THE MINSTREL BOY 4/4 (By Thomas Moore, Clancy Brothers & Makem’s  Version)

 

Intro: Drums

 

The (C)Minstrel (Am)Boy to the (C)war is (F)gone,

In the (C)ranks of (Am)death you'll (G)find (C)him,

His (C)father's (Am)sword he has (C)girded (F)on,

And his (C)wild harp (Am)slung be(G)hind (C)him,

(Am)"Land of (F)Song"! said the (Em)warrior bard,

"Tho' (Am)all the world be(F)trays (C)thee,

One (C)sword at (Am)least thy (C)rights shall (F)guard,

One (C)faithful (Am)harp shall (G)praise (C)thee"!

 

C-Am-C-F

C-Am-G-C

 

The (C)Minstrel (Am)fell but the (C)foeman's (F)chain

Could not (C)bring his (Am)proud soul (G)un(C)der,

The (C)harp he (Am)loved ne'er (C)spoke a(F)gain

For he (C)tore its (Am)chords a(G)sun(C)der,

And (Am)said "No (F)chains shall (Em)sully thee,

Thou (Am)soul of love and (F)brave(C)ry!

Thy (C)songs were (Am)made for the (C)pure and (F)free

They shall (C)never (Am)sound in (G)slave(C)ry".

 

C-Am-G-C

 

 

Additional Verse (added during the US Civil War, not used by the Clancy Bros. & Makem)

 

The (C)Minstrel (Am)Boy will re(C)turn we (F)pray
When we (C)hear the (Am)news we all will (G)cheer (C)it,
The (C)minstrel (Am)boy will re(C)turn one (F)day,
Torn per(C)haps in (Am)body, not in (G)spi(C)rit.
Then (Am)may he (F)play on his (Em)harp in peace,
In a (Am)world such as Heaven in(F)ten(C)ded,
For (C)all the (Am)bitterness of (C)man must (F)cease,
And (C)ev'ry (Am)battle must be (G)en(C)ded.