the Dubliners Transposer
the Irish Rover
Traditional Irish
Song : D
Intro :
G C D G
G C
On the Fourth of July, eighteen hundred and six
G D
We set sail from the sweet Cobh of Cork
G C
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
G D G
For the Grand City Hall in New York
G
'Twas a wonderful craft
D
She was rigged fore and aft
G D
And oh, how the wild wind drove her
G
She stood several blasts
Em C
She had twenty seven masts
G D G
And they called her The Irish Rover
G C
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
G D
We had two million barrels of stone
G C
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides
G D G
We had four million barrels of bones
G
We had five million hogs
D
And six million dogs
G D
Seven million barrels of porter
G Em C
We had eight million bails of old nanny-goats' tails
G D G
In the hold of the Irish Rover
G
There was awl Mickey Coote
C
Who played hard on his flute
G D
When the ladies lined up for a set
G
He was tootin' with skill
C
For each sparkling quadrille
G D G
Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet
G
With his smart witty talk
D
He was cock of the walk
G D
And he rolled the dames under and over
G
They all knew at a glance
Em C
When he took up his stance
G D G
That he sailed in The Irish Rover
G
There was Barney McGee
C
From the banks of the Lee
G D
There was Hogan from County Tyrone
G
There was Johnny McGirr
C
Who was scared stiff of work
G D G
And a man from Westmeath called Malone
G
There was Slugger O'Toole
D
Who was drunk as a rule
G D
And Fighting Bill Treacy from Dover
G
And your man, Mick MacCann
Em C
From the banks of the Bann
G D G
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
G C
For a sailor it's always a bother in life
G D
It's so lonesome by night and day
G
That he longs for the shore
C
And a charming young whore
G D G
Who will melt all his troubles away
G
Oh, the noise and the rout
D
Swillin' poitin and stout
G D
For him soon the torment's over
G
Of the love of a maid
Em C
He is never afraid
G D G
An old salt from the Irish Rover
G
We had sailed seven years
C
When the measles broke out
G D
And the ship lost its way in the fog
G
And that whale of a crew
C
Was reduced down to two
G D G
Just myself and the Captain's old dog
G
Then the ship struck a rock
D
Oh Lord what a shock
G D
The bulkhead was turned right over
G
Turned nine times around
Em C
And the poor old dog was drowned
G D G
I'm the last of The Irish Rover
Transposer