The Spinning Wheel Lyrics and chords

John Waller [1809-1894] Made popular by Delia Murphy and also recorded by Foster & Allen, Anna McGoldrick, Phil Coulter, Anne Breen and John McDermott, The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included.

[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.

Here's another version of the sheet music in the key of G Major which is the same as the tin whistle notes.