the (C)good grey (G)mare
She'll (G)run o'er (D)hills both (C)low and (G)high.
Go (G)take the (D)halter (C)in your (G)hose
And (G)leave the (Em)foal at (D)home with (Em)me"

He's (G)up and (D7)went to (C)England (G)gone
He (G)went as (D)fast as (C)go could (G)he
And (G)when he (D)got to (C)Carlisle (G)gates
Who (G)should there (Em)be, but (D)King Hen(Em)ry

"Come (G)in, come (D7)in, you (C)blind har(G)per
And (G)of your (D)music, (C)let me (G)hear"
But (G)up and (D)said the (C)blind har(G)per
"I'd (G)rather have a (Em)stable (D)for my (Em)mare"

The (G)king looked (D7)over his (C)left shoul(G)der
And he (G)said un(D)to his (C)stable (G)groom
"Go (G)take the (D)poor blind (C)harper's (G)mare"
And (G)put her be(Em)side my (D)wanton (Em)brown"

(G)Then he's (D7)harped and (C)then he (G)sang
'Till he (G)played them (D)all so (C)sound a(G)sleep
And (G)quietly (D)he took (C)off his (G)shoes
And (G)down the (Em)stairs (D)he did (Em)creep

(G)Straight (D7)to the stable (C)door he's (G)gone
With a (G)thread so (D)light as (C)light could (G)be
(G)When he (D)opened (C)and went (G)in
(G)He found (Em)thirty (D)steeds and (Em)three

He (G)took the (D7)halter (C)from his (G)hose
And (G)from his (D)purse he (C)did not (G)fail
He (G)slipped it (D)over the (C)wanton's (G)nose
And (G)tied it (Em)to the (D)grey mare's (Em)tail

Then he (G)let her (D7)loose at the (C)castle (G)gates
She (G)didn't (D)fail to (C)find her (G)way
(G)She went (D)back to her (C)own colt (G)foal
(G)Three long (Em)hours be(D)fore the (Em)day