The Jolly Beggarman Lyrics And Chords
Recorded by Christy Moore and Planxty. The guitar chords in the key of C Major in chordpro are set in the same key as the Planxty version, there may be one or two changes that Planxty make that are different than my version.
Lyrics And Chords In The Key Of C
[[C]It's of a jolly[C7] beggarman came[F] tripping o'er the[Am] plain
He[C] came unto a[F] farmer's door a[C] lodging for to [G7]gain
The[C] farmer's daughter[C7] she came down and [F]viewed him cheek and[Am] chin
She[C] says, He is a[F] handsome man. I[C] pray you take him[G7] in
We'll[C] go no more a [C7]roving, a [F]roving in the[Am] night
We'll [C]go no more a[F] roving, let the[C] moon shine so[G7] bright
We'll[C] go no more a roving
He would not lie within the barn nor yet within the byre
But he would in the corner lie down by the kitchen fire
o then the beggar's bed was made of good clean sheets and hay
And down beside the kitchen fire the jolly beggar lay
The farmer's daughter she got up to bolt the kitchen door
And there she saw the beggar standing naked on the floor
He took the daughter in his arms and to the bed he ran
Kind sir, she says, be easy now, you'll waken our goodman
Now you are no beggar, you are some gentleman
For you have stolen my maidenhead and I am quite undone
I am no lord, I am no squire, of beggars I be one
And beggars they be robbers all, so you re quite undone
[[C]It's of a jolly[C7] beggarman came[F] tripping o'er the[Am] plain
He[C] came unto a[F] farmer's door a[C] lodging for to [G7]gain
The[C] farmer's daughter[C7] she came down and [F]viewed him cheek and[Am] chin
She[C] says, He is a[F] handsome man. I[C] pray you take him[G7] in
We'll[C] go no more a [C7]roving, a [F]roving in the[Am] night
We'll [C]go no more a[F] roving, let the[C] moon shine so[G7] bright
We'll[C] go no more a roving
He would not lie within the barn nor yet within the byre
But he would in the corner lie down by the kitchen fire
o then the beggar's bed was made of good clean sheets and hay
And down beside the kitchen fire the jolly beggar lay
The farmer's daughter she got up to bolt the kitchen door
And there she saw the beggar standing naked on the floor
He took the daughter in his arms and to the bed he ran
Kind sir, she says, be easy now, you'll waken our goodman
Now you are no beggar, you are some gentleman
For you have stolen my maidenhead and I am quite undone
I am no lord, I am no squire, of beggars I be one
And beggars they be robbers all, so you re quite undone
🎸 The Jolly Beggarman – Fingerpicked Intro / Outro (Key of G Major)
Time: 6/8 (think “ONE-two-three, TWO-two-three”)
Tempo: ~100 bpm
Style: Irish folk jig – rolling and bouncy
🎶 4-Bar Intro TAB
G Major C Major
e|---------3-----------3-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-------0---0-----|-----1-------1---1-----|
G|---0---0---0---0---0---|---0---0---0---0---0---|
D|-0---------------------|-2---------------------|
A|-----------------------|-3---------------------|
E|-3---------------------|-----------------------|
A minor D7
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-------1---1-----|-----1-------1---1-----|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---|---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-2---------------------|-0---------------------|
A|-----------------------|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|-----------------------|
G Major D7 – G (Ending flourish)
e|---------3-----------3-|---------2-----------3--|
B|-----0-------0---0-----|-----1-------1---0------|
G|---0---0---0---0---0---|---2---2---2---0--------|
D|-0---------------------|-0----------------------|
A|-----------------------|------------------------|
E|-3---------------------|------------------------|
💡 How to Play
Use your thumb (P) on the bass strings (E, A, D), and index/middle/ring (I, M, A) on G–B–E strings.
Keep a gentle 6/8 sway — the feel should roll like:
boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick
Let each chord ring slightly into the next.
Play it once through for the intro, and again as a slow, soft outro to end the song.
🎶 Suggested Transition
After the intro, strike one solid G chord and begin the first verse:
🎤 “It’s of a jolly beggarman came tripping o’er the plain…”
Then move into your strumming pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ (folk bounce, strong on beat 1)
Time: 6/8 (think “ONE-two-three, TWO-two-three”)
Tempo: ~100 bpm
Style: Irish folk jig – rolling and bouncy
🎶 4-Bar Intro TAB
G Major C Major
e|---------3-----------3-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-------0---0-----|-----1-------1---1-----|
G|---0---0---0---0---0---|---0---0---0---0---0---|
D|-0---------------------|-2---------------------|
A|-----------------------|-3---------------------|
E|-3---------------------|-----------------------|
A minor D7
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-------1---1-----|-----1-------1---1-----|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---|---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-2---------------------|-0---------------------|
A|-----------------------|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|-----------------------|
G Major D7 – G (Ending flourish)
e|---------3-----------3-|---------2-----------3--|
B|-----0-------0---0-----|-----1-------1---0------|
G|---0---0---0---0---0---|---2---2---2---0--------|
D|-0---------------------|-0----------------------|
A|-----------------------|------------------------|
E|-3---------------------|------------------------|
💡 How to Play
Use your thumb (P) on the bass strings (E, A, D), and index/middle/ring (I, M, A) on G–B–E strings.
Keep a gentle 6/8 sway — the feel should roll like:
boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick
Let each chord ring slightly into the next.
Play it once through for the intro, and again as a slow, soft outro to end the song.
🎶 Suggested Transition
After the intro, strike one solid G chord and begin the first verse:
🎤 “It’s of a jolly beggarman came tripping o’er the plain…”
Then move into your strumming pattern:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ (folk bounce, strong on beat 1)
Below is the complete version in G Major, with chords placed through every verse and a recommended strumming pattern that fits its lively, folk rhythm.
🎵 The Jolly Beggarman
Key: G Major
Tempo: Moderate folk rhythm (~95–100 bpm)
Time Signature: 4/4
Style: Irish Folk (bouncy and rhythmic)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk Feel)
Use a light swing for that jig-like rhythm:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count as:
1 2 & & 3 & 4 &
Alternate version (for more drive):
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ Bass ↓ ↑
Keep it steady and lively, accenting the first and third beats.
🎶 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1
[G]It's of a jolly [G7]beggarman came [C]tripping o'er the [Am]plain
He [G]came unto a [C]farmer's door a [G]lodging for to [D7]gain
The [G]farmer's daughter [G7]she came down and [C]viewed him cheek and [Am]chin
She [G]says, "He is a [C]handsome man, I [G]pray you take him [D7]in"
Chorus
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, a [C]roving in the [Am]night
We'll [G]go no more a [C]roving, let the [G]moon shine so [D7]bright
We'll [G]go no more a roving
Verse 2
He [G]would not lie within the [G7]barn nor [C]yet within the [Am]byre
But [G]he would in the [C]corner lie down [G]by the kitchen [D7]fire
Oh [G]then the beggar's [G7]bed was made of [C]good clean sheets and [Am]hay
And [G]down beside the [C]kitchen fire the [G]jolly beggar [D7]lay
Verse 3
The [G]farmer's daughter [G7]she got up to [C]bolt the kitchen [Am]door
And [G]there she saw the [C]beggar man [G]stand naked on the [D7]floor
He [G]took the daughter [G7]in his arms and [C]to the bed he [Am]ran
“Kind [G]sir,” she said, “be [C]easy now, you’ll [G]waken our good [D7]man.”
Verse 4
Now [G]you are no beggar, [G7]you are some [C]gentle[Am]man
For [G]you have stolen my [C]maidenhead and [G]I am quite un[D7]done
“I [G]am no lord, I [G7]am no squire, of [C]beggars I be [Am]one
And [G]beggars they be [C]robbers all, so [G]you’re quite un[D7]done!”
Final Chorus (stronger)
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, a [C]roving in the [Am]night
We'll [G]go no more a [C]roving, let the [G]moon shine so [D7]bright
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, till [C]morning meets the [Am]sun
For [G]beggars they be [C]robbers all — so [G]our roving [D7]days are [G]done!
💡 Performance Tips
Play the first verse softly, with a lighter strum or light fingerpicking.
Gradually build energy each verse, finishing the final chorus with bold, rhythmic strums.
If you’re performing solo, try a strong downstroke on beat 1 for each measure to give it that “marching” Irish feel.
🎵 The Jolly Beggarman
Key: G Major
Tempo: Moderate folk rhythm (~95–100 bpm)
Time Signature: 4/4
Style: Irish Folk (bouncy and rhythmic)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk Feel)
Use a light swing for that jig-like rhythm:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count as:
1 2 & & 3 & 4 &
Alternate version (for more drive):
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ Bass ↓ ↑
Keep it steady and lively, accenting the first and third beats.
🎶 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1
[G]It's of a jolly [G7]beggarman came [C]tripping o'er the [Am]plain
He [G]came unto a [C]farmer's door a [G]lodging for to [D7]gain
The [G]farmer's daughter [G7]she came down and [C]viewed him cheek and [Am]chin
She [G]says, "He is a [C]handsome man, I [G]pray you take him [D7]in"
Chorus
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, a [C]roving in the [Am]night
We'll [G]go no more a [C]roving, let the [G]moon shine so [D7]bright
We'll [G]go no more a roving
Verse 2
He [G]would not lie within the [G7]barn nor [C]yet within the [Am]byre
But [G]he would in the [C]corner lie down [G]by the kitchen [D7]fire
Oh [G]then the beggar's [G7]bed was made of [C]good clean sheets and [Am]hay
And [G]down beside the [C]kitchen fire the [G]jolly beggar [D7]lay
Verse 3
The [G]farmer's daughter [G7]she got up to [C]bolt the kitchen [Am]door
And [G]there she saw the [C]beggar man [G]stand naked on the [D7]floor
He [G]took the daughter [G7]in his arms and [C]to the bed he [Am]ran
“Kind [G]sir,” she said, “be [C]easy now, you’ll [G]waken our good [D7]man.”
Verse 4
Now [G]you are no beggar, [G7]you are some [C]gentle[Am]man
For [G]you have stolen my [C]maidenhead and [G]I am quite un[D7]done
“I [G]am no lord, I [G7]am no squire, of [C]beggars I be [Am]one
And [G]beggars they be [C]robbers all, so [G]you’re quite un[D7]done!”
Final Chorus (stronger)
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, a [C]roving in the [Am]night
We'll [G]go no more a [C]roving, let the [G]moon shine so [D7]bright
We'll [G]go no more a [G7]roving, till [C]morning meets the [Am]sun
For [G]beggars they be [C]robbers all — so [G]our roving [D7]days are [G]done!
💡 Performance Tips
Play the first verse softly, with a lighter strum or light fingerpicking.
Gradually build energy each verse, finishing the final chorus with bold, rhythmic strums.
If you’re performing solo, try a strong downstroke on beat 1 for each measure to give it that “marching” Irish feel.
