It's A Great Day For The Irish Guitar Chords And Lyrics
It's A Great Day For The Irish Lyrics Chords And Sheet Music. This song is about St. Patrick's Day. The guitar chords are in G in chordpro. The ukulele chords are included plus the chords for the 5 string banjo in the key of G major.Written by Roger Edens while he worked for the film makers Metro Goldwyn Mayers. The song was written for Judy Garland who was part Irish and she sang it in the Broadway play ''Little Nellie Kelly''. Recorded by Garland in 1940 as a single. Judy Garland also had a hit record with Somewhere Over The Rainbow [ sheet music ].Also recorded by The Clancy Brothers , Daniel O'Donnell and Ruby Murray from Belfast
About The Song.
this song is a pure St. Patrick’s Day love-fest, drenched in shamrock pride and New York Irish swagger. It’s sung by someone who woke up, heard a roar of joy, and realised:
it’s March 17th — the one day a year when the Irish run the planet.”
He hears a joyful thunder — thousands of Irish voices --
probably half singing and half shouting, with the other half just making noise.
It’s the Hibernian Brigade lining up --
the parade troops --
looking like an army of leprechauns who’ve swapped pots of gold for brass bands.
The singer grabs his Sunday bonnet, sticks a shamrock in the lapel, and steps out dressed like St. Patrick’s enthusiastic nephew.
And then the real fun begins:
“It’s a great day for the Irish — it’s a great day for fair!”
New York is transformed into a mini-Ireland:
every street dripping with shamrocks,
every bar full,
every cop Irish,
and every pub claiming to have been “established by a genuine O’Something”
even if it opened last Thursday.
You’ll hear accents ranging from Dublin to Donegal to “Irish-by-Grandmother” American.
And here’s the best line — because it’s painfully true:
“Begorrah, all the cops are out parading”
Meaning:
On St. Patrick’s Day,
you can rob the bank,
steal a taxi,
drink in public,
jaywalk,
and start a street jig --
because every police officer is marching with a tin whistle in one hand and a green ribbon in the other.
This song is a celebration of:
It’s a musical reminder that the Irish, despite being scattered to the four winds, still know how to gather, celebrate, and turn any city — especially New York — into a roaring, laughing, dancing temporary Ireland.
As we’d say with a wink:
If you’re not Irish on March 17th — don’t worry, we’ll make you honorary.
this song is a pure St. Patrick’s Day love-fest, drenched in shamrock pride and New York Irish swagger. It’s sung by someone who woke up, heard a roar of joy, and realised:
it’s March 17th — the one day a year when the Irish run the planet.”
He hears a joyful thunder — thousands of Irish voices --
probably half singing and half shouting, with the other half just making noise.
It’s the Hibernian Brigade lining up --
the parade troops --
looking like an army of leprechauns who’ve swapped pots of gold for brass bands.
The singer grabs his Sunday bonnet, sticks a shamrock in the lapel, and steps out dressed like St. Patrick’s enthusiastic nephew.
And then the real fun begins:
“It’s a great day for the Irish — it’s a great day for fair!”
New York is transformed into a mini-Ireland:
every street dripping with shamrocks,
every bar full,
every cop Irish,
and every pub claiming to have been “established by a genuine O’Something”
even if it opened last Thursday.
You’ll hear accents ranging from Dublin to Donegal to “Irish-by-Grandmother” American.
And here’s the best line — because it’s painfully true:
“Begorrah, all the cops are out parading”
Meaning:
On St. Patrick’s Day,
you can rob the bank,
steal a taxi,
drink in public,
jaywalk,
and start a street jig --
because every police officer is marching with a tin whistle in one hand and a green ribbon in the other.
This song is a celebration of:
- Irish pride
- immigrant spirit
- joyful noise
- and the yearly miracle of Irishness
that somehow infects an entire city like a happy virus
- everyone’s wearing green
- everyone’s claiming Irish ancestry
- everyone’s singing
- everyone’s smiling
- and everyone’s drunk
(three of those apply by noon)
It’s a musical reminder that the Irish, despite being scattered to the four winds, still know how to gather, celebrate, and turn any city — especially New York — into a roaring, laughing, dancing temporary Ireland.
As we’d say with a wink:
If you’re not Irish on March 17th — don’t worry, we’ll make you honorary.
The Lyrics And Chords In C Major
[C]Oh, I woke me up this morning and [G]I heard a joyful song
From the [F]throats of happy Irishmen, a[C] hundred thousand strong
Shure it [G]was the Hibernian Brigade
[D7]Lining up for to start the [G]big [G7]parade
So I [C]fetched me Sunday bonnet and [G]the flag I love so well
And I [F]bought meself a shamrock just [C]to wear in me lapel
Don't [G]you know that today's March seventeen?
It's the [D7]day for the wearing [G]of the [G7]green
It's a[C] great day for the [G]Irish, it's a great day [C]for fair
The [D7]streets of New York are thick with Blarney
For shure you'd think New York was Old [G]Killar[G7]ney
It's a [C]great day for the [G]Shamrock, for the flags in [C]full ar[C7]ray
We're [F]feeling so inspirish, shure[C] because for all the Irish
[G]It's a [C]great, great day
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
Begosh, there's not a cop to stop a raiding
Begorrah all the cops are out parading
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
And as we go a-swinging, every Irish heart is singing
[C]Oh, I woke me up this morning and [G]I heard a joyful song
From the [F]throats of happy Irishmen, a[C] hundred thousand strong
Shure it [G]was the Hibernian Brigade
[D7]Lining up for to start the [G]big [G7]parade
So I [C]fetched me Sunday bonnet and [G]the flag I love so well
And I [F]bought meself a shamrock just [C]to wear in me lapel
Don't [G]you know that today's March seventeen?
It's the [D7]day for the wearing [G]of the [G7]green
It's a[C] great day for the [G]Irish, it's a great day [C]for fair
The [D7]streets of New York are thick with Blarney
For shure you'd think New York was Old [G]Killar[G7]ney
It's a [C]great day for the [G]Shamrock, for the flags in [C]full ar[C7]ray
We're [F]feeling so inspirish, shure[C] because for all the Irish
[G]It's a [C]great, great day
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
Begosh, there's not a cop to stop a raiding
Begorrah all the cops are out parading
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
And as we go a-swinging, every Irish heart is singing
PDF Of The Sheet Music For It's A Great Day For The Irish With Lyrics And Chords
Judy Garland singer of It's a great day for the Irish
It's A Great Day For The Irish Chords in the key of G
[G]Oh, I woke me up this morning and [D]I heard a joyful song
From the [C]throats of happy Irishmen, a[G] hundred thousand strong
Shure it [D]was the Hibernian Brigade
[A7]Lining up for to start the [D]big [D7]parade
So I [G]fetched me Sunday bonnet and [D]the flag I love so well
And I [C]bought meself a shamrock just [G]to wear in me lapel
Don't [D]you know that today's March seventeen?
It's the [A7]day for the wearing [D]of the [D7]green
It's a[G] great day for the [D]Irish, it's a great day [G]for fair
The [A7]streets of New York are thick with Blarney
For shure you'd think New York was Old [D]Killar[D7]ney
It's a [G]great day for the [D]Shamrock, for the flags in [G]full ar[G7]ray
We're [C]feeling so inspirish, shure[G] because for all the Irish
[D]It's a [G]great, great day.
Time: 4/4
Key: G major
Style: Lively parade-march Irish ballad
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4 — lively parade feel)
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Driving rhythm to match the march)
🎸 Fingerpicking Pattern (4/4)
T – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3
(Bouncy alternating-bass feel works best)
🎵 VERSE 1 — 3 bars per line
Oh, I woke me up this morning and I heard a joyful song
G.......................D.......................C
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---1---1---1---1---1-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
From the throats of happy Irishmen, a hundred thousand strong
G.......................D.......................A7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
Lining up for to start the big parade
D.......................D7......................G
e|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|---0------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|----------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
So I fetched me Sunday bonnet and the flag I love so well
G.......................D.......................C
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---1---1---1---1---1-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
And I bought meself a shamrock just to wear in me lapel
G.......................D.......................A7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
Don't you know that today's March seventeen? It's the day for the wearing of the green
D.......................D7......................G
e|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|---0------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|----------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
🎵 CHORUS — 3 bars per line
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
G.......................D.......................G
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
The streets of New York are thick with Blarney, for shure you'd think New York was Old Killarney
A7......................D.......................D7
e|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
B|---2---2---2---2---2-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
D|---2------------------|---0------------------|---0------------------|
A|---0------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
G.......................D.......................G7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---0------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|---1------------------|
We're feeling so inspirish, shure because for all the Irish
C.......................G.......................D
e|---0-------0-------0-|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|
B|---1---1---1---1---1-|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|
D|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
A|---3------------------|---2------------------|----------------------|
E|----------------------|---3------------------|----------------------|
It's a great, great day.
G.......................G.......................G
e|---3-------3-------3-|---3-------3-------3-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
A|---2------------------|---2------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|---3------------------|---3------------------|
Irish song lyrics G-J
[G]Oh, I woke me up this morning and [D]I heard a joyful song
From the [C]throats of happy Irishmen, a[G] hundred thousand strong
Shure it [D]was the Hibernian Brigade
[A7]Lining up for to start the [D]big [D7]parade
So I [G]fetched me Sunday bonnet and [D]the flag I love so well
And I [C]bought meself a shamrock just [G]to wear in me lapel
Don't [D]you know that today's March seventeen?
It's the [A7]day for the wearing [D]of the [D7]green
It's a[G] great day for the [D]Irish, it's a great day [G]for fair
The [A7]streets of New York are thick with Blarney
For shure you'd think New York was Old [D]Killar[D7]ney
It's a [G]great day for the [D]Shamrock, for the flags in [G]full ar[G7]ray
We're [C]feeling so inspirish, shure[G] because for all the Irish
[D]It's a [G]great, great day.
Time: 4/4
Key: G major
Style: Lively parade-march Irish ballad
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4 — lively parade feel)
↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
(Driving rhythm to match the march)
🎸 Fingerpicking Pattern (4/4)
T – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3
(Bouncy alternating-bass feel works best)
🎵 VERSE 1 — 3 bars per line
Oh, I woke me up this morning and I heard a joyful song
G.......................D.......................C
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---1---1---1---1---1-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
From the throats of happy Irishmen, a hundred thousand strong
G.......................D.......................A7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
Lining up for to start the big parade
D.......................D7......................G
e|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|---0------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|----------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
So I fetched me Sunday bonnet and the flag I love so well
G.......................D.......................C
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---1---1---1---1---1-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
And I bought meself a shamrock just to wear in me lapel
G.......................D.......................A7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---2------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
Don't you know that today's March seventeen? It's the day for the wearing of the green
D.......................D7......................G
e|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|---0------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|----------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
🎵 CHORUS — 3 bars per line
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
G.......................D.......................G
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|----------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|---3------------------|
The streets of New York are thick with Blarney, for shure you'd think New York was Old Killarney
A7......................D.......................D7
e|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
B|---2---2---2---2---2-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
D|---2------------------|---0------------------|---0------------------|
A|---0------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
E|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
G.......................D.......................G7
e|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|---1-------1-------1-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|---0------------------|---0------------------|
A|---2------------------|----------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|----------------------|---1------------------|
We're feeling so inspirish, shure because for all the Irish
C.......................G.......................D
e|---0-------0-------0-|---3-------3-------3-|---2-------2-------2-|
B|---1---1---1---1---1-|---0---0---0---0---0-|---3---3---3---3---3-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|---2-------2-------2-|
D|---2------------------|----------------------|---0------------------|
A|---3------------------|---2------------------|----------------------|
E|----------------------|---3------------------|----------------------|
It's a great, great day.
G.......................G.......................G
e|---3-------3-------3-|---3-------3-------3-|---3-------3-------3-|
B|---0---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---0-|
G|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0-|
D|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
A|---2------------------|---2------------------|---2------------------|
E|---3------------------|---3------------------|---3------------------|
Irish song lyrics G-J
