The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn Lyrics And Chords
Ebook of tin whistle tabs for The Pogues
The piano sheet music with chords and bass is in the ebook here .
Written by Shane MacGowan and recorded by The Pogues [ lyrics and chords ]
Intro guitar chords
[C][Dm][C][D][C][Dm][F][C]
Mc[C]Cormack and Richard [Dm] Tauber
Are [C] singing by the [Dm] bed.
There's a [C] glass of punch below your [Dm]feet
And an angel at your [C] head.
There's [C] devils on each [Dm] side of you
With [C] bottles in their [Dm] hands.
You need [C] one more drop of [Dm] poison
And you'll [C] dream of foreign [Am] lands.
When you [F] pissed yourself in [Bb] Frankfurt
And got [C] syph down in Co[F]logne
And you [F] heard the rattling [Bb] death trains
As you [C] lay there all a[F]lone,
Frank [F] Ryan brought you [C] whiskey
In a [Bb] brothel in Ma[C]drid
And you [Bb] decked some fucking [Bb] blackshirt
Who was [C] cursing all the [C] Yids.
At the [F] sick bed of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel and say a [F] prayer
And the [Bb] ghosts are rattling [F] at the door
And the [C] devil's in the [F] chair.
And [F] in the Euston [Bb] Tavern
You [C] screamed it was your [F] shout
But they [F] wouldn't give you [Bb] service
So you [C] kicked the windows [F] out.
They [F] took you out in[C]to the street
And [Bb] kicked you in the [C] brains,
So you [Bb] walked back in through a [Bb] bolted door
And [C] did it all a[C]gain.
At the [F] sick bed of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel and say a [F] prayer
And the [Bb] ghosts are rattling [F] at the door
And the [C] devil's in than[F] chair
You re[C]member that foul [Dm] evening
When you [C] heard the banshees [Dm] howl,
There was [C] lazy drunken [Dm] bastards
Singing [F] 'Billy is in the [C] bowl.'
They [C] took you up to [Dm] midnight mass
And [C] left you in the [Dm] lurch
So you [C] dropped a button [Dm] in the plate
And [Am] spewed up in the [Am] church.
Now you'll [F] sing a song of [Bb] liberty
For [C] blacks and paks and [F] jocks
And they'll [F] take you from this [Bb] dump you're in
And [C] stick you in a [F] box.
Then they'll [F] take you to Clough[C]prior
And [Bb] shove you in the [C] ground
But you'll [Bb] stick your head back [Bb] out and shout,
"We'll [C] have another [C] round."
At the [F] graveside of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel around and [F] pray
And [Bb] God is in His [F] heaven,
And [C] Billy's down by the [F] bay.
Written by Shane MacGowan and recorded by The Pogues [ lyrics and chords ]
Intro guitar chords
[C][Dm][C][D][C][Dm][F][C]
Mc[C]Cormack and Richard [Dm] Tauber
Are [C] singing by the [Dm] bed.
There's a [C] glass of punch below your [Dm]feet
And an angel at your [C] head.
There's [C] devils on each [Dm] side of you
With [C] bottles in their [Dm] hands.
You need [C] one more drop of [Dm] poison
And you'll [C] dream of foreign [Am] lands.
When you [F] pissed yourself in [Bb] Frankfurt
And got [C] syph down in Co[F]logne
And you [F] heard the rattling [Bb] death trains
As you [C] lay there all a[F]lone,
Frank [F] Ryan brought you [C] whiskey
In a [Bb] brothel in Ma[C]drid
And you [Bb] decked some fucking [Bb] blackshirt
Who was [C] cursing all the [C] Yids.
At the [F] sick bed of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel and say a [F] prayer
And the [Bb] ghosts are rattling [F] at the door
And the [C] devil's in the [F] chair.
And [F] in the Euston [Bb] Tavern
You [C] screamed it was your [F] shout
But they [F] wouldn't give you [Bb] service
So you [C] kicked the windows [F] out.
They [F] took you out in[C]to the street
And [Bb] kicked you in the [C] brains,
So you [Bb] walked back in through a [Bb] bolted door
And [C] did it all a[C]gain.
At the [F] sick bed of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel and say a [F] prayer
And the [Bb] ghosts are rattling [F] at the door
And the [C] devil's in than[F] chair
You re[C]member that foul [Dm] evening
When you [C] heard the banshees [Dm] howl,
There was [C] lazy drunken [Dm] bastards
Singing [F] 'Billy is in the [C] bowl.'
They [C] took you up to [Dm] midnight mass
And [C] left you in the [Dm] lurch
So you [C] dropped a button [Dm] in the plate
And [Am] spewed up in the [Am] church.
Now you'll [F] sing a song of [Bb] liberty
For [C] blacks and paks and [F] jocks
And they'll [F] take you from this [Bb] dump you're in
And [C] stick you in a [F] box.
Then they'll [F] take you to Clough[C]prior
And [Bb] shove you in the [C] ground
But you'll [Bb] stick your head back [Bb] out and shout,
"We'll [C] have another [C] round."
At the [F] graveside of Cu[F]chulainn
We'll [Bb] kneel around and [F] pray
And [Bb] God is in His [F] heaven,
And [C] Billy's down by the [F] bay.
A Man in a pub playing tin whistle wearing The Pogues T-Shirt
“The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn” by The Pogues is a fast Irish punk ballad in 4/4, but underneath the grit there’s a driving folk rhythm that can be arranged beautifully for solo acoustic guitar.
Let’s build a full strumming pattern and fingerpicking tab that fits your ABC notation and captures the raw, storytelling energy of the song.
🎶 “The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn” — Guitar Arrangement
Key: C major
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: ♩ = 200 (fast Irish folk-punk)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
⚡ 1. STRUMMING PATTERN (Irish Folk Punk Feel)
Use a driving, galloping down–up feel, similar to The Pogues’ rhythm guitar:
Pattern A (fast verses):
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count (in 4/4):
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Pattern B (slower storytelling verses / intros):
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
Count:
1 2 3 4
Bass ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
You can alternate between Pattern B for verses and Pattern A for choruses to build intensity.
🎸 2. CHORD PROGRESSION GUIDE (Verse Section)
Line Lyrics Chords
McCormack and Richard Tauber G – Am
are singing by the bed G – Am
There’s a glass of punch below your feet C – G
and an angel at your head Am – G
There’s devils on each side of you G – Am
with bottles in their hands Am – Em
You need one more drop of poison Em – C
and you’ll dream of foreign lands F – G – C
🎵 3. FINGERPICKING PATTERN (folk storytelling version)
Use a steady thumb–finger alternation, reminiscent of folk ballad guitar:
Pattern (per bar, 4/4):
P–i–m–a–i–m–a–i
(thumb on bass, fingers on higher strings)
Example in C major:
C
e|---------0-------0-----|
B|-------1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-3----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a i m a i
🎸 4. GUITAR TAB — Verse 1 (fingerpicked folk version)
“McCormack and Richard Tauber are singing by the bed…”
G Am
e|-------3-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----0-------0-------0---|-----1-------1-------1---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---2-------2-------2-----|
D|-0-------0---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
McCor-mack and Ri-chard Tau-ber are sing-ing by the bed.
G Am
e|-------3-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----0-------0-------0---|-----1-------1-------1---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---2-------2-------2-----|
D|-0-------0---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
There’s a glass of punch below your feet, and an angel at your head.
C G
e|-------0-------0-------0-|-------3-------3-------3-|
B|-----1-------1-------1---|-----0-------0-------0---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-----|
D|-2-------2---------------|-0-------0---------------|
A|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
E|--------------------------|-3------------------------|
There’s devils on each side of you with bottles in their hands.
Am Em
e|-------0-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----1-------1-------1---|-----0-------0-------0---|
G|---2-------2-------2-----|---0-------0-------0-----|
D|-2-------2---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-2-----------------------|
E|--------------------------|-0------------------------|
You need one more drop of poison and you’ll dream of foreign lands.
🎵 5. CHORUS SECTION (strummed with energy)
“At the sick bed of Cúchulainn we’ll kneel and say a prayer…”
Chord Progression Strumming
C – F – G – C ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
C – F – G – C ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
C F G C
e|-0--------0-|------1-------1-|------3-------3-|------0-------0-|
B|-1--------1-|------1-------1-|------0-------0-|------1-------1-|
G|-0--------0-|------2-------2-|------0-------0-|------0-------0-|
D|-2--------2-|------3-------3-|------0-------0-|------2-------2-|
A|-3--------3-|----------------|------2-------2-|------3-------3-|
E|------------|------1-------1-|------3-------3-|----------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
💡 PERFORMANCE NOTES
Keep the thumb alternating bass notes steadily (folk version).
For Pogues-style energy, let your strumming hand bounce and muted slap the strings slightly on the 2 and 4 beats.
You can gradually increase speed verse by verse until the final chorus bursts into the full down-up strum.
A tin whistle or mandolin line can double your melody nicely if you’re arranging for multiple instruments.
🎶 “The Village of Astee” — Guitar Accompaniment
Key: C major
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: ♩ = 108 (folk ballad tempo)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
🎸 1. STRUMMING PATTERN (Folk Waltz Feel in 4/4)
Use this gentle rolling strum for verses:
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Counted as “1 2 & 3 & 4 &”)
1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
Strike bass note (root or fifth) on beat 1
Keep a steady, relaxed pulse — Irish storytelling style, not rigid
Let open treble strings ring for brightness
Example (C chord):
e|--0---0---0---0---|
B|--1---1---1---1---|
G|--0---0---0---0---|
D|--2---2---2---2---|
A|--3----------------|
E|-------------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
🎵 2. SUGGESTED CHORD PROGRESSION
(Aligned to your ABC melody and phrasing)
Phrase Lyrics Chords
1 I’m just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home C – F – G – C
2 I love to ramble down the road when my daily chores are done Am – F – G – C
3 It happened that one summer’s eve when fate was kind to me F – C – G – C
4 I spied a young lad walking in the village of Astee F – G – C – C
5 So I resolved to speak with him to hear what he might say Am – F – G – C
6 I walked a little faster until I had crossed his way F – C – G – C
7 I stated my intentions quite plain for him to see C – G – Am – F
8 Then he took my hand and kissed my cheek, in the village of Astee F – G – C
🎸 3. FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Arpeggio Style)
Use a folk arpeggio pattern (Thumb + 3 fingers):
P – i – m – a – m – i
Example (C major):
C
e|---------0-------0-----|
B|-------1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-3----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a m i
🎼 4. FINGERPICKING TAB — Full Verse Example
“I’m just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home…”
C F
e|---------0-------0-------0-|---------1-------1-------1-|
B|-------1---1---1---1---1---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----2-------2-------2-----|
D|---2------------------------|---3-----------------------|
A|-3--------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|----------------------------|---------------------------|
I'm just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home
G C
e|---------3-------3-------3-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------0---0---0---0---0---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---0------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------|---------------------------|
I love to ramble down the road when my daily chores are done
“It happened that one summer’s eve when fate was kind to me…”
F C
e|---------1-------1-------1-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------1---1---1---1---1---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----2-------2-------2-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---3------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|-3--------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|----------------------------|---------------------------|
It happened that one summer's eve when fate was kind to me
G C
e|---------3-------3-------3-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------0---0---0---0---0---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---0------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------|---------------------------|
I spied a young lad walking in the village of Astee
💡 PERFORMANCE NOTES
Keep your thumb alternating between the root and fifth bass notes:
For C: 5th → 4th
For F: 4th → 3rd
For G: 6th → 4th
Play legato — let all notes ring together.
Add slight dynamics by pressing a bit harder on melody notes (usually top string).
When repeating verses, alternate between fingerpicking and light strumming for texture.
“The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn” by The Pogues is a fast Irish punk ballad in 4/4, but underneath the grit there’s a driving folk rhythm that can be arranged beautifully for solo acoustic guitar.
Let’s build a full strumming pattern and fingerpicking tab that fits your ABC notation and captures the raw, storytelling energy of the song.
🎶 “The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn” — Guitar Arrangement
Key: C major
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: ♩ = 200 (fast Irish folk-punk)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
⚡ 1. STRUMMING PATTERN (Irish Folk Punk Feel)
Use a driving, galloping down–up feel, similar to The Pogues’ rhythm guitar:
Pattern A (fast verses):
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count (in 4/4):
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Pattern B (slower storytelling verses / intros):
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
Count:
1 2 3 4
Bass ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
You can alternate between Pattern B for verses and Pattern A for choruses to build intensity.
🎸 2. CHORD PROGRESSION GUIDE (Verse Section)
Line Lyrics Chords
McCormack and Richard Tauber G – Am
are singing by the bed G – Am
There’s a glass of punch below your feet C – G
and an angel at your head Am – G
There’s devils on each side of you G – Am
with bottles in their hands Am – Em
You need one more drop of poison Em – C
and you’ll dream of foreign lands F – G – C
🎵 3. FINGERPICKING PATTERN (folk storytelling version)
Use a steady thumb–finger alternation, reminiscent of folk ballad guitar:
Pattern (per bar, 4/4):
P–i–m–a–i–m–a–i
(thumb on bass, fingers on higher strings)
Example in C major:
C
e|---------0-------0-----|
B|-------1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-3----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a i m a i
🎸 4. GUITAR TAB — Verse 1 (fingerpicked folk version)
“McCormack and Richard Tauber are singing by the bed…”
G Am
e|-------3-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----0-------0-------0---|-----1-------1-------1---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---2-------2-------2-----|
D|-0-------0---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
McCor-mack and Ri-chard Tau-ber are sing-ing by the bed.
G Am
e|-------3-------3-------3-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----0-------0-------0---|-----1-------1-------1---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---2-------2-------2-----|
D|-0-------0---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
There’s a glass of punch below your feet, and an angel at your head.
C G
e|-------0-------0-------0-|-------3-------3-------3-|
B|-----1-------1-------1---|-----0-------0-------0---|
G|---0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-----|
D|-2-------2---------------|-0-------0---------------|
A|-3------------------------|-------------------------|
E|--------------------------|-3------------------------|
There’s devils on each side of you with bottles in their hands.
Am Em
e|-------0-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-------0-|
B|-----1-------1-------1---|-----0-------0-------0---|
G|---2-------2-------2-----|---0-------0-------0-----|
D|-2-------2---------------|-2-------2---------------|
A|--------------------------|-2-----------------------|
E|--------------------------|-0------------------------|
You need one more drop of poison and you’ll dream of foreign lands.
🎵 5. CHORUS SECTION (strummed with energy)
“At the sick bed of Cúchulainn we’ll kneel and say a prayer…”
Chord Progression Strumming
C – F – G – C ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
C – F – G – C ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
C F G C
e|-0--------0-|------1-------1-|------3-------3-|------0-------0-|
B|-1--------1-|------1-------1-|------0-------0-|------1-------1-|
G|-0--------0-|------2-------2-|------0-------0-|------0-------0-|
D|-2--------2-|------3-------3-|------0-------0-|------2-------2-|
A|-3--------3-|----------------|------2-------2-|------3-------3-|
E|------------|------1-------1-|------3-------3-|----------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
💡 PERFORMANCE NOTES
Keep the thumb alternating bass notes steadily (folk version).
For Pogues-style energy, let your strumming hand bounce and muted slap the strings slightly on the 2 and 4 beats.
You can gradually increase speed verse by verse until the final chorus bursts into the full down-up strum.
A tin whistle or mandolin line can double your melody nicely if you’re arranging for multiple instruments.
🎶 “The Village of Astee” — Guitar Accompaniment
Key: C major
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: ♩ = 108 (folk ballad tempo)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
🎸 1. STRUMMING PATTERN (Folk Waltz Feel in 4/4)
Use this gentle rolling strum for verses:
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Counted as “1 2 & 3 & 4 &”)
1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Bass ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
Strike bass note (root or fifth) on beat 1
Keep a steady, relaxed pulse — Irish storytelling style, not rigid
Let open treble strings ring for brightness
Example (C chord):
e|--0---0---0---0---|
B|--1---1---1---1---|
G|--0---0---0---0---|
D|--2---2---2---2---|
A|--3----------------|
E|-------------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
🎵 2. SUGGESTED CHORD PROGRESSION
(Aligned to your ABC melody and phrasing)
Phrase Lyrics Chords
1 I’m just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home C – F – G – C
2 I love to ramble down the road when my daily chores are done Am – F – G – C
3 It happened that one summer’s eve when fate was kind to me F – C – G – C
4 I spied a young lad walking in the village of Astee F – G – C – C
5 So I resolved to speak with him to hear what he might say Am – F – G – C
6 I walked a little faster until I had crossed his way F – C – G – C
7 I stated my intentions quite plain for him to see C – G – Am – F
8 Then he took my hand and kissed my cheek, in the village of Astee F – G – C
🎸 3. FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Arpeggio Style)
Use a folk arpeggio pattern (Thumb + 3 fingers):
P – i – m – a – m – i
Example (C major):
C
e|---------0-------0-----|
B|-------1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-|
D|---2--------------------|
A|-3----------------------|
E|------------------------|
P i m a m i
🎼 4. FINGERPICKING TAB — Full Verse Example
“I’m just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home…”
C F
e|---------0-------0-------0-|---------1-------1-------1-|
B|-------1---1---1---1---1---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----2-------2-------2-----|
D|---2------------------------|---3-----------------------|
A|-3--------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|----------------------------|---------------------------|
I'm just a plain young Irish girl and Kerry is my home
G C
e|---------3-------3-------3-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------0---0---0---0---0---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---0------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------|---------------------------|
I love to ramble down the road when my daily chores are done
“It happened that one summer’s eve when fate was kind to me…”
F C
e|---------1-------1-------1-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------1---1---1---1---1---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----2-------2-------2-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---3------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|-3--------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|----------------------------|---------------------------|
It happened that one summer's eve when fate was kind to me
G C
e|---------3-------3-------3-|---------0-------0-------0-|
B|-------0---0---0---0---0---|-------1---1---1---1---1---|
G|-----0-------0-------0-----|-----0-------0-------0-----|
D|---0------------------------|---2-----------------------|
A|----------------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------|---------------------------|
I spied a young lad walking in the village of Astee
💡 PERFORMANCE NOTES
Keep your thumb alternating between the root and fifth bass notes:
For C: 5th → 4th
For F: 4th → 3rd
For G: 6th → 4th
Play legato — let all notes ring together.
Add slight dynamics by pressing a bit harder on melody notes (usually top string).
When repeating verses, alternate between fingerpicking and light strumming for texture.
Below is the list of of tabs in the Ebook Of The Pogues Tin Whistle Sheet Music Tabs. Price €7.40.
The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn is included. Price is €7.40.
The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn is included. Price is €7.40.
James Fearnley Accordion Player The Pogues
Guitar chords in A Major
[A][Bm][A][B][A][Bm][D][A]
Mc[A]Cormack and Richard [Bm] Tauber
Are [A] singing by the [Bm] bed.
There's a [A] glass of punch below your [Bm]feet
And an angel at your [A] head.
There's [A] devils on each [Bm] side of you
With [A] bottles in their [Bm] hands.
You need [A] one more drop of [Bm] poison
And you'll [A] dream of foreign [F#m] lands.
When you [A] pissed yourself in [D] Frankfurt
And got [E] syph down in Co[A]logne
And you [A] heard the rattling [D] death trains
As you [E] lay there all a[A]lone,
Frank [A] Ryan brought you [E] whiskey
In a [D] brothel in Ma[E]drid
And you [D] decked some fucking [D] blackshirt
Who was [E] cursing all the [E] Yids.
At the [A] sick bed of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel and say a [A] prayer
And the [D] ghosts are rattling [A] at the door
And the [E] devil's in the [A] chair.
And [A] in the Euston [D] Tavern
You [E] screamed it was your [A] shout
But they [A] wouldn't give you [D] service
So you [E] kicked the windows [A] out.
They [A] took you out in[E]to the street
And [D] kicked you in the [E] brains,
So you [D] walked back in through a [D] bolted door
And [E] did it all a[E]gain.
At the [A] sick bed of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel and say a [A] prayer
And the [D] ghosts are rattling [A] at the door
And the [E] devil's in than[A] chair
You re[E]member that foul [F#m] evening
When you [E] heard the banshees [F#m] howl,
There was [E] lazy drunken [F#m] bastards
Singing [A] 'Billy is in the [E] bowl.'
They [E] took you up to [F#m] midnight mass
And [E] left you in the [F#m] lurch
So you [E] dropped a button [F#m] in the plate
And [C#m] spewed up in the [C#m] church.
Now you'll [A] sing a song of [D] liberty
For [E] blacks and paks and [A] jocks
And they'll [A] take you from this [D] dump you're in
And [E] stick you in a [A] box.
Then they'll [A] take you to Clough[E]prior
And [D] shove you in the [E] ground
But you'll [D] stick your head back [D] out and shout,
"We'll [E] have another [E] round."
At the [A] graveside of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel around and [A] pray
And [D] God is in His [A] heaven,
And [E] Billy's down by the [A] bay.
[A][Bm][A][B][A][Bm][D][A]
Mc[A]Cormack and Richard [Bm] Tauber
Are [A] singing by the [Bm] bed.
There's a [A] glass of punch below your [Bm]feet
And an angel at your [A] head.
There's [A] devils on each [Bm] side of you
With [A] bottles in their [Bm] hands.
You need [A] one more drop of [Bm] poison
And you'll [A] dream of foreign [F#m] lands.
When you [A] pissed yourself in [D] Frankfurt
And got [E] syph down in Co[A]logne
And you [A] heard the rattling [D] death trains
As you [E] lay there all a[A]lone,
Frank [A] Ryan brought you [E] whiskey
In a [D] brothel in Ma[E]drid
And you [D] decked some fucking [D] blackshirt
Who was [E] cursing all the [E] Yids.
At the [A] sick bed of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel and say a [A] prayer
And the [D] ghosts are rattling [A] at the door
And the [E] devil's in the [A] chair.
And [A] in the Euston [D] Tavern
You [E] screamed it was your [A] shout
But they [A] wouldn't give you [D] service
So you [E] kicked the windows [A] out.
They [A] took you out in[E]to the street
And [D] kicked you in the [E] brains,
So you [D] walked back in through a [D] bolted door
And [E] did it all a[E]gain.
At the [A] sick bed of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel and say a [A] prayer
And the [D] ghosts are rattling [A] at the door
And the [E] devil's in than[A] chair
You re[E]member that foul [F#m] evening
When you [E] heard the banshees [F#m] howl,
There was [E] lazy drunken [F#m] bastards
Singing [A] 'Billy is in the [E] bowl.'
They [E] took you up to [F#m] midnight mass
And [E] left you in the [F#m] lurch
So you [E] dropped a button [F#m] in the plate
And [C#m] spewed up in the [C#m] church.
Now you'll [A] sing a song of [D] liberty
For [E] blacks and paks and [A] jocks
And they'll [A] take you from this [D] dump you're in
And [E] stick you in a [A] box.
Then they'll [A] take you to Clough[E]prior
And [D] shove you in the [E] ground
But you'll [D] stick your head back [D] out and shout,
"We'll [E] have another [E] round."
At the [A] graveside of Cu[A]chulainn
We'll [D] kneel around and [A] pray
And [D] God is in His [A] heaven,
And [E] Billy's down by the [A] bay.
Alternative chords in the key of D
Intro guitar chords In D
[D][Em][D][E][D][Em][G][D]
Mc[D]Cormack and Richard [Em] Tauber
Are [D] singing by the [Em] bed.
There's a [D] glass of punch below your [Em]feet
And an angel at your [D] head.
There's [D] devils on each [Em] side of you
With [D] bottles in their [Em] hands.
You need [D] one more drop of [Em] poison
And you'll [D] dream of foreign [Bm] lands.
When you [D] pissed yourself in [G] Frankfurt
And got [A] syph down in Co[D]logne
And you [D] heard the rattling [G] death trains
As you [A] lay there all a[D]lone,
Frank [D] Ryan brought you [A] whiskey
In a [G] brothel in Ma[A]drid
And you [G] decked some fucking [G] blackshirt
Who was [A] cursing all the [A] Yids.
At the [D] sick bed of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel and say a [D] prayer
And the [G] ghosts are rattling [D] at the door
And the [A] devil's in the [D] chair.
And [D] in the Euston [G] Tavern
You [A] screamed it was your [D] shout
But they [D] wouldn't give you [G] service
So you [A] kicked the windows [D] out.
They [D] took you out in[A]to the street
And [G] kicked you in the [A] brains,
So you [G] walked back in through a [G] bolted door
And [A] did it all a[A]gain.
At the [D] sick bed of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel and say a [D] prayer
And the [G] ghosts are rattling [D] at the door
And the [A] devil's in than[D] chair
You re[A]member that foul [Bm] evening
When you [A] heard the banshees [Bm] howl,
There was [A] lazy drunken [Bm] bastards
Singing [D] 'Billy is in the [A] bowl.'
They [A] took you up to [Bm] midnight mass
And [A] left you in the [Bm] lurch
So you [A] dropped a button [Bm] in the plate
And [F#m] spewed up in the [F#m] church.
Now you'll [D] sing a song of [G] liberty
For [A] blacks and paks and [D] jocks
And they'll [D] take you from this [G] dump you're in
And [A] stick you in a [D] box.
Then they'll [D] take you to Clough[A]prior
And [G] shove you in the [A] ground
But you'll [G] stick your head back [G] out and shout,
"We'll [A] have another [A] round."
At the [D] graveside of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel around and [D] pray
And [G] God is in His [D] heaven,
And [A] Billy's down by the [D] bay.
Intro guitar chords In D
[D][Em][D][E][D][Em][G][D]
Mc[D]Cormack and Richard [Em] Tauber
Are [D] singing by the [Em] bed.
There's a [D] glass of punch below your [Em]feet
And an angel at your [D] head.
There's [D] devils on each [Em] side of you
With [D] bottles in their [Em] hands.
You need [D] one more drop of [Em] poison
And you'll [D] dream of foreign [Bm] lands.
When you [D] pissed yourself in [G] Frankfurt
And got [A] syph down in Co[D]logne
And you [D] heard the rattling [G] death trains
As you [A] lay there all a[D]lone,
Frank [D] Ryan brought you [A] whiskey
In a [G] brothel in Ma[A]drid
And you [G] decked some fucking [G] blackshirt
Who was [A] cursing all the [A] Yids.
At the [D] sick bed of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel and say a [D] prayer
And the [G] ghosts are rattling [D] at the door
And the [A] devil's in the [D] chair.
And [D] in the Euston [G] Tavern
You [A] screamed it was your [D] shout
But they [D] wouldn't give you [G] service
So you [A] kicked the windows [D] out.
They [D] took you out in[A]to the street
And [G] kicked you in the [A] brains,
So you [G] walked back in through a [G] bolted door
And [A] did it all a[A]gain.
At the [D] sick bed of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel and say a [D] prayer
And the [G] ghosts are rattling [D] at the door
And the [A] devil's in than[D] chair
You re[A]member that foul [Bm] evening
When you [A] heard the banshees [Bm] howl,
There was [A] lazy drunken [Bm] bastards
Singing [D] 'Billy is in the [A] bowl.'
They [A] took you up to [Bm] midnight mass
And [A] left you in the [Bm] lurch
So you [A] dropped a button [Bm] in the plate
And [F#m] spewed up in the [F#m] church.
Now you'll [D] sing a song of [G] liberty
For [A] blacks and paks and [D] jocks
And they'll [D] take you from this [G] dump you're in
And [A] stick you in a [D] box.
Then they'll [D] take you to Clough[A]prior
And [G] shove you in the [A] ground
But you'll [G] stick your head back [G] out and shout,
"We'll [A] have another [A] round."
At the [D] graveside of Cu[D]chulainn
We'll [G] kneel around and [D] pray
And [G] God is in His [D] heaven,
And [A] Billy's down by the [D] bay.
Irish warrior Cuchulainn
