The Croppy Boy lyrics chords + tab

The Croppy Boy Lyrics And guitar Chords. Traditional. Recorded by The Clancys and The Dubliners. Croppy Boys got their name from thier hair style [croppy] the youtube video is of Anne Byrne with Jessy Owen on guitar, Anne also done a great version of The Foggy Dew, an Irish folk song.

It[G] was early, early[C] in the spring
The[D] birds did whistle and[G] sweetly sing,
Changing their notes from[C] tree to[G] tree
And the[D] song they sang was Old[G] Ireland free.

It was early early in the night,
The yeoman cavalry gave me a fright;
The yeoman cavalry was my downfall
And I was taken by Lord Cornwall.

'Twas in the guard-house where I was laid,
And in a parlour where I was tried;
My sentence passed and my courage low
When to Dungannon I was forced to go.

As I was passing my father's door
My brother William stood at the door;
My aged father stood at the door
And my tender mother her hair she tore.

As I was going up Wexford Street
My own first cousin I chanced to meet;
My own first cousin did me betray
And for one bare guinea swore my life away.

As I was walking up Wexford Hill
Who could blame me to cry my fill?
I looked behind, and I looked before
But my aged mother I shall see no more.

And as I mounted the platform high
My aged father was standing by;
My aged father did me deny
And the name he gave me was the Croppy Boy.

It was in Dungannon this young man died
And in Dungannon his body lies.
And you good people that do pass by
Oh shed a tear for the Croppy Boy.

In this version by Brendan Bowyer The melody and its timing are the same throughout the whole song but in the middle part with the spoken verses he accelerates his speech to double speed so that two lyric verses are put in one melodic verse. In the upper part he comes back to normal speed and singing the words, although the key changers to F major. The last verses is finally in another key which is not allowed for here. Chords by Marc.

THE CROPPY BOY 6/8
Good (A)men and true in this (D)house who (E)dwell.
To a (E)stranger Buachal I (A)pray you (E)tell
Is the (A)priest at home or may (D)he be seen
I would (A)speak a word with (E)Father (A)Greene

The (A)Priest ‘s at home boy and (D)may be (E)seen
Ties (E)easy speaking to (A)father (E)Greene
(A)But you must wait till I (D)go and see
If the (A)holy father a(E)lone may (A)be.

The (A)youth has knelt to (D)tell his (E)sins
At (E)nominee dei the (A)youth be(E)gins
At (A)maya culpa he (D)beats his breast
And in (A)broken murmurs he (E)speaks the (A)rest

At the (A)siege of Ross did my (D)father (E)fall
And at (E)Gorey my loving (A)brothers (E)all
I a(A)lone am left of my (D)name and face
And I’ll (A)go to Wexford and (E)take their (A)place.

I (A)cursed three times since last (D)Easter (E)day
And (E)at Mass time once I (A)went to (E)play.
I (A)passed the Churchyard one (D)day in haste
But for(A)got to pray for my (E)mothers (A)rest

Yet I (A)bear no hate against (D)living (E)things
I just (E)love my country a(A)bove the (E)King
So(A) father bless me and (D)let me go
To (A)die if god or(E)dains it (A)so

The (A)priest said not but a (D)rustling (E)noise
Made that (E)youth look up in (A)wild sur(E)prise
The (A)robes were off and in (D)scarlet there
Sat a (A)yeoman captain with (E)fiery (A)glair

With (A)fiery glair and (D)fury (E)force
In(E)stead of a blessing he (A)breathed a (E)curse
T’was a (A)good thought boy to (D)come here and strive
For (A)one last hour is your (E)time a(A)live

At Ge(A)neva barracks that (D)young lad (E)died
And at (E)Cassett they had his (A)body (E)laid
Good (A)people who live in (D)peace and joy
Breath a (A)prayer shed a tear for the (E)Croppy (A)Boy.