Three Score And Ten lyrics chords and sheet music
Recorded by The Dubliners and by Johnny McEvoy. Three score and ten song tenor guitar sheet music tab in CGDA. An English folk song. The video is a from a live recording show from Johnny McEvoy. The full sheet music notes are included, it was sent to me from Raymond. There are plenty of songs about men loosing their lives while working as fisher men at sea on the site. The Dubliners recorded a song called ''Donegal Danny [ lyrics ] which tells the story of a survivor who ends his hays roaming the country roads of Donegal, telling his story to anybody that will lend him their ear. The mandolin / tenor banjo tab is now included.
4/4 (Capo on 4th fret)
Chorus:
(C)And it's three score and ten
Boys and (Em)men were (F)lost from Grimsby (C)Town
From (F)Yarmouth down to (C)Scarborough
Many hundreds more were (G7)drowned
Their (C)herring craft and trawlers
Their (Em)fishing (F)smacks as (C)well
Alone they (F)fight the (G7)bitter night
And (C)battle (G7)with the (C)swell.
Me (C)thinks I see a host of craft,
(Em)Spreading their (F)sails at (C)lee
As (F)down the Humber (C)they do steer,
Down for the great North (G7)Sea
Me (C)thinks I see a wee small craft
And (Em)crew with (F)hearts so (C)brave
They go to (F)earn their (G7)daily bread
U(C)pon the (G7)restless (C)waves.
Chorus
Me thinks I see them yet again,
As they leave this land behind
Casting their nets into the sea,
The herring shoals to find
Me thinks I see them yet again,
And they save on board a right
With their sails close-reefed, their decks moist-cleaned
And their side-lights burning bright.
Chorus
October's night brought such a sight,
'Twas never seen before
There were masts and yards and broken spars,
Washed up upon the shore
There was many a heart of sorrow,
There was many a heart so brave
There was many a true and noble lad
To find a watery grave.
Chorus.
Chorus:
(C)And it's three score and ten
Boys and (Em)men were (F)lost from Grimsby (C)Town
From (F)Yarmouth down to (C)Scarborough
Many hundreds more were (G7)drowned
Their (C)herring craft and trawlers
Their (Em)fishing (F)smacks as (C)well
Alone they (F)fight the (G7)bitter night
And (C)battle (G7)with the (C)swell.
Me (C)thinks I see a host of craft,
(Em)Spreading their (F)sails at (C)lee
As (F)down the Humber (C)they do steer,
Down for the great North (G7)Sea
Me (C)thinks I see a wee small craft
And (Em)crew with (F)hearts so (C)brave
They go to (F)earn their (G7)daily bread
U(C)pon the (G7)restless (C)waves.
Chorus
Me thinks I see them yet again,
As they leave this land behind
Casting their nets into the sea,
The herring shoals to find
Me thinks I see them yet again,
And they save on board a right
With their sails close-reefed, their decks moist-cleaned
And their side-lights burning bright.
Chorus
October's night brought such a sight,
'Twas never seen before
There were masts and yards and broken spars,
Washed up upon the shore
There was many a heart of sorrow,
There was many a heart so brave
There was many a true and noble lad
To find a watery grave.
Chorus.
🎵 Three Score and Ten (Key of G Major)
Tempo: ♩ = ~90 bpm (slow folk ballad)
Time: 4/4
Feel: Gentle, swaying — emphasize beats 1 and 3.
🎸 Strumming Pattern
For a lilting ballad feel:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Down, Down, Up, Up, Down, Up)
Tip: On slower verses, you can just use Down, Down–Up for each chord for a gentler feel.
🌊 Verse 1
(G)And it's three score and ten
Boys and (Am)men were (C)lost from Grimsby (G)Town
From (C)Yarmouth down to (G)Scarborough
Many hundreds more were (D7)drowned
Their (G)herring craft and trawlers
Their (Am)fishing (C)smacks as (G)well
Alone they (C)fight the (D7)bitter night
And (G)battle (D7)with the (G)swell.
Verse 2
Me (G)thinks I see a host of craft,
(Am)Spreading their (C)sails at (G)lee
As (C)down the Humber (G)they do steer,
Down for the great North (D7)Sea
Me (G)thinks I see a wee small craft
And (Am)crew with (C)hearts so (G)brave
They go to (C)earn their (D7)daily bread
U(G)pon the (D7)restless (G)waves.
Chorus
(G)Me thinks I see them yet again,
As (Am)they leave this (C)land be(G)hind
(C)Casting their nets into the (G)sea,
The herring shoals to (D7)find
(G)Me thinks I see them yet again,
And (Am)they save on (C)board a (G)right
With their (C)sails close-reefed, their (D7)decks moist-cleaned
And their (G)side-lights (D7)burning (G)bright.
Verse 3
(G)October's night brought such a sight,
'Twas (Am)never (C)seen be(G)fore
There were (C)masts and yards and (G)broken spars,
Washed up upon the (D7)shore
There was (G)many a heart of sorrow,
There was (Am)many a (C)heart so (G)brave
There was (C)many a true and (D7)noble lad
To (G)find a (D7)watery (G)grave.
🪕 Fingerpicking Tab — Verse 1 (Simple Travis Style)
Here’s a slow fingerpicked version for solo guitar — suitable for storytelling verses.
Use T (thumb), I (index), M (middle).
Pattern (per bar):
T – I – M – I – T – I – M – I
(Thumb alternates between bass strings)
Tab (First Verse)
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
And it's three score and ten boys and (Am)men...
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
were (C)lost from Grimsby (G)Town...
[C]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|3---------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
[G]Town ... [D7]drowned
[D7]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
Continue this alternating bass pattern throughout the verse for a calm, storytelling rhythm.
Tempo: ♩ = ~90 bpm (slow folk ballad)
Time: 4/4
Feel: Gentle, swaying — emphasize beats 1 and 3.
🎸 Strumming Pattern
For a lilting ballad feel:
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Down, Down, Up, Up, Down, Up)
Tip: On slower verses, you can just use Down, Down–Up for each chord for a gentler feel.
🌊 Verse 1
(G)And it's three score and ten
Boys and (Am)men were (C)lost from Grimsby (G)Town
From (C)Yarmouth down to (G)Scarborough
Many hundreds more were (D7)drowned
Their (G)herring craft and trawlers
Their (Am)fishing (C)smacks as (G)well
Alone they (C)fight the (D7)bitter night
And (G)battle (D7)with the (G)swell.
Verse 2
Me (G)thinks I see a host of craft,
(Am)Spreading their (C)sails at (G)lee
As (C)down the Humber (G)they do steer,
Down for the great North (D7)Sea
Me (G)thinks I see a wee small craft
And (Am)crew with (C)hearts so (G)brave
They go to (C)earn their (D7)daily bread
U(G)pon the (D7)restless (G)waves.
Chorus
(G)Me thinks I see them yet again,
As (Am)they leave this (C)land be(G)hind
(C)Casting their nets into the (G)sea,
The herring shoals to (D7)find
(G)Me thinks I see them yet again,
And (Am)they save on (C)board a (G)right
With their (C)sails close-reefed, their (D7)decks moist-cleaned
And their (G)side-lights (D7)burning (G)bright.
Verse 3
(G)October's night brought such a sight,
'Twas (Am)never (C)seen be(G)fore
There were (C)masts and yards and (G)broken spars,
Washed up upon the (D7)shore
There was (G)many a heart of sorrow,
There was (Am)many a (C)heart so (G)brave
There was (C)many a true and (D7)noble lad
To (G)find a (D7)watery (G)grave.
🪕 Fingerpicking Tab — Verse 1 (Simple Travis Style)
Here’s a slow fingerpicked version for solo guitar — suitable for storytelling verses.
Use T (thumb), I (index), M (middle).
Pattern (per bar):
T – I – M – I – T – I – M – I
(Thumb alternates between bass strings)
Tab (First Verse)
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
And it's three score and ten boys and (Am)men...
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
were (C)lost from Grimsby (G)Town...
[C]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|3---------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
[G]Town ... [D7]drowned
[D7]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
Continue this alternating bass pattern throughout the verse for a calm, storytelling rhythm.
The above list of sheet music / tin whistle notes are in
The Johnny McEvoy ebook of songs at the bottom of this page.
The Johnny McEvoy ebook of songs at the bottom of this page.
Sheet Music For Three Score And Ten
Tenor banjo / mandolin tab in D Major.
Tenor guitar sheet music tab in CGDA
