West Country Lady Lyrics Guitar Chords
Written and recorded by Dermot O'Reilly, Written about the town of Torbay, also recorded by Ryan's Fancy who covered an old folk song that was very popular in Ireland called 21 years, lyrics and chords are here with yours truly singing that song in the youtube video.
West Country Lady sheet music is in the Irish Sheet Music Ebook
West Country lady sheet music / tin whistle notes is included in the tin whistle ebooks here .
Here's the chords in the key of G
Below you’ll find:
✅ All verses with chords in G Major
✅ A natural folk strumming pattern
✅ A fingerstyle guitar tab for the first verse and chorus (adapted to the melody flow)
🎵 1. Full Song — Key of G Major
[Verse 1]
(G)Over Piper’s Stock Hill, take the (C)time for to (G)wander,
A(C)cross the main bridge to the (D)north side and (G)yonder,
And (G)if you look long to the (C)west, there’s a (G)chance
That you’ll (C)see her move down to the (D)bridge for the (G)dance,
And she (Em)still hears the music of (Am)anvil and saw,
And she (C)still looks to nature to (D)lay out the (G)law.
[Chorus]
(G)She’s a West Country (C)lady from (G)back in the past,
And she (C)faces the ocean where (D)noisy waves (G)blast
On the (G)rocks; and the wind blows a (C)gale from all (G)quarters
Or (C)summer sun sparkles on (D)still waters down in the (G)bay.
🎸 2. STRUMMING PATTERN
Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: ~70–75 BPM (gentle, storytelling)
➤ Folk Ballad Pattern
↓ – ↓↑ – ↑↓↑
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Beat 1: strong bass (thumb or lower strings)
Beats 2–4: soft, sweeping treble strokes
Accent lightly on beat 3 to make it flow like a sea shanty.
Alternate (for slower verses):
Bass note – strum – rest – light strum (up-down)
🎶 3. FINGERSTYLE GUITAR TAB
(First Verse + Chorus — Key of G Major)
Right-hand guide:
Thumb (p) → bass notes (E/A/D strings)
Index (i) → G string
Middle (m) → B string
Ring (a) → high E string
Picking pattern:
Bass → G → B → E → B → G
Let chords ring together softly — it should feel like a lullaby with a tide-like rhythm.
FIRST VERSE TAB
(G)Over Piper’s Stock Hill, take the (C)time for to (G)wander,
A(C)cross the main bridge to the (D)north side and (G)yonder,
And (G)if you look long to the (C)west, there’s a (G)chance
That you’ll (C)see her move down to the (D)bridge for the (G)dance,
And she (Em)still hears the music of (Am)anvil and saw,
And she (C)still looks to nature to (D)lay out the (G)law.
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|----------------3-------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
C
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|3-----------------3-----------------|
E|------------------------------------|
D
e|--------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|0-----------------0-----------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
Am
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|0-----------------0-----------------|
E|------------------------------------|
CHORUS TAB
(G)She’s a West Country (C)lady from (G)back in the past,
And she (C)faces the ocean where (D)noisy waves (G)blast
On the (G)rocks; and the wind blows a (C)gale from all (G)quarters
Or (C)summer sun sparkles on (D)still waters down in the (G)bay.
(Use the same fingerpicking pattern — bass then treble arpeggio flow.)
💡 Playing Tips
Tone: Play gently — think of it as the sound of sea breeze and memory.
Bass: Let the thumb alternate between root and fifth (e.g., G–D–G–D).
Tempo: Keep it steady and calm, like slow storytelling by the fire.
Dynamics:
Verses: quiet and nostalgic
Chorus: lift slightly, warmer tone (more treble emphasis)
[D]Over Pipers Stock Hill, take the time for to wander
A[G]cross the main bridge to the [A]north side and yonder,
And [D]if you look long to the west, there's a chance
That you'll[G] see her move down to the[A] bridge for the dance,
And she[Bm] still hears the music of an[Em]vil and saw,
And she [G]still looks to nature to [A]lay out the law.
[D]She's a West Country lady from back in the past,
And she [G]faces the ocean where [A]noisy waves blast
On the[D] rocks; and the wind blows a gale from all quarters
Or [G]summer sun sparkles on [A]still waters down in the [D]bay.
She was there when they came on the very first ship,
And she saw how the admirals ruled with a whip,
And she worked with her man and her young sons and daughters,
To harvest the fields and the woods and the waters,
And often with sadness she's looked to the sea,
With a longing for times that were never to be.
Since the sea was the way between island and nation,
And old ways were new ways in this planter's station,
She's watched all the changes with pride and some sorrow.
Some old ways remain and she hopes that tomorrow
Will kindly tend to the bountiful sea,
And her land and her people will always be free.
A[G]cross the main bridge to the [A]north side and yonder,
And [D]if you look long to the west, there's a chance
That you'll[G] see her move down to the[A] bridge for the dance,
And she[Bm] still hears the music of an[Em]vil and saw,
And she [G]still looks to nature to [A]lay out the law.
[D]She's a West Country lady from back in the past,
And she [G]faces the ocean where [A]noisy waves blast
On the[D] rocks; and the wind blows a gale from all quarters
Or [G]summer sun sparkles on [A]still waters down in the [D]bay.
She was there when they came on the very first ship,
And she saw how the admirals ruled with a whip,
And she worked with her man and her young sons and daughters,
To harvest the fields and the woods and the waters,
And often with sadness she's looked to the sea,
With a longing for times that were never to be.
Since the sea was the way between island and nation,
And old ways were new ways in this planter's station,
She's watched all the changes with pride and some sorrow.
Some old ways remain and she hopes that tomorrow
Will kindly tend to the bountiful sea,
And her land and her people will always be free.
,
Below is the ebook list of Irish Folk Songs with guitar chords
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
Ryan's Fancy song West Country Lady
