When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow, Lyrics And Chords
When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow Folk Song Lyrics And Easy Guitar Chords. Written by J.M. Devine. Newfoundland King's Cove native, it dates back to the 1930s and was originally written as a poem.It was set to music and recorded by Peter McNulty of the famous New York Irish McNally family who also made it famous and by Irish folk singer Johnny McEvoy, it's one of those songs thats more popular in Newfoundland than Ireland. The guitar chords for this ballad are in G Major in chordpro. The fine singer in the youtube video is P.J. Murrihy from County Clare who , along with many other folk singers covered My Father's House [ lyrics and chords ]. The sheet music for tin whistle is included.
The song 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' is a nostalgic and heartwarming piece that captures the essence of rural life and the simplicity of childhood memories. , the song has resonated with audiences for decades and has become an iconic representation of Irish culture and heritage.
The lyrics of the song tell the story of a young boy who takes on the task of mowing his neighbor Pat Murphy's meadow. The meadow, which is described as being 'long and wide, and full of flowers and daisies,' serves as a metaphor for the simplicity and beauty of rural life. As the boy mows the meadow, he reflects on the memories he has shared with Pat Murphy, such as picking blackberries and fishing in the nearby river. Through these memories, the song portrays the strong bond between the boy and his neighbor, who is like a father figure to him.
One of the most striking aspects of the song is its vivid imagery and the way it transports the listener to the Irish countryside. The lyrics paint a picture of a lush green meadow, with wildflowers and birdsong filling the air. This imagery not only adds to the nostalgia of the song but also serves as a representation of the strong connection between the Irish people and their land. The meadow, which is a central element of the song, symbolizes the Irish countryside and its importance in the lives of the people who live there.
Furthermore, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' is a celebration of the simple joys of life and the importance of cherishing memories. As the boy mows the meadow, he reflects on the happy moments he has shared with Pat Murphy, highlighting the value of human connections and the impact they have on our lives. This message is particularly relevant in today's fast-paced and materialistic society, where people often overlook the simple pleasures in life.
Aside from its nostalgic and sentimental qualities, the song also has a strong cultural significance. It is deeply rooted in Irish folk tradition and has been passed down through generations. The lyrics and melody of the song evoke a sense of Irish identity and pride, making it a beloved piece among the Irish diaspora. Moreover, the song has been recorded and performed by numerous artists, both in Ireland and abroad, solidifying its place as a staple in Irish music culture.
In conclusion, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' is a timeless piece that captures the essence of rural life, the beauty of human connections, and the importance of cherishing memories. Through its vivid imagery, nostalgic lyrics, and cultural significance, the song has become a beloved representation of Irish heritage and identity. It serves as a reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures in life, and to hold on to the memories that make us who we are.
The lyrics of the song tell the story of a young boy who takes on the task of mowing his neighbor Pat Murphy's meadow. The meadow, which is described as being 'long and wide, and full of flowers and daisies,' serves as a metaphor for the simplicity and beauty of rural life. As the boy mows the meadow, he reflects on the memories he has shared with Pat Murphy, such as picking blackberries and fishing in the nearby river. Through these memories, the song portrays the strong bond between the boy and his neighbor, who is like a father figure to him.
One of the most striking aspects of the song is its vivid imagery and the way it transports the listener to the Irish countryside. The lyrics paint a picture of a lush green meadow, with wildflowers and birdsong filling the air. This imagery not only adds to the nostalgia of the song but also serves as a representation of the strong connection between the Irish people and their land. The meadow, which is a central element of the song, symbolizes the Irish countryside and its importance in the lives of the people who live there.
Furthermore, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' is a celebration of the simple joys of life and the importance of cherishing memories. As the boy mows the meadow, he reflects on the happy moments he has shared with Pat Murphy, highlighting the value of human connections and the impact they have on our lives. This message is particularly relevant in today's fast-paced and materialistic society, where people often overlook the simple pleasures in life.
Aside from its nostalgic and sentimental qualities, the song also has a strong cultural significance. It is deeply rooted in Irish folk tradition and has been passed down through generations. The lyrics and melody of the song evoke a sense of Irish identity and pride, making it a beloved piece among the Irish diaspora. Moreover, the song has been recorded and performed by numerous artists, both in Ireland and abroad, solidifying its place as a staple in Irish music culture.
In conclusion, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' is a timeless piece that captures the essence of rural life, the beauty of human connections, and the importance of cherishing memories. Through its vivid imagery, nostalgic lyrics, and cultural significance, the song has become a beloved representation of Irish heritage and identity. It serves as a reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures in life, and to hold on to the memories that make us who we are.
The[G] autumm winds are here again
And the[C] night winds chilly[G] grow
The wood land turns to[D7] golden[Em] hue
And the[G] harvest moon's a[D7]glow
To[G] hear again of[D7] days long[Em] past
To[G] come no more I[D7] know
When I[G] mowed Pat[C] Murphy's[G] meadow
In the[C] sunny long a[G]go
I see again the ocean and the distant sails afar
As the maiden in the meadow stricks up ''Dark Lough Na Gar''
There was music soft and tender in the winds that whisper low
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
Where are the happy boys and girls that danced the gay quadrille
Or the singer who wardled sweetly ''The Burning Granite Mill''
To hear again at sunset ''Where Sweet Afton Flow''
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
Those days are but a memory like the snow of yesteryear
And evening shades are falling all alone I shed a tear
On my cheek I feel the soft touch of the winds that whisper low
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
And the[C] night winds chilly[G] grow
The wood land turns to[D7] golden[Em] hue
And the[G] harvest moon's a[D7]glow
To[G] hear again of[D7] days long[Em] past
To[G] come no more I[D7] know
When I[G] mowed Pat[C] Murphy's[G] meadow
In the[C] sunny long a[G]go
I see again the ocean and the distant sails afar
As the maiden in the meadow stricks up ''Dark Lough Na Gar''
There was music soft and tender in the winds that whisper low
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
Where are the happy boys and girls that danced the gay quadrille
Or the singer who wardled sweetly ''The Burning Granite Mill''
To hear again at sunset ''Where Sweet Afton Flow''
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
Those days are but a memory like the snow of yesteryear
And evening shades are falling all alone I shed a tear
On my cheek I feel the soft touch of the winds that whisper low
When I mowed Pat Murphy's meadow in the sunny long ago
The Irish folk song belongs to a long tradition of oral music passed down, generation by generation, in the cabins and cottages that once abounded in rural Ireland. Emigration as well as the travels of Irish seafarers meant that the Irish ballad was taken up by, or exerted an influence upon, the music of many different places. Irish folk tunes are to be found among the sea shanties of Nova Scotia, for example, as well as being an element in some Afro-American working songs. As is the case with much folk music, at home Irish tunes were used to fit different words and different occasions. Most of the tunes are to be found with innumerable variations.
But what above all gave this body of music worldwide recognition was the fact that it was taken up by fashionable society almost two centuries ago. Irish melodies, especially those put to words by Moore, became nothing less than a craze. Everyone sang Irish ballads in the salons and drawing rooms of the 19th century. For this purpose the Irish folk tunes were "frozen" or perpetuated in a written score and to a large extent transformed in the process. The Irish vocal idiom was alien to the Italian-based style of the recitalist, so he modified what he heard in the Irish idiom. Indeed, to fit Irish airs to the written score, certain changes were unavoidable, for Irish folk-singing draws upon vocal inflections-many of them spontaneous embellishments provided by the performer-foreign to the symbolism of standard notation. As Herbert Hughes noted in the introduction to one of his own collections of Irish folk songs. "Over and over again I have found it impossible to write down a tune that has been sung or played to me, for the simple reason that our modern notation does not allow for intervals of less than a semitone." What the collectors mined from the Irish folk-song tradition and what the recitalists who sang them found irresistible was haunting melody. This is what has made the Irish ballad so enduringly popular.
Just as the Neapolitan folk song can perhaps be characterized by its passion and sensuality, so the Irish folk song is perhaps characterized by its gentleness and by its pervasive strain of melancholy. This is wholly typical of the best known of all Irish melodies, Danny Boy, of the plaintive air My Lagan Love and of two of the songs from the Herbert Hughes collection, She Moved Through the Fair and The Bard of Armagh, in which we are invited to "list to the strains of a poor Irish harper" and "Remember his fingers could once move more sharper/To raise up the memory of his dear native land." Remembrance of times past is the theme of The Harp That Once Thro' Tara's Halls. Former days are also recalled in The Old House, written and composed by Sir Frederick O'Connor. No emigrant could fail to respond to the lines, "Lone is the house now and lonely the moorland/The children are scattered, the old folk are gone."
Generally, the professional songwriter hit upon a more sentimental vein than that found in the folk tradition, as witness Claribel's Come Back to Erin. This was an immensely popular song and was recorded by Dame Nellie Melba, Peter Dawson, Walter Hyde and John McCormack. William Balfe, famed for his so-called ballad operas, has given us a rousing song in Killarney, while Ireland, Mother Ireland, by Loughborough, is as triumphant as it is rousing. These songs are in sharp contrast to the plaintive tunes used by Moore. A quite different characteristic of Irish-style ballads, that of whimsicality and a forceful rhythm, is illustrated in Stanford's Trottin' to the Fair and, from the Hughes collection, The Next Market Day. And finally, the mysticism that is often associated with Ireland is found in Vincent O'Brien's The Fairy Tree. Varied as these 14 selections are as to content, they are united in being among the most beautiful of Irish melodies.
-GORDON T. LEDBETTER
But what above all gave this body of music worldwide recognition was the fact that it was taken up by fashionable society almost two centuries ago. Irish melodies, especially those put to words by Moore, became nothing less than a craze. Everyone sang Irish ballads in the salons and drawing rooms of the 19th century. For this purpose the Irish folk tunes were "frozen" or perpetuated in a written score and to a large extent transformed in the process. The Irish vocal idiom was alien to the Italian-based style of the recitalist, so he modified what he heard in the Irish idiom. Indeed, to fit Irish airs to the written score, certain changes were unavoidable, for Irish folk-singing draws upon vocal inflections-many of them spontaneous embellishments provided by the performer-foreign to the symbolism of standard notation. As Herbert Hughes noted in the introduction to one of his own collections of Irish folk songs. "Over and over again I have found it impossible to write down a tune that has been sung or played to me, for the simple reason that our modern notation does not allow for intervals of less than a semitone." What the collectors mined from the Irish folk-song tradition and what the recitalists who sang them found irresistible was haunting melody. This is what has made the Irish ballad so enduringly popular.
Just as the Neapolitan folk song can perhaps be characterized by its passion and sensuality, so the Irish folk song is perhaps characterized by its gentleness and by its pervasive strain of melancholy. This is wholly typical of the best known of all Irish melodies, Danny Boy, of the plaintive air My Lagan Love and of two of the songs from the Herbert Hughes collection, She Moved Through the Fair and The Bard of Armagh, in which we are invited to "list to the strains of a poor Irish harper" and "Remember his fingers could once move more sharper/To raise up the memory of his dear native land." Remembrance of times past is the theme of The Harp That Once Thro' Tara's Halls. Former days are also recalled in The Old House, written and composed by Sir Frederick O'Connor. No emigrant could fail to respond to the lines, "Lone is the house now and lonely the moorland/The children are scattered, the old folk are gone."
Generally, the professional songwriter hit upon a more sentimental vein than that found in the folk tradition, as witness Claribel's Come Back to Erin. This was an immensely popular song and was recorded by Dame Nellie Melba, Peter Dawson, Walter Hyde and John McCormack. William Balfe, famed for his so-called ballad operas, has given us a rousing song in Killarney, while Ireland, Mother Ireland, by Loughborough, is as triumphant as it is rousing. These songs are in sharp contrast to the plaintive tunes used by Moore. A quite different characteristic of Irish-style ballads, that of whimsicality and a forceful rhythm, is illustrated in Stanford's Trottin' to the Fair and, from the Hughes collection, The Next Market Day. And finally, the mysticism that is often associated with Ireland is found in Vincent O'Brien's The Fairy Tree. Varied as these 14 selections are as to content, they are united in being among the most beautiful of Irish melodies.
-GORDON T. LEDBETTER
Here's the guitar chords in the key of C
for the version by P.J.
The[C] autumn winds are here a[G]gain
And the[F] night winds chil[C]ly grow
The wood land turns to golden hue
And the harvest moon's a[G]glow
To[C] hear again of[G] days long[C] past
To come no more I[G] know
When [C]I mowed Pat[F] Murphy's[C] meadow
In the[F] sunny long a[G]go.
Lyrics And Chords From N - R
for the version by P.J.
The[C] autumn winds are here a[G]gain
And the[F] night winds chil[C]ly grow
The wood land turns to golden hue
And the harvest moon's a[G]glow
To[C] hear again of[G] days long[C] past
To come no more I[G] know
When [C]I mowed Pat[F] Murphy's[C] meadow
In the[F] sunny long a[G]go.
Lyrics And Chords From N - R