The Sea Around Us Lyrics And Chords By Dominic Behan
The Ludlow's had a No. 1 hit with this song in 1966. also recorded by The Dubliner's. The guitar chords are in D with a version in G Major in chordpro. The youtube video is by The Johnstones. Dermot O'Brien, Patsy Watchorn and Ron Kavana. The late great Jim McCann was in the band which he joined in 1965 after returning from England. The Ludlow's were one of the best known Irish folk groups in Ireland in the 1960's along with The Dubliner's and The Wolfe Tones. This song was written by singer / songwriter Dominic Behan who also wrote Liverpool Loo [ lyrics ] and McAlpines Fusiliers. Anyway, The Ludlows broke up soon after, in 1967 and Jim McCann went on to a solo career in folk singing before joining The Dubliners in 1974 and stayed until '79. The tin whistle sheet music is included. The included sheet music can be played on the flute and piano accordion.
The Sea Around Us Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords In D Major
[D]They say that the lakes of Kill[A]arney are fair
That no stream like the Liffey can[G] ever com[A]pare,
If it's[D] water you want, you'll find [A]nothing more rare
Than the stuff they make[G] down by the[A] oce[D]an.
cho:
The[D] sea, oh the sea is the[G] gradh geal mo[D] croide*
[A]Long may it stay between [G]England and[A] me
It's a[D] sure guaran[A]tee that some[D] hour we'll be free
Oh, thank[A] God we're sur[G]rounded by[A] wa[D]ter.
Tom Moore made his "Waters" meet fame and reknown
A great lover of anything dressed in a crown
In brandy the bandy old Saxon he'd drown
But throw ne'er a one in the ocean.
The Scots have their Whisky, the Welch have their speech
And their poets are paid about tenpence a week
Provided no hard words on England they speak
Oh Lord, what a price for devotion.
The Danes came to Ireland with nothing to do
But dream of the plundered old Irish they slew,
"Yeh will in yer vikings" said Brian Boru
And threw them back into the ocean.
Two foreign old monarchs in battle did join
Each wanting his head on the back of a coin;
If the Irish had sense they'd drowned both in the Boyne
And partition thrown into the ocean.
[D]They say that the lakes of Kill[A]arney are fair
That no stream like the Liffey can[G] ever com[A]pare,
If it's[D] water you want, you'll find [A]nothing more rare
Than the stuff they make[G] down by the[A] oce[D]an.
cho:
The[D] sea, oh the sea is the[G] gradh geal mo[D] croide*
[A]Long may it stay between [G]England and[A] me
It's a[D] sure guaran[A]tee that some[D] hour we'll be free
Oh, thank[A] God we're sur[G]rounded by[A] wa[D]ter.
Tom Moore made his "Waters" meet fame and reknown
A great lover of anything dressed in a crown
In brandy the bandy old Saxon he'd drown
But throw ne'er a one in the ocean.
The Scots have their Whisky, the Welch have their speech
And their poets are paid about tenpence a week
Provided no hard words on England they speak
Oh Lord, what a price for devotion.
The Danes came to Ireland with nothing to do
But dream of the plundered old Irish they slew,
"Yeh will in yer vikings" said Brian Boru
And threw them back into the ocean.
Two foreign old monarchs in battle did join
Each wanting his head on the back of a coin;
If the Irish had sense they'd drowned both in the Boyne
And partition thrown into the ocean.
🎶 The Sea, Oh The Sea
(Key of G Major)
Verse 1
[G]They say that the lakes of Kil[D]larney are fair
That no [A7]stream like the Liffey can [D]ever com[G]pare,
If it's [G]water you want, you'll find [D]nothing more rare
Than the [A7]stuff they make [G]down by the [A7]oce[G]an.
Chorus
The [G]sea, oh the sea is the [C]gradh geal mo [G]chroí*
[A7]Long may it stay between [C]England and [D7]me
It's a [G]sure guaran[D]tee that some [G]hour we'll be free
Oh, thank [A7]God we're sur[C]rounded by [D7]wa[G]ter.
Verse 2
Tom [G]Moore made his “Waters” meet [D]fame and renown
A great [A7]lover of anything [D]dressed in a [G]crown
In [G]brandy the bandy old [D]Saxon he'd drown
But he'd [A7]throw ne’er a one [G]in the [A7]oce[G]an.
Verse 3
The [G]Scots have their whisky, the [D]Welch have their speech
And their [A7]poets are paid about [D]tenpence a [G]week
Pro[G]vided no hard words on [D]England they speak
Oh [A7]Lord, what a price [G]for de[A7]vo[G]tion.
Verse 4
The [G]Danes came to Ireland with [D]nothing to do
But [A7]dream of the plundered old [D]Irish they [G]slew,
“Ye’ll [G]wail in yer vikings,” said [D]Brian Boru
And [A7]threw them all [G]back in the [A7]oce[G]an.
Verse 5
Two [G]foreign old monarchs in [D]battle did join
Each [A7]wanting his head on the [D]back of a [G]coin;
If the [G]Irish had sense they'd have [D]drowned both in the Boyne
And [A7]partition thrown [G]into the [A7]oce[G]an.
Translation Note:
“Gradh geal mo chroí” = “bright love of my heart” (Irish Gaelic).
🎸 Suggested Strumming Pattern
Irish folk strum (4/4 time):
D – D U – U D U
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Keep it light and bouncy, accenting beats 2 and 4.
For the chorus, you can strum a bit stronger to lift the energy.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
(G chord shapes used, key of G, simple alternating thumb pattern)
Pattern: T = Thumb, I = Index, M = Middle
T plays on bass strings (E/A/D) alternating root–fifth
I and M pluck G/B strings
Intro / Verse 1 (Example tab)
G D A7 G
e|---------3-----------|---------2---------|---------0---------|---------3---------|
B|-----0-------0-------|-----3-------3-----|-----2-------2-----|-----0-------0-----|
G|---0---0---0---0-----|---2---2---2---2---|---0---0---0---0---|---0---0---0---0---|
D|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A|---------------------|-------------------|-----0-------0-----|-------------------|
E|-3-------2-----------|-2-------0---------|-------------------|-3-------2---------|
Play this pattern once per chord change in the first verse; it mirrors the lilting rhythm of an Irish ballad.
(Key of G Major)
Verse 1
[G]They say that the lakes of Kil[D]larney are fair
That no [A7]stream like the Liffey can [D]ever com[G]pare,
If it's [G]water you want, you'll find [D]nothing more rare
Than the [A7]stuff they make [G]down by the [A7]oce[G]an.
Chorus
The [G]sea, oh the sea is the [C]gradh geal mo [G]chroí*
[A7]Long may it stay between [C]England and [D7]me
It's a [G]sure guaran[D]tee that some [G]hour we'll be free
Oh, thank [A7]God we're sur[C]rounded by [D7]wa[G]ter.
Verse 2
Tom [G]Moore made his “Waters” meet [D]fame and renown
A great [A7]lover of anything [D]dressed in a [G]crown
In [G]brandy the bandy old [D]Saxon he'd drown
But he'd [A7]throw ne’er a one [G]in the [A7]oce[G]an.
Verse 3
The [G]Scots have their whisky, the [D]Welch have their speech
And their [A7]poets are paid about [D]tenpence a [G]week
Pro[G]vided no hard words on [D]England they speak
Oh [A7]Lord, what a price [G]for de[A7]vo[G]tion.
Verse 4
The [G]Danes came to Ireland with [D]nothing to do
But [A7]dream of the plundered old [D]Irish they [G]slew,
“Ye’ll [G]wail in yer vikings,” said [D]Brian Boru
And [A7]threw them all [G]back in the [A7]oce[G]an.
Verse 5
Two [G]foreign old monarchs in [D]battle did join
Each [A7]wanting his head on the [D]back of a [G]coin;
If the [G]Irish had sense they'd have [D]drowned both in the Boyne
And [A7]partition thrown [G]into the [A7]oce[G]an.
Translation Note:
“Gradh geal mo chroí” = “bright love of my heart” (Irish Gaelic).
🎸 Suggested Strumming Pattern
Irish folk strum (4/4 time):
D – D U – U D U
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Keep it light and bouncy, accenting beats 2 and 4.
For the chorus, you can strum a bit stronger to lift the energy.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
(G chord shapes used, key of G, simple alternating thumb pattern)
Pattern: T = Thumb, I = Index, M = Middle
T plays on bass strings (E/A/D) alternating root–fifth
I and M pluck G/B strings
Intro / Verse 1 (Example tab)
G D A7 G
e|---------3-----------|---------2---------|---------0---------|---------3---------|
B|-----0-------0-------|-----3-------3-----|-----2-------2-----|-----0-------0-----|
G|---0---0---0---0-----|---2---2---2---2---|---0---0---0---0---|---0---0---0---0---|
D|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A|---------------------|-------------------|-----0-------0-----|-------------------|
E|-3-------2-----------|-2-------0---------|-------------------|-3-------2---------|
Play this pattern once per chord change in the first verse; it mirrors the lilting rhythm of an Irish ballad.
Irish Folk Song - The Sea Around Us
List Of Songs That Have Being Credited To Dominic Behan
"The Patriot Game"
"McAlpine's Fusiliers"
"Liverpool Lou"
"Come Out Ye Black and Tans"
"The Sea Around Us"
"Avondale"
Other Songs Credited to Dominic Behan
"The Merry Ploughboy" (Sometimes attributed to him or an adaptation)
"Take It Down From the Mast"
"Famine Song"
"Arkle"
"Building Up And Tearing England Down"
"Hand Me Down Me Petticoat"
"Maloney Wants A Drink"
"John Mitchell"
"Easy and Slow" ?
"Dicey Riley" (Often recorded by him; songwriting credit is sometimes shared or debated)
"Biddy Mulligan"
"The Oul' Alarm Clock"
"The Women are Worse than the Men"
"The Twang Man"
"Fine Girl You Are"
"The Saint"
"Crooked Jack"
"The Boys from the County Cork"
"Down by the Liffeyside"
"The Patriot Game"
"McAlpine's Fusiliers"
"Liverpool Lou"
"Come Out Ye Black and Tans"
"The Sea Around Us"
"Avondale"
Other Songs Credited to Dominic Behan
"The Merry Ploughboy" (Sometimes attributed to him or an adaptation)
"Take It Down From the Mast"
"Famine Song"
"Arkle"
"Building Up And Tearing England Down"
"Hand Me Down Me Petticoat"
"Maloney Wants A Drink"
"John Mitchell"
"Easy and Slow" ?
"Dicey Riley" (Often recorded by him; songwriting credit is sometimes shared or debated)
"Biddy Mulligan"
"The Oul' Alarm Clock"
"The Women are Worse than the Men"
"The Twang Man"
"Fine Girl You Are"
"The Saint"
"Crooked Jack"
"The Boys from the County Cork"
"Down by the Liffeyside"
The sheet music for The Sea Around Us in G Major.
The sea around us tin whistle tab
The Ludlows Irish band
Below is another version of the sheet music for The Sea Around Us in the key of D Major and suited to the flute and accordion.
