The Spinning Wheel Lyrics and chords
John Waller [1809-1894] Made popular by Delia Murphy and also recorded by Foster & Allen [ lyrics ], Anna McGoldrick, Phil Coulter, Anne Breen and John McDermott, The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included and the second version can be used on the piano accordion and flute..
The Spinning Wheel Song Words & Guitar Chords In D Major
[D]Mellow the moonlight to shine is be[A7]ginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is[D] Spinning;
Bent o'er the[D7] fire her blind[G] grandmother, [D]sitting,
Is[A7] crooning, and moaning, and drowsily [D]knitting: -
"Eileen, achara, I hear someone tapping."
"Tis the ivy, dear mother, against the glass flapping."
"Eily, I surely hear somebody sighihg,"
"Tis the sound, mother dear, of the summer wind dying."
[Chorus]
[D]Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly[A] whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's[D] stirring;
Sprightly, and[D7] brightly, and[G] airily [D]ringing
[Em]Thrills the sweet[A7] voice of the young maiden[D] singing.
"What's that noise that I hear at the window, I wonder?"
"Tis the little birds chirpmg the holly bush under."
"What makes you be shoving and moving your stool on,
And singing all wrong that old song of 'The Coolun?"
There's a form at the casement - the form of her true love -
And he whispers, with face bent, "I'm waiting for you, love;
Get up on the stool, through the lattice step lightly,
We'll rove in the grove while the moon's shining brightly."
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring;
Sprightly, and brightly, and airily ringing
Thrills the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.
this is “Eileen Aroon (or Eileen Astore / Eileen Aghra)”, sometimes known by its first line “Mellow the Moonlight to Shine is Beginning.”
It’s a classic Irish ballad in G Major, gentle and lilting — a love song set to the hum of the spinning wheel.
Below you’ll find:
1️⃣ Full lyrics with chords in G Major
2️⃣ A fitting Irish-style strumming pattern
3️⃣ A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (in G Major)
🎶 Eileen Astore (Mellow the Moonlight)
(Key of G Major)
Verse 1
[G]Mellow the moonlight to shine is be[D7]ginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is[G] spinning;
Bent o’er the[G7] fire her blind[C] grandmother [G]sitting,
Is[D7] crooning, and moaning, and drowsily [G]knitting:
Verse 2
[G]“Eileen, achora, I hear someone [D7]tapping.”
“’Tis the ivy, dear mother, against the glass [G]flapping.”
“Eily, I surely hear somebody [C]sighing,”
“’Tis the [D7]sound, mother dear, of the summer wind [G]dying.”
Chorus
[G]Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly [D]whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot’s [G]stirring;
Sprightly, and[G7] brightly, and[C] airily [G]ringing,
[Em]Thrills the sweet [A7]voice of the young maiden [D7]singing.
Verse 3
[G]“What’s that noise that I hear at the [D7]window, I wonder?”
“’Tis the little birds chirping, the holly bush [G]under.”
“What makes you be shoving and moving your [C]stool on,
And [D7]singing all wrong that old song of ‘The [G]Coolun?’”
Verse 4
[G]There’s a form at the casement — the form of her [D7]true love,
And he whispers, with face bent, “I’m waiting for [G]you, love;
Get up on the [G7]stool, through the [C]lattice step [G]lightly,
We’ll [D7]rove in the grove while the moon’s shining [G]brightly.”
Final Chorus
[G]Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly [D]whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot’s [G]stirring;
Sprightly, and[G7] brightly, and[C] airily [G]ringing,
[Em]Thrills the sweet [A7]voice of the young maiden [D7]singing.
🎸 Irish Folk Strumming Pattern (4/4 Time)
A soft, lilting waltz-like motion (though in 4/4):
D – D U – U D U
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Keep it gentle and rhythmic, accenting beats 2 and 4.
On verses, keep the volume low to mimic the hush of a spinning room.
On the chorus, strum a little more brightly to lift the melody.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse (G Major)
This follows a Travis-picking feel — alternating bass (T) and melody (I, M).
Play softly, like a spinning wheel’s hum.
Mellow the moonlight to shine is be-ginning,
G G D7
e|-----3-----3-----3-----3-----2-----2-------------|
B|-------0-----0-----0-----0-----1-----1-----------|
G|---0-----0-----0-----0-----2-----2---------------|
D|-----------------0---------------------0----------|
A|-------------2------------------------------0-----|
E|-3-----------------------------------------------0|
Close by the window young Eileen is spinning;
D7 G G
e|-----2-----2-----3-----3-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------|
G|---2-----2-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-0-----------------0------------------------------|
A|-------------------------2------------------------|
E|-----------------3--------------------------------|
Bent o’er the fire her blind grandmother sitting,
G7 C G
e|-----1-----1-----0-----0-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------0-----0-----1-----1-----0-----0-----------|
G|---0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-----------------2---------------------0----------|
A|-----------------3-----------2--------------------|
E|-3------------------------------------------------|
Is crooning, and moaning, and drowsily knitting:
D7 G G
e|-----2-----2-----3-----3-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------|
G|---2-----2-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-0-----------------0------------------------------|
A|-------------------------2------------------------|
E|-----------------3--------------------------------|
Each pattern corresponds to one chord — repeat per lyric line.
It’s a classic Irish ballad in G Major, gentle and lilting — a love song set to the hum of the spinning wheel.
Below you’ll find:
1️⃣ Full lyrics with chords in G Major
2️⃣ A fitting Irish-style strumming pattern
3️⃣ A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (in G Major)
🎶 Eileen Astore (Mellow the Moonlight)
(Key of G Major)
Verse 1
[G]Mellow the moonlight to shine is be[D7]ginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is[G] spinning;
Bent o’er the[G7] fire her blind[C] grandmother [G]sitting,
Is[D7] crooning, and moaning, and drowsily [G]knitting:
Verse 2
[G]“Eileen, achora, I hear someone [D7]tapping.”
“’Tis the ivy, dear mother, against the glass [G]flapping.”
“Eily, I surely hear somebody [C]sighing,”
“’Tis the [D7]sound, mother dear, of the summer wind [G]dying.”
Chorus
[G]Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly [D]whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot’s [G]stirring;
Sprightly, and[G7] brightly, and[C] airily [G]ringing,
[Em]Thrills the sweet [A7]voice of the young maiden [D7]singing.
Verse 3
[G]“What’s that noise that I hear at the [D7]window, I wonder?”
“’Tis the little birds chirping, the holly bush [G]under.”
“What makes you be shoving and moving your [C]stool on,
And [D7]singing all wrong that old song of ‘The [G]Coolun?’”
Verse 4
[G]There’s a form at the casement — the form of her [D7]true love,
And he whispers, with face bent, “I’m waiting for [G]you, love;
Get up on the [G7]stool, through the [C]lattice step [G]lightly,
We’ll [D7]rove in the grove while the moon’s shining [G]brightly.”
Final Chorus
[G]Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly [D]whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot’s [G]stirring;
Sprightly, and[G7] brightly, and[C] airily [G]ringing,
[Em]Thrills the sweet [A7]voice of the young maiden [D7]singing.
🎸 Irish Folk Strumming Pattern (4/4 Time)
A soft, lilting waltz-like motion (though in 4/4):
D – D U – U D U
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Keep it gentle and rhythmic, accenting beats 2 and 4.
On verses, keep the volume low to mimic the hush of a spinning room.
On the chorus, strum a little more brightly to lift the melody.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse (G Major)
This follows a Travis-picking feel — alternating bass (T) and melody (I, M).
Play softly, like a spinning wheel’s hum.
Mellow the moonlight to shine is be-ginning,
G G D7
e|-----3-----3-----3-----3-----2-----2-------------|
B|-------0-----0-----0-----0-----1-----1-----------|
G|---0-----0-----0-----0-----2-----2---------------|
D|-----------------0---------------------0----------|
A|-------------2------------------------------0-----|
E|-3-----------------------------------------------0|
Close by the window young Eileen is spinning;
D7 G G
e|-----2-----2-----3-----3-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------|
G|---2-----2-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-0-----------------0------------------------------|
A|-------------------------2------------------------|
E|-----------------3--------------------------------|
Bent o’er the fire her blind grandmother sitting,
G7 C G
e|-----1-----1-----0-----0-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------0-----0-----1-----1-----0-----0-----------|
G|---0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-----------------2---------------------0----------|
A|-----------------3-----------2--------------------|
E|-3------------------------------------------------|
Is crooning, and moaning, and drowsily knitting:
D7 G G
e|-----2-----2-----3-----3-----3-----3-------------|
B|-------1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------|
G|---2-----2-----0-----0-----0-----0---------------|
D|-0-----------------0------------------------------|
A|-------------------------2------------------------|
E|-----------------3--------------------------------|
Each pattern corresponds to one chord — repeat per lyric line.
Chords in the key of G
[G]Mellow the moonlight to shine is be[D7]ginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is[G] Spinning;
Bent o'er the[G7] fire her blind[C] grandmother, [G]sitting,
Is[D7] crooning, and moaning, and drowsily [G]knitting
[G]Mellow the moonlight to shine is be[D7]ginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is[G] Spinning;
Bent o'er the[G7] fire her blind[C] grandmother, [G]sitting,
Is[D7] crooning, and moaning, and drowsily [G]knitting
Foster and Allen The Spinning Wheel
Here's another version of the sheet music, suitable for flute and piano accordion for The Spinning Wheel in the key of G Major which is the same as the tin whistle notes.
Below is the ebook list of Irish Folk Songs with guitar chords
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
The Old Spinning Wheel Poem.
The old spinning wheel sits in the corner,
A relic of days gone by.
Its once vibrant colors now faded and worn,
But its memories will never die.
With each turn of the wheel, a story is told,
Of hardworking hands and a simpler time.
When life was slower and hearts were bold,
And the rhythm of the wheel was a peaceful chime.
It was the heart of the home, this spinning wheel,
Providing clothing and warmth for all.
As it spun and spun, it seemed to reveal
The secrets of life, both big and small.
Oh, the tales it could tell, if only it could speak,
Of love and loss, joy and sorrow.
Of mothers and daughters, their bond so unique,
As they spun together, dreaming of tomorrow.
But now it sits silent, a forgotten treasure,
Gathering dust in the corner of the room.
Yet, its presence still holds a certain pleasure,
Bringing back memories that will forever bloom.
So let us pay homage to the old spinning wheel,
And the stories it holds within.
For it's not just an object, but a symbol of zeal,
And the strength of the human spirit, even in a world so thin.
And though it may no longer spin,
Its legacy will continue to live on.
For the old spinning wheel will forever be within,
A reminder of the past, and the love that has gone.
The old spinning wheel sits in the corner,
A relic of days gone by.
Its once vibrant colors now faded and worn,
But its memories will never die.
With each turn of the wheel, a story is told,
Of hardworking hands and a simpler time.
When life was slower and hearts were bold,
And the rhythm of the wheel was a peaceful chime.
It was the heart of the home, this spinning wheel,
Providing clothing and warmth for all.
As it spun and spun, it seemed to reveal
The secrets of life, both big and small.
Oh, the tales it could tell, if only it could speak,
Of love and loss, joy and sorrow.
Of mothers and daughters, their bond so unique,
As they spun together, dreaming of tomorrow.
But now it sits silent, a forgotten treasure,
Gathering dust in the corner of the room.
Yet, its presence still holds a certain pleasure,
Bringing back memories that will forever bloom.
So let us pay homage to the old spinning wheel,
And the stories it holds within.
For it's not just an object, but a symbol of zeal,
And the strength of the human spirit, even in a world so thin.
And though it may no longer spin,
Its legacy will continue to live on.
For the old spinning wheel will forever be within,
A reminder of the past, and the love that has gone.
