The Garden Song Lyrics Chords and sheet music
Makem and Clancy made this popular in Ireland, the sheet music notes are included.'The Garden Song' has been recorded by many folk singers, it was even used in an episode of 'The Muppet's'!, but the song was originally written and recorded in the 1970's by singer/songwriter, Dave Mallet from the State of Maine in the U.S. Return to my list of The Clancys And Tommy Makem Songs .
Chorus]
[D]Inch by inch[G],row by[D] row,[G]gonna[A] make this [D]garden grow,
[G]All it[A] takes is a[D] rake and a hoe and a[Em] piece of fertile[A] ground,
[D]Inch by inch[G] row by[D] row[G],summer[A] bless these[D] seeds I sow
[G]Summer[A] warm them[D] from below,'till the[Em] rain comes[A] tumbling[D] down.
[1]
Pulling weeds picking stones man's made od dreams and bones,
Feel the need to grow my own,cause the time is close at hand,
Grane for grain sun and rain find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain,to the music of the land.
[3]
Plant your rows straight and long,tend to them with care and song,
Mother nature will make you strong,if you give her loving care.
That old crow watching hungrely,from his perch in yonder tree,
Well in my garden i'm as free as that feathered thief of the air
[D]Inch by inch[G],row by[D] row,[G]gonna[A] make this [D]garden grow,
[G]All it[A] takes is a[D] rake and a hoe and a[Em] piece of fertile[A] ground,
[D]Inch by inch[G] row by[D] row[G],summer[A] bless these[D] seeds I sow
[G]Summer[A] warm them[D] from below,'till the[Em] rain comes[A] tumbling[D] down.
[1]
Pulling weeds picking stones man's made od dreams and bones,
Feel the need to grow my own,cause the time is close at hand,
Grane for grain sun and rain find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain,to the music of the land.
[3]
Plant your rows straight and long,tend to them with care and song,
Mother nature will make you strong,if you give her loving care.
That old crow watching hungrely,from his perch in yonder tree,
Well in my garden i'm as free as that feathered thief of the air
🎵 The Garden Song
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Tempo: ~100 bpm
Style: Gentle, flowing folk rhythm
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Folk Style)
D – D U – U D U
(Down, Down-Up, Up-Down-Up)
Alternative light-picking pattern:
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
Use soft downstrokes with the fingertips or nails for a more natural folk texture.
🎶 Full Lyrics with Chords (in G Major)
Chorus
[D]Inch by inch, [G]row by [D]row,
[G]Gonna [A]make this [D]garden grow,
[G]All it [A]takes is a [D]rake and a hoe,
And a [Em]piece of fertile [A]ground,
[D]Inch by inch, [G]row by [D]row,
[G]Summer [A]bless these [D]seeds I sow,
[G]Summer [A]warm them [D]from below,
'Til the [Em]rain comes [A]tumbling [D]down.
Verse 1
[D]Pulling weeds, [G]picking [D]stones,
[G]Man is [A]made of [D]dreams and bones,
[G]Feel the [A]need to [D]grow my own,
’Cause the [Em]time is close at [A]hand,
[D]Grain for grain, [G]sun and [D]rain,
[G]Find my [A]way in [D]nature’s chain,
[G]To my [A]body and [D]my brain,
To the [Em]music [A]of the [D]land.
(Chorus)
Verse 2
[D]Plant your rows [G]straight and [D]long,
[G]Tend them [A]with a [D]care and song,
[G]Mother [A]Nature [D]will make you strong,
If you [Em]give her loving [A]care,
[D]That old crow [G]watching [D]hungrily,
[G]From his [A]perch in [D]yonder tree,
[G]In my [A]garden [D]I’m as free,
As that [Em]feathered [A]thief of the [D]air.
(Chorus – repeat to end)
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse + Chorus)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Style: Folk fingerpicking / Travis picking
Time: 4/4
Pattern per measure:
p – i – m – i – p – i – m – i
Thumb (p) plays alternating bass (root → 5th),
Index (i) = G string, Middle (m) = B string.
Verse 1 Fingerpicking
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D Em
e|-------2-----------2-|-------0-----------0-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
A D
e|-------0-----------0-|-------2-----------2-|
B|-----2---2-------2---|-----3---3-------3---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---2-------2---2-----|
D|-2-----------2-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|0-----------0--------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
Chorus Fingerpicking
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D Em
e|-------2-----------2-|-------0-----------0-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
A D
e|-------0-----------0-|-------2-----------2-|
B|-----2---2-------2---|-----3---3-------3---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---2-------2---2-----|
D|-2-----------2-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|0-----------0--------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
🎶 Performance Notes
Keep the tempo steady and relaxed, like a gentle garden work rhythm.
For variety, fingerpick verses and strum the chorus softly.
On the last chorus, slow down slightly and let the final D chord ring out for a natural ending.
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Tempo: ~100 bpm
Style: Gentle, flowing folk rhythm
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Folk Style)
D – D U – U D U
(Down, Down-Up, Up-Down-Up)
Alternative light-picking pattern:
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
Use soft downstrokes with the fingertips or nails for a more natural folk texture.
🎶 Full Lyrics with Chords (in G Major)
Chorus
[D]Inch by inch, [G]row by [D]row,
[G]Gonna [A]make this [D]garden grow,
[G]All it [A]takes is a [D]rake and a hoe,
And a [Em]piece of fertile [A]ground,
[D]Inch by inch, [G]row by [D]row,
[G]Summer [A]bless these [D]seeds I sow,
[G]Summer [A]warm them [D]from below,
'Til the [Em]rain comes [A]tumbling [D]down.
Verse 1
[D]Pulling weeds, [G]picking [D]stones,
[G]Man is [A]made of [D]dreams and bones,
[G]Feel the [A]need to [D]grow my own,
’Cause the [Em]time is close at [A]hand,
[D]Grain for grain, [G]sun and [D]rain,
[G]Find my [A]way in [D]nature’s chain,
[G]To my [A]body and [D]my brain,
To the [Em]music [A]of the [D]land.
(Chorus)
Verse 2
[D]Plant your rows [G]straight and [D]long,
[G]Tend them [A]with a [D]care and song,
[G]Mother [A]Nature [D]will make you strong,
If you [Em]give her loving [A]care,
[D]That old crow [G]watching [D]hungrily,
[G]From his [A]perch in [D]yonder tree,
[G]In my [A]garden [D]I’m as free,
As that [Em]feathered [A]thief of the [D]air.
(Chorus – repeat to end)
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse + Chorus)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Style: Folk fingerpicking / Travis picking
Time: 4/4
Pattern per measure:
p – i – m – i – p – i – m – i
Thumb (p) plays alternating bass (root → 5th),
Index (i) = G string, Middle (m) = B string.
Verse 1 Fingerpicking
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D Em
e|-------2-----------2-|-------0-----------0-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
A D
e|-------0-----------0-|-------2-----------2-|
B|-----2---2-------2---|-----3---3-------3---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---2-------2---2-----|
D|-2-----------2-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|0-----------0--------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
Chorus Fingerpicking
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D G
e|-------2-----------2-|-------3-----------3-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------|-2-----------2-------|
E|---------------------|-3-----------3-------|
D Em
e|-------2-----------2-|-------0-----------0-|
B|-----3---3-------3---|-----0---0-------0---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---0-------0---0-----|
D|-0-----------0-------|-2-----------2-------|
A|---------------------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
A D
e|-------0-----------0-|-------2-----------2-|
B|-----2---2-------2---|-----3---3-------3---|
G|---2-------2---2-----|---2-------2---2-----|
D|-2-----------2-------|-0-----------0-------|
A|0-----------0--------|---------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------|
🎶 Performance Notes
Keep the tempo steady and relaxed, like a gentle garden work rhythm.
For variety, fingerpick verses and strum the chorus softly.
On the last chorus, slow down slightly and let the final D chord ring out for a natural ending.
The Garden Song Sheet Music Notes
The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem The Garden Song
