Page 126
The melody is an old Irish air called ‘The Moreen’. The song was very popular in America in the early days of the nineteenth century.
Adim7 x01212
Minstrel Boy
by trad
The [C] minstrel [F] boy to the [C] war [G] has [Am] gone
in the [F] ranks of [C] death you will [Dm] [G] find [C] him
His [C] father’s [F] sword he has [C] gir-[G] ded [Am] on
and his [F] wild harp [C] slung be-[Dm] [G] hind [C] him
[Am] “Land [E7] of [Am] Song,” said the [G] war-[Adim7] rior [Em] bard
[E7] “Though [Am] all [E7] the [Am] world [E7] be-[Am] [E7] trays [Am] thee,
[Fm] one [C] sword at [F] least thy [C] rights [G] shall [Am] gaurd
one [F] faithful [C] harp shall [Dm] [G] praise [C] thee
The minstrel fell but the foemans chain
could not bring that proud soul under
The harp he loved never spoke again
for he tore its chords asunder
and said no chain shall sully thee
thou soul of love and bravery!
“Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
they shall never sound in slavery!”
in the [F] ranks of [C] death you will [Dm] [G] find [C] him
His [C] father’s [F] sword he has [C] gir-[G] ded [Am] on
and his [F] wild harp [C] slung be-[Dm] [G] hind [C] him
[Am] “Land [E7] of [Am] Song,” said the [G] war-[Adim7] rior [Em] bard
[E7] “Though [Am] all [E7] the [Am] world [E7] be-[Am] [E7] trays [Am] thee,
[Fm] one [C] sword at [F] least thy [C] rights [G] shall [Am] gaurd
one [F] faithful [C] harp shall [Dm] [G] praise [C] thee
The minstrel fell but the foemans chain
could not bring that proud soul under
The harp he loved never spoke again
for he tore its chords asunder
and said no chain shall sully thee
thou soul of love and bravery!
“Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
they shall never sound in slavery!”