Thomas Street Lyrics And Chords
4/4 (Marc Patrick Fahrbach, 2010 ©)
A tribute to the Irish patriot Robert Emmet [ lyrics ], who was hung, drawn and quartered in front of St. Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin on 20th September 1803 for his attempts to free his native country.
A tribute to the Irish patriot Robert Emmet [ lyrics ], who was hung, drawn and quartered in front of St. Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin on 20th September 1803 for his attempts to free his native country.
The tune of the song was ‘borrowed’ from the traditional Scottish song ‘The Cobbler’
Intro: D-A7-D-A7-D G-G-D-A7
Can you (D)see the (A7)scaffold (D)rising high on (A7)Dublin’s Thomas (D)Street
Where to(G)day the cars are passing by only (D)some short yards a(A7)way?
Just i(G)magine how it (A)stood there, one long (D)passed Sep(A7)tember (D)day
With its (G)dangling noose a waiting for a (D)man his fate to (A)meet.
Chorus
So next (D)time you’ll (A7)walk on (D)Thomas Street you shall (A)see the gallows (D)tree
Where in (G)eighteen-three bold Emmet died for to (D)set your country (A)free *
And now (D)add the (A7)crowding (D)masses, let your (A7)mind drift back in (D)time
Some were (G)shouting, laughing merrily, but many (D)weeping in sad (A)grief.
All had (G)gathered here to (A)see him dying (D)like a (A7)common (D)thief,
Yet a (G)man who fought for Ireland’s sake, doomed to (D)leave life in his (A)prime.
Oh, and (D)listen, (A7)can you (D)hear it, how the (A7)booming sound of (D)drums
Echoes (G)back from brick stoned houses’ walls, struggling (D)with a solemn (A)bell
From the (G)church tower of St. (A)Catherine’s, clear in (D)sound- a (A7)brave man’s (D)knell.
See the (G)Redcoats fill the square then, with their (D)threatening shouldered (A)guns.
Chorus
And be(D)hind the (A7)marching (D)soldiers, can you (A7)see the cart ap(D)proach
Pulled by (G)horses down the western road, all way (D)from Kilmainham (A)Jail.
Hear the (G)fading people’s (A)voices, watch their (D)faces (A7)turning (D)pale
As they (G)spy this sad day’s casualty standing (D)proudly on the (A)coach.
Watch his (D)firm step (A7)and his (D)calmness, as he (A7)climbs the wooden (D)stair,
Meets his (G)hangman without trembling but with (D)fortitude so (A)keen
Like a (G)hero of old (A)legends in his (D)uni(A7)form of (D)green
Hear him (G)raise his voice in farewell then, followed (D)by a final (A)prayer.
Chorus
Then the (D)rope is (A7)stretched, he’s (D)tumbling and then (A7)given time to (D)die
Until (G)then to be beheaded yet, his head pre(D)sented to the (A)crowd
Just as (G)if he was (A)traitor, and no (D)man who (A7)was no (D)coward
But a (G)patriot to his country dear, full of (D)love for Erin’s (A)Isle
And a(D)round the (A7)gallow’s (D)platfrom, comrades (A7)in immortal (D)fame
Shivering (G)ghosts of other martyrs, welcome (D)him with open (A)arms
For to (G)guide his soul to (A)heaven, out of (D)reach of (A7)earthly (D)harms
There to (G)take his place among them now, Robert (D)Emmet, blessed (A)name!
Chorus, finish with a D-chord
* Alternative: for to set old Ireland free
Intro: D-A7-D-A7-D G-G-D-A7
Can you (D)see the (A7)scaffold (D)rising high on (A7)Dublin’s Thomas (D)Street
Where to(G)day the cars are passing by only (D)some short yards a(A7)way?
Just i(G)magine how it (A)stood there, one long (D)passed Sep(A7)tember (D)day
With its (G)dangling noose a waiting for a (D)man his fate to (A)meet.
Chorus
So next (D)time you’ll (A7)walk on (D)Thomas Street you shall (A)see the gallows (D)tree
Where in (G)eighteen-three bold Emmet died for to (D)set your country (A)free *
And now (D)add the (A7)crowding (D)masses, let your (A7)mind drift back in (D)time
Some were (G)shouting, laughing merrily, but many (D)weeping in sad (A)grief.
All had (G)gathered here to (A)see him dying (D)like a (A7)common (D)thief,
Yet a (G)man who fought for Ireland’s sake, doomed to (D)leave life in his (A)prime.
Oh, and (D)listen, (A7)can you (D)hear it, how the (A7)booming sound of (D)drums
Echoes (G)back from brick stoned houses’ walls, struggling (D)with a solemn (A)bell
From the (G)church tower of St. (A)Catherine’s, clear in (D)sound- a (A7)brave man’s (D)knell.
See the (G)Redcoats fill the square then, with their (D)threatening shouldered (A)guns.
Chorus
And be(D)hind the (A7)marching (D)soldiers, can you (A7)see the cart ap(D)proach
Pulled by (G)horses down the western road, all way (D)from Kilmainham (A)Jail.
Hear the (G)fading people’s (A)voices, watch their (D)faces (A7)turning (D)pale
As they (G)spy this sad day’s casualty standing (D)proudly on the (A)coach.
Watch his (D)firm step (A7)and his (D)calmness, as he (A7)climbs the wooden (D)stair,
Meets his (G)hangman without trembling but with (D)fortitude so (A)keen
Like a (G)hero of old (A)legends in his (D)uni(A7)form of (D)green
Hear him (G)raise his voice in farewell then, followed (D)by a final (A)prayer.
Chorus
Then the (D)rope is (A7)stretched, he’s (D)tumbling and then (A7)given time to (D)die
Until (G)then to be beheaded yet, his head pre(D)sented to the (A)crowd
Just as (G)if he was (A)traitor, and no (D)man who (A7)was no (D)coward
But a (G)patriot to his country dear, full of (D)love for Erin’s (A)Isle
And a(D)round the (A7)gallow’s (D)platfrom, comrades (A7)in immortal (D)fame
Shivering (G)ghosts of other martyrs, welcome (D)him with open (A)arms
For to (G)guide his soul to (A)heaven, out of (D)reach of (A7)earthly (D)harms
There to (G)take his place among them now, Robert (D)Emmet, blessed (A)name!
Chorus, finish with a D-chord
* Alternative: for to set old Ireland free
