The Westmeath Bachelor Lyrics And Guitar Chords
Unknown author, recorded by Joe Dolan from Mullingar and Foster And Allen. An Irish folk song.
I placed most of the lyrics and chords for Joe Dolan in the country music section on the site.
The sheet music / mandolin / tenor banjo tab for The Westmeath Bachelor is in the ebook of mandolin tabs here . The tin whistle notes are in my other ebook of songs here
I placed most of the lyrics and chords for Joe Dolan in the country music section on the site.
The sheet music / mandolin / tenor banjo tab for The Westmeath Bachelor is in the ebook of mandolin tabs here . The tin whistle notes are in my other ebook of songs here
[C]O I am a Westmeath [C7]bachelor and my [F]age is sixty-[C]three
I don't [G7]intend to marry or to raise a [C]family.
[C]I'm happy and conten[C7]ted just to [F]lead a single [C]life,
And [G7]that's the reason why I don't intend to [C]take a wife.
[C]With the red stuff on her [C7]finger nails and[F] varnish on her [C]toes,
Red [G7]around her old fizzog and the whitewash on[C] her nose,
[C]She can get a fancy [C7]barber to ]F]shave her neck and [C]head,
And [G7]that's why I'm a bachelor and I don't intend [C]to wed.
Last Thursday at the market in the town of Mullingar
A friend, he introduced me to a famous movie star,
She was married several times before to men of every breed,
And she thought she had a sucker in the bachelor from Westmeath!
Now I'm living with me brother and his little cat and dog,
I'm earning seven and six a week while working on the bog.
Why should I change my life of ease to one of struggle and strife,
And that's another reason why I never took a wife!
I don't [G7]intend to marry or to raise a [C]family.
[C]I'm happy and conten[C7]ted just to [F]lead a single [C]life,
And [G7]that's the reason why I don't intend to [C]take a wife.
[C]With the red stuff on her [C7]finger nails and[F] varnish on her [C]toes,
Red [G7]around her old fizzog and the whitewash on[C] her nose,
[C]She can get a fancy [C7]barber to ]F]shave her neck and [C]head,
And [G7]that's why I'm a bachelor and I don't intend [C]to wed.
Last Thursday at the market in the town of Mullingar
A friend, he introduced me to a famous movie star,
She was married several times before to men of every breed,
And she thought she had a sucker in the bachelor from Westmeath!
Now I'm living with me brother and his little cat and dog,
I'm earning seven and six a week while working on the bog.
Why should I change my life of ease to one of struggle and strife,
And that's another reason why I never took a wife!
“The Westmeath Bachelor” arranged in G Major, with chords placed for all verses and a natural Irish-style strumming pattern that fits its comic folk rhythm.
🎵 The Westmeath Bachelor (in G Major)
[Verse 1]
[G]O I am a Westmeath [G7]bachelor and my [C]age is sixty-[G]three
I don't [D7]intend to marry or to raise a [G]family.
[G]I'm happy and conten[G7]ted just to [C]lead a single [G]life,
And [D7]that's the reason why I don't intend to [G]take a wife.
[Verse 2]
[G]With the red stuff on her [G7]finger nails and [C]varnish on her [G]toes,
Red [D7]around her old fizzog and the whitewash on [G]her nose,
[G]She can get a fancy [G7]barber to [C]shave her neck and [G]head,
And [D7]that's why I'm a bachelor and I don't intend [G]to wed.
[Verse 3]
[G]Last Thursday at the [G7]market in the [C]town of Mullin[G]gar,
A friend, he introduced me to a [D7]famous movie [G]star,
[G]She was married several [G7]times before to [C]men of every [G]breed,
And [D7]she thought she had a sucker in the bachelor from [G]Westmeath!
[Verse 4]
[G]Now I'm living with me [G7]brother and his [C]little cat and [G]dog,
I'm earning seven and six a week while [D7]working on the [G]bog.
[G]Why should I change my [G7]life of ease to [C]one of struggle and [G]strife,
And [D7]that's another reason why I never took a [G]wife!
🎸 Strumming Pattern
Use a moderate lively 4/4 rhythm, typical of an Irish comic reel or march:
Pattern:
D-DU-UDU
(Down – Down Up – Up Down Up)
Keep a bouncy, lilting feel; accent the 1st and 3rd beats slightly.
Mute the upstrokes lightly with the palm to mimic the percussive Irish bouzouki/guitar sound.
Count Example:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D D U U D U
💡 Optional Performance Tips
Between verses, strum two bars of G–G7–C–D7–G to fill transitions.
For humor and energy, slightly speed up the final verse.
Works perfectly for solo voice + guitar in a pub or session setting.
🎵 The Westmeath Bachelor (in G Major)
[Verse 1]
[G]O I am a Westmeath [G7]bachelor and my [C]age is sixty-[G]three
I don't [D7]intend to marry or to raise a [G]family.
[G]I'm happy and conten[G7]ted just to [C]lead a single [G]life,
And [D7]that's the reason why I don't intend to [G]take a wife.
[Verse 2]
[G]With the red stuff on her [G7]finger nails and [C]varnish on her [G]toes,
Red [D7]around her old fizzog and the whitewash on [G]her nose,
[G]She can get a fancy [G7]barber to [C]shave her neck and [G]head,
And [D7]that's why I'm a bachelor and I don't intend [G]to wed.
[Verse 3]
[G]Last Thursday at the [G7]market in the [C]town of Mullin[G]gar,
A friend, he introduced me to a [D7]famous movie [G]star,
[G]She was married several [G7]times before to [C]men of every [G]breed,
And [D7]she thought she had a sucker in the bachelor from [G]Westmeath!
[Verse 4]
[G]Now I'm living with me [G7]brother and his [C]little cat and [G]dog,
I'm earning seven and six a week while [D7]working on the [G]bog.
[G]Why should I change my [G7]life of ease to [C]one of struggle and [G]strife,
And [D7]that's another reason why I never took a [G]wife!
🎸 Strumming Pattern
Use a moderate lively 4/4 rhythm, typical of an Irish comic reel or march:
Pattern:
D-DU-UDU
(Down – Down Up – Up Down Up)
Keep a bouncy, lilting feel; accent the 1st and 3rd beats slightly.
Mute the upstrokes lightly with the palm to mimic the percussive Irish bouzouki/guitar sound.
Count Example:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D D U U D U
💡 Optional Performance Tips
Between verses, strum two bars of G–G7–C–D7–G to fill transitions.
For humor and energy, slightly speed up the final verse.
Works perfectly for solo voice + guitar in a pub or session setting.
Joe Dolan Song The Westmeath Bachelor
