The Boston Burglar lyrics and chords
Trad. The sheet music is included. This song has been around since the 1940s Its origins are American but is more popular in Ireland thanks to Johnny McEvoy [ song lyrics ] who made it famous in Ireland in the 1960s, Also recorded by the late Dermot O'Reilly. It's also called ''Boston City''.
I[D] was born and[G] raised in[D] Bos[A]ton,a[D] place you all know well,
Brought[G] up by[A] honest[D] parents,the truth to you I'll [A]tell,
Brought[D] up by[G] honest[D] par[A]ents,and[D] raised most tenderly,
Till[G] I be[A]came a[D] sporting lad at the[A] age of twenty[D] three,
[2]
My character was taken and I was sent to jail,
My friends they came and tried in vain to get me out on bail,
The jury found me guilty,and the clerk he wrote it down,
The judge he passed the sentence,I was bound for Charlestown.
[3]
They placed me on an east bound train on a cold December's day,
And every station we passed by you could hear the people saw,
There goes the Boston burguler,in cold chains he is bound,
For one crime or anothr he is bound for Charlestown.
[4]
All you who have your freedom,take warning if you can,
And dont go round the syreets at night,breaking laws of God or man,
For if you do you'll surly loose and find yourself like me,
Serving up full twenty years in a penatentury
Brought[G] up by[A] honest[D] parents,the truth to you I'll [A]tell,
Brought[D] up by[G] honest[D] par[A]ents,and[D] raised most tenderly,
Till[G] I be[A]came a[D] sporting lad at the[A] age of twenty[D] three,
[2]
My character was taken and I was sent to jail,
My friends they came and tried in vain to get me out on bail,
The jury found me guilty,and the clerk he wrote it down,
The judge he passed the sentence,I was bound for Charlestown.
[3]
They placed me on an east bound train on a cold December's day,
And every station we passed by you could hear the people saw,
There goes the Boston burguler,in cold chains he is bound,
For one crime or anothr he is bound for Charlestown.
[4]
All you who have your freedom,take warning if you can,
And dont go round the syreets at night,breaking laws of God or man,
For if you do you'll surly loose and find yourself like me,
Serving up full twenty years in a penatentury
Guitar chords to all verses
[Verse 1]
I [D]was born and [G]raised in [D]Bos[A]ton,
A [D]place you all know [A]well,
Brought [G]up by [A]honest [D]parents,
The [G]truth to [A]you I'll [D]tell,
Brought [D]up by [G]honest [D]par[A]ents,
And [D]raised most tender[A]ly,
Till [G]I be[A]came a [D]sporting lad
At the [G]age of [A]twenty [D]three.
[Verse 2]
My [D]character was [G]taken,
And I [D]was sent to [A]jail,
My [D]friends they came and [A]tried in vain
To [G]get me [A]out on [D]bail,
The [D]jury found me [G]guilty,
And the [D]clerk he wrote it [A]down,
The [G]judge he [A]passed the [D]sentence,
I was [G]bound for [A]Charles[D]town.
[Verse 3]
They [D]placed me on an [G]eastbound train
On a [D]cold Decem[A]ber’s day,
And [D]every station [A]we passed by,
You could [G]hear the [A]people [D]say,
"There [D]goes the Boston [G]burglar,
In [D]cold chains he is [A]bound,
For [G]one crime [A]or ano[D]ther,
He is [G]bound for [A]Charles[D]town."
[Verse 4]
All [D]you who have your [G]freedom,
Take [D]warning if you [A]can,
And [D]don’t go round the [A]streets at night
Breaking [G]laws of [A]God or [D]man,
For [D]if you do, you’ll [G]surely lose
And [D]find yourself like [A]me,
Ser[G]ving [A]up full [D]twenty years
In a [G]pene[A]tentia[D]ry.
ords for all the verses.
[Verse 1]
I [D]was born and [G]raised in [D]Bos[A]ton,
A [D]place you all know [A]well,
Brought [G]up by [A]honest [D]parents,
The [G]truth to [A]you I'll [D]tell,
Brought [D]up by [G]honest [D]par[A]ents,
And [D]raised most tender[A]ly,
Till [G]I be[A]came a [D]sporting lad
At the [G]age of [A]twenty [D]three.
[Verse 2]
My [D]character was [G]taken,
And I [D]was sent to [A]jail,
My [D]friends they came and [A]tried in vain
To [G]get me [A]out on [D]bail,
The [D]jury found me [G]guilty,
And the [D]clerk he wrote it [A]down,
The [G]judge he [A]passed the [D]sentence,
I was [G]bound for [A]Charles[D]town.
[Verse 3]
They [D]placed me on an [G]eastbound train
On a [D]cold Decem[A]ber’s day,
And [D]every station [A]we passed by,
You could [G]hear the [A]people [D]say,
"There [D]goes the Boston [G]burglar,
In [D]cold chains he is [A]bound,
For [G]one crime [A]or ano[D]ther,
He is [G]bound for [A]Charles[D]town."
[Verse 4]
All [D]you who have your [G]freedom,
Take [D]warning if you [A]can,
And [D]don’t go round the [A]streets at night
Breaking [G]laws of [A]God or [D]man,
For [D]if you do, you’ll [G]surely lose
And [D]find yourself like [A]me,
Ser[G]ving [A]up full [D]twenty years
In a [G]pene[A]tentia[D]ry.
ords for all the verses.
Boston Burglar Sheet Music In G
Alternative guitar chords for the key of G Major.
[Verse 1]
I [G]was born and [C]raised in [G]Bos[D]ton,
A [G]place you all know [D]well,
Brought [C]up by [D]honest [G]parents,
The [C]truth to [D]you I'll [G]tell,
Brought [G]up by [C]honest [G]par[D]ents,
And [G]raised most tender[D]ly,
Till [C]I be[D]came a [G]sporting lad
At the [C]age of [D]twenty [G]three.
[Verse 2]
My [G]character was [C]taken,
And I [G]was sent to [D]jail,
My [G]friends they came and [D]tried in vain
To [C]get me [D]out on [G]bail,
The [G]jury found me [C]guilty,
And the [G]clerk he wrote it [D]down,
The [C]judge he [D]passed the [G]sentence,
I was [C]bound for [D]Charles[G]town.
[Verse 3]
They [G]placed me on an [C]eastbound train
On a [G]cold Decem[D]ber’s day,
And [G]every station [D]we passed by,
You could [C]hear the [D]people [G]say,
"There [G]goes the Boston [C]burglar,
In [G]cold chains he is [D]bound,
For [C]one crime [D]or ano[G]ther,
He is [C]bound for [D]Charles[G]town."
[Verse 4]
All [G]you who have your [C]freedom,
Take [G]warning if you [D]can,
And [G]don’t go round the [D]streets at night
Breaking [C]laws of [D]God or [G]man,
For [G]if you do, you’ll [C]surely lose
And [G]find yourself like [D]me,
Ser[C]ving [D]up full [G]twenty years
In a [C]pene[D]tentia[G]ry.
[Verse 1]
I [G]was born and [C]raised in [G]Bos[D]ton,
A [G]place you all know [D]well,
Brought [C]up by [D]honest [G]parents,
The [C]truth to [D]you I'll [G]tell,
Brought [G]up by [C]honest [G]par[D]ents,
And [G]raised most tender[D]ly,
Till [C]I be[D]came a [G]sporting lad
At the [C]age of [D]twenty [G]three.
[Verse 2]
My [G]character was [C]taken,
And I [G]was sent to [D]jail,
My [G]friends they came and [D]tried in vain
To [C]get me [D]out on [G]bail,
The [G]jury found me [C]guilty,
And the [G]clerk he wrote it [D]down,
The [C]judge he [D]passed the [G]sentence,
I was [C]bound for [D]Charles[G]town.
[Verse 3]
They [G]placed me on an [C]eastbound train
On a [G]cold Decem[D]ber’s day,
And [G]every station [D]we passed by,
You could [C]hear the [D]people [G]say,
"There [G]goes the Boston [C]burglar,
In [G]cold chains he is [D]bound,
For [C]one crime [D]or ano[G]ther,
He is [C]bound for [D]Charles[G]town."
[Verse 4]
All [G]you who have your [C]freedom,
Take [G]warning if you [D]can,
And [G]don’t go round the [D]streets at night
Breaking [C]laws of [D]God or [G]man,
For [G]if you do, you’ll [C]surely lose
And [G]find yourself like [D]me,
Ser[C]ving [D]up full [G]twenty years
In a [C]pene[D]tentia[G]ry.
Below you’ll find a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, arranged for a gentle, rolling accompaniment in G major.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 time)
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern: 🎵 Bass – Down – Down
Keep the waltz pulse steady and gentle.
Strike the bass note clearly on beat 1, then strum two light downstrokes.
Example (for G chord):
| G (bass) ↓ ↓ | G (bass) ↓ ↓ |
💡 Alternate bass notes
Chord Bass notes
G 6th → 4th
C 5th → 4th
D / D7 4th → 3rd
This alternating bass keeps the rhythm flowing and “danceable” like a true Irish waltz.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
Fingerstyle pattern: P–I–M (thumb–index–middle), one pluck per beat.
Tempo: ♩ = 90 | Time: 3/4
G C G D
e|---------0-------------0-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|-----0-----0-------1-----1-------0-----0-------3-----3-----------|
G|---0---0-----0---0---0-----0---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---------|
D|----------------2-------------0----------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------0----------------|
E|-3---------------------------------------------------------------|
G D C D G
e|---------0-------------2-------------0-------------2-------------3-|
B|-----0-----0-------3-----3-------1-----1-------3-----3-------0-----|
G|---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---0---0---|
D|----------------0-------------2--------------------------------0---|
A|------------------------------------------------3------------------|
E|-3---------------------------------------------------------------|
This pattern flows smoothly under the melody of:
I [G]was born and [C]raised in [G]Bos[D]ton...
It gives a steady, warm accompaniment — perfect for ballad storytelling.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 time)
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern: 🎵 Bass – Down – Down
Keep the waltz pulse steady and gentle.
Strike the bass note clearly on beat 1, then strum two light downstrokes.
Example (for G chord):
| G (bass) ↓ ↓ | G (bass) ↓ ↓ |
💡 Alternate bass notes
Chord Bass notes
G 6th → 4th
C 5th → 4th
D / D7 4th → 3rd
This alternating bass keeps the rhythm flowing and “danceable” like a true Irish waltz.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
Fingerstyle pattern: P–I–M (thumb–index–middle), one pluck per beat.
Tempo: ♩ = 90 | Time: 3/4
G C G D
e|---------0-------------0-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|-----0-----0-------1-----1-------0-----0-------3-----3-----------|
G|---0---0-----0---0---0-----0---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---------|
D|----------------2-------------0----------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------0----------------|
E|-3---------------------------------------------------------------|
G D C D G
e|---------0-------------2-------------0-------------2-------------3-|
B|-----0-----0-------3-----3-------1-----1-------3-----3-------0-----|
G|---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---0---0---|
D|----------------0-------------2--------------------------------0---|
A|------------------------------------------------3------------------|
E|-3---------------------------------------------------------------|
This pattern flows smoothly under the melody of:
I [G]was born and [C]raised in [G]Bos[D]ton...
It gives a steady, warm accompaniment — perfect for ballad storytelling.
The Boston Burglar singer Johnny McEvoy
