The Nevermind the

Shamrocks
Sing-a-long
Songbook

(Provisional
Version)

Notated, compiled and arranged by

Blitzer, Nevermind the Shamrocks and
the restless ghosts 1916.
 Contents

9. Usige Beatha
10. Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal
11. The Lass behind the Beer taps
12. The Old Divide and Rule
13. Drunken Lullabies
14. Streets of Sorrow
15. The Foggy Dew
16. 500 Miles
Uisge Beatha
Fill - Em, D, C, G, Em Em, D, C, G, Em

Em
A dram will drown the weather and fortify the soul
D C D
Mair warmth in a drop a whisky than ye find in a lump a coal
Em
It puts the swagger in your step and the poet in your tongue
D G Am
It makes the young men older, it keeps the old ones young

Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, water of life
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, keener than a flick knife
Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, bring me to my knees
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, same again please

Fill - Em, D, C, G, Em Em, D, C, G, Em

Em
Now Jesus was the man for turning water into wine
D C D
They put him on at weddings to perform his holy sign
Em
Our fathers in the Gaeltacht went one better than the Lord
D G Am
They turned water into whiskey and down the throat it poured

Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, water of life
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, keener than a flick knife
Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, bring me to my knees
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, same again please

Solo –
C, D, Em C, D, Em C, D, Em
C, D, Em C, D, Em C, D, Em

Em
The Irish have their Jamieson’s the Scots their Johnny Red
D C D
If ya cannae get the one thing then the other’s fine instead
Em
You can drink it from a bottle, you can drink it from a flask
D G Am
If you live up in Glen Livet you can drink it from a cask
Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, water of life
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, keener than a flick knife
Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, bring me to my knees
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, same again please

Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, water of life
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, keener than a flick knife
Em Am B
Uisge Beatha, bring me to my knees
Em G D
Uisge Beatha, same again please

G D
same again please
G D Em
same again please-eeeeees
 Las Vegas in the Hill's of Donegal

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

G D
You may talk about Atlantis,
C Em (Twiddly fill)
How it’s lost beneath the sea
G D
Or the grave of the unknown soldier
C G
and the cry of the old ban-shee (Twiddly fill)

D
Who was the man in the iron mask?
C Em
Was it Jack the ripper set free? (Twiddly fill)

G C
But ask them all where’s Donegal,
D
It’s still a myster-eeeeeeeeey

G
And if I could I’d build a wall
c
Around old Donegal
G
The north and south to keep them out,
F D
my god I’d build it tall
G
Casinos chicken ranches,
C
I’d legalize them all
G
We’d have our own Las Vegas
D Em
in the hills of Donegal
C G
Yeah!! Las Vegas
D G
in hills of Done-gal

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

G D
Playboy clubs, all night pubs,
 C Em
Black jack and roulette (Twiddly fill)

G D
Mel Gibson, Brigitte Nielsen,
C G
Mike Tyson having a bet (Twiddly fill)

D
Inishowen would then be known
C Em
for it's filthy millionaires (Twiddly fill)

G C
and Donald trump would buy a chunk
D
to live in solit-aaaaaaaaaire

G
And if I could I’d build a wall
c
Around old Donegal
G
The north and south to keep them out,
F D
my god I’d build it tall
G
Casinos chicken ranches,
C
I’d legalize them all
G
We’d have our own Las Vegas
D Em
in the hills of Donegal
C G
Yeah!! Las Vegas
D G
in hills of Done-gal

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

G D
To stand on top of erigal
C Em
Would give me such a thrill (Twiddly fill)
G D
And to hear them say in Dublin
C G
There's gold in them thar hills (Twiddly fill)
G D
But don't despair cause if you dare
C Em
The answer lies with me (Twiddly fill)
G
There's a wall that's steep
C D
And it's going cheap somewhere in German-eeeeey

G
And if I could I’d build a wall
c
Around old Donegal
G
The north and south to keep them out,
F D
my god I’d build it tall
G
Casinos chicken ranches,
C
I’d legalize them all
G
We’d have our own Las Vegas
D Em
in the hills of Donegal
C G
Yeah!! Las Vegas
D G
in hills of Done-gal

FILL
G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

Whistle Solo Strum

Am Am F F G
Am Am F F G

Am F G Am F G
Am F G Am F G

G
And if I could I’d build a wall
c
Around old Donegal
G
The north and south to keep them out,
F D
my god I’d build it tall
G
Casinos chicken ranches,
C
I’d legalize them all
G
We’d have our own Las Vegas
D Em
in the hills of Donegal
C G
Yeah!! Las Vegas
D G
in hills of Done-gal

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G

G C G D
G F#7 Em C D G
The Lass behind the Beer Taps
Intro
Em Em D D G F#7
Em Em D D G F#7 Em

Verse 1
G G Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
I’m not the kind to vex my mind on the fickle winds of fortune
GG DD G F#7 Em Em
I’d rather sink another drink of brandy, wine or potheen
G G Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
For life is short and I’m the sort of man to take it easy
G G DD G F#7 Em Em
If there’s a dram who gives a d**n if the morning finds me queasy

Chorus
Em G Em Em G Em Em G Em Em D Em
Some take delight in picking a fight and beating up on the quare chap
GG G D D D G F#7 Em
When I get pissed I want to kiss the lass behind the beer taps
Em G Em Em G Em Em G F#7 Em
Some take delight in picking a fight out on the street on a Saturday night
G G G D D D G F#7 Em
I’d save me strength and slip me length to the lass behind the beer taps

Bridge
Em Em D D G F#7 Em

Verse 2
G G Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
I’ve often woke up stoney broke and all my pay I’ve spent it
GG DD G F#7 Em Em
If I’ve the brass and a willing lass I’ll take me wad and dent it
GG Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
For flakes of snow they come and go so why not you and I love
G G DD G F#7 Em Em
And e’er it’s done we’ll have some fun then go to hell and fry love

Chorus
Em G Em Em G Em Em G Em Em D Em
Some take delight in picking a fight and beating up on the quare chap
GG G D D D G F#7 Em
When I get pissed I want to kiss the lass behind the beer taps
Em G Em Em G Em Em G F#7 Em
Some take delight in picking a fight out on the street on a Saturday night
G G G D D D G F#7 Em
I’d save me strength and slip me length to the lass behind the beer taps

Solo
G G Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
G G D D G F#7 Em
GG Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
GG D D G F#7 Em

Verse 3
GG Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
The wise man trims his wisdom and the fool pursues his folly
GG DD G F#7 Em Em
Give me an hour inside the bower with my sweet charming Polly
GG Bm Bm G G Bm Bm
For love is pleasing, love is teasing, love is wealth and treasure
G G DD G F#7 Em Em
With a glass of wine I will entwine and with me lass take pleasure

Chorus
Em G Em Em G Em Em G Em Em D Em
Some take delight in picking a fight and beating up on the quare chap
GG G D D D G F#7 Em
When I get pissed I want to kiss the lass behind the beer taps
Em G Em Em G Em Em G F#7 Em
Some take delight in picking a fight out on the street on a Saturday night
G G G D D D G F#7 Em
I’d save me strength and slip me length to the lass behind the beer taps
The Old Divide and Rule
DCDCD
D
Now all my life I've lived beside
C
The waters that they call the Clyde
D
I built the ships and watch them glide
C D
Down the Broomie-law, sir
D
Trudge to work in sleet and rain
C
Labour for another's gain
Bb
Know your place and don't complain
D C D
That's the rich man's law, sir
D
When I was young I read with pride
C
How Scotland’s heroes fought and died,
D
Tae keep the nation fortified
C D
Against the English crown, sir.
D
Scots wha hae wi’ Wallace bled
C
By clerics fancy were mislead,
Bb
Fought among themselves instead
D C D
And by it were brought down, sir.

D F
When the Billy Boys were marching in
C D
The sash their fathers wore
D F
The day they slew the Fenien crew
C
Three hundred years before
 D F
The gentry give a smile and
C D
Lift their glasses to John Bull
D F
Who keeps us all in poverty with
C D
The old divide and rule

The pipes did play the drums did beat

On heathered glen and cobbled street.
The sullen tramp of marching feet
Returned the call to arms, sir.
In the field where cattle grazed,
Brother’s hand at brother raised,
Thus the name of God was praised
In the smoke of burning farms, sir.

D F
When the Billy Boys were marching in
C D
The sash their fathers wore
D F
The day they slew the Fenien crew
C
Three hundred years before
D F
The gentry give a smile and
C D
Lift their glasses to John Bull
D F
Who keeps us all in poverty with
C D
The old divide and rule

Would that I might see the day

When tyranny is swept away,
And honest work for honest pay
Becomes the right of all, sir.
As for Gentile so for Jew,
Protestant and Catholic too,
Every race and every hue
Secure within four walls, sir.

And the Billy Boy and Fenien

Together make a stand
To raise the flag of Worker’s Power
All across the land.
Declare it in the factory,
The office and the school,
We’ll put an end to poverty and
The old Divide and Rule.

Bridge
Am G Am C C C C Am G C E7sus4 Am

Solo

C G C Am
C E7sus4 Am G
Am E7sus4 C D
C E7sus4 Am

The Old Divide and Rule