The Croppy Boy Lyrics And guitar Chords

Traditional. Recorded by The Clancys and The Dubliners. Croppy Boys got their name from their hair style [croppy] the youtube video is of Anne Byrne with Jessy Owen on guitar, Anne also done a great version of The Foggy Dew, an Irish folk song. Other well known recorded songs by folk singer Anne Byrne include The Spinning Wheel Song and The Foggy Dew .

It[G] was early, early[C] in the spring
The[D] birds did whistle and[G] sweetly sing,
Changing their notes from[C] tree to[G] tree
And the[D] song they sang was Old[G] Ireland free.

It was early early in the night,
The yeoman cavalry gave me a fright;
The yeoman cavalry was my downfall
And I was taken by Lord Cornwall.

'Twas in the guard-house where I was laid,
And in a parlour where I was tried;
My sentence passed and my courage low
When to Dungannon I was forced to go.

As I was passing my father's door
My brother William stood at the door;
My aged father stood at the door
And my tender mother her hair she tore.

As I was going up Wexford Street
My own first cousin I chanced to meet;
My own first cousin did me betray
And for one bare guinea swore my life away.

As I was walking up Wexford Hill
Who could blame me to cry my fill?
I looked behind, and I looked before
But my aged mother I shall see no more.

And as I mounted the platform high
My aged father was standing by;
My aged father did me deny
And the name he gave me was the Croppy Boy.

It was in Dungannon this young man died
And in Dungannon his body lies.
And you good people that do pass by
Oh shed a tear for the Croppy Boy.

The Croppy Boys From Meath Lyrics And Chords. Written by Eamonn Reilly and recorded by Shan-nos. Shan-nos are one of the finest Irish ballad groups and are based around Meath and Louth. 

From our[G] history of old
There’s an ancient story told
Of a fire that was seen from far and [D]near
And of [C]how it changed the [G]land,
A message [C]passed from hand to [G]hand
Oh the [C]young put words to [G]song from year to [D]year.
 
How its blazin’ once again
Just as bright as it did then
All along the River Boyne it can be seen
Summerhill to Seneschalstown
From Nobber to the Hill of Down
Every village from Kilmainhamwood to Skryne
 

Chorus
And the [G]fire that is [C]lighted on [D]royal Tara’s [G]Hill
It’s the same old [C]flame and it’s [D]burnin’ still
And it [G]glows in the [C]heart and it [D]shows in the[G] will
Of those [C]dear old [Am]Croppy [D]Boys  from[G] Meath
 

We had the bravest in the land,
All prepared to lend a hand
Sure the tyrants they were strong but only few
When they stood up for their rights
They showed that they were there to fight
In seventeen-ninety-eight the troops all true
 

They had battled through the years,
Had raised aloud their cheers
They stood for what is right with constant pride
Ever willing to be told
By Robert Emmet or Wolfe Tone
The spirit of this land has never died
 

Chorus
 
In our histroy we’re told
Of our rebels oh so bold
Who stood against the evil of our land
And of how it changed the way
Our families life their lives today
Every way you can see from man to man
 

How their story can be told
Of two hundred years old
So sad missed in our hearts for those who died
From Kells and Navan ,Castletown,
And everywhere around
They stood and fought together side by side
 
Chorus 2x

In this version by Brendan Bowyer The melody and its timing are the same throughout the whole song but in the middle part with the spoken verses he accelerates his speech to double speed so that two lyric verses are put in one melodic verse.  In the upper part he comes back to normal speed and singing the words, although the key changers to F major. The last verses is finally in another key which is not allowed for here. Chords by Marc.

THE CROPPY BOY Chords
Good (A)men and true in this (D)house who (E)dwell.
To a (E)stranger Buachal I (A)pray you (E)tell
Is the (A)priest at home or may (D)he be seen
I would (A)speak a word with (E)Father (A)Greene
 
The (A)Priest ‘s at home boy and (D)may be (E)seen 
Ties (E)easy speaking to (A)father (E)Greene
(A)But you must wait till I (D)go and see 
If the (A)holy father a(E)lone may (A)be.
 
The (A)youth has knelt to (D)tell his (E)sins
At (E)nominee dei the (A)youth be(E)gins
At (A)maya culpa he (D)beats his breast 
And in (A)broken murmurs he (E)speaks the (A)rest
 
At the (A)siege of Ross did my (D)father (E)fall
And at (E)Gorey my loving (A)brothers (E)all
I a(A)lone am left of my (D)name and face
And I’ll (A)go to Wexford and (E)take their (A)place.
 
I (A)cursed three times since last (D)Easter (E)day
And (E)at Mass time once I (A)went to (E)play.
I (A)passed the Churchyard one (D)day in haste
But for(A)got to pray for my (E)mothers (A)rest
 
Yet I (A)bear no hate against (D)living (E)things
I just (E)love my country a(A)bove the (E)King
So(A) father bless me and (D)let me go
To (A)die if god or(E)dains it (A)so
 
The (A)priest said not but a (D)rustling (E)noise 
Made that (E)youth look up in (A)wild sur(E)prise 
The (A)robes were off and in (D)scarlet there
Sat a (A)yeoman captain with (E)fiery (A)glair
 
With (A)fiery glair and (D)fury (E)force
In(E)stead of a blessing he (A)breathed a (E)curse
T’was a (A)good thought boy to (D)come here and strive
For (A)one last hour is your (E)time a(A)live
 
At Ge(A)neva barracks that (D)young lad (E)died 
And at (E)Cassett they had his (A)body (E)laid
Good (A)people who live in (D)peace and joy
Breath a (A)prayer shed a tear for the (E)Croppy (A)Boy.

The croppy boy lyrics