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the man who wrote danny boy
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| Meter: | 3/4 (or 3/8!) |
| Tempo: | 132-164 beats per minute |
| Notation: | [n times] ||: ... :|| = repeat section n times A5/B = A5 chord with B bass G(B)/C = G chord (B as top note) with C bass * = (see below) |
| Style: | The [-1-] ("soft") sections
are played with bass on beat 1 and chord on beat 2, all
held until the next bar, except where noted with a *,
where bass and chord are played together. (e.g. D*) Tempo
about 132 beats per minute. The [-2-] ("strong") sections are played with bass and chord played together. Tempo from 150 to 164 (!) beats per minute. Viola lines may be improvised on an E major scale. |
[-1-]: (introduction, with viola:) [8 times] ||: B5 A5/B :||
B5 A5/B B5 A5/B
it happened one night-at three in the morning-
B5 E G#m G#m
the devil appeared in my studio room-
A E A D*
and he said i'm your pal-and i'll make you a deal-
[4 times]
F#m C#m B5 A5/B ||:B5 A5/B:||
blow away all your struggle-and take your soul for a toy/
B5 A5/B B5 A5/B
after rubbing my eyes-i looked all around me-
B5 E G#m G#m
at the half-finished drivel i'd worked on for days-
A E A D*
and i told him my dream-was to live for all time-
[3 times]
F#m C#m B5 A5/B ||:B5 A5/B:||
in some perfect refrain-like the man who wrote danny boy/
B5 B5*
[-2-]:
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
and i said if you're real, then i'll ask you a question :-
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
while most of us turn into ashes or dust-
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
just you and that other guy go on forever-
E D/E D/B E D
but who writes the history-and who do i trust?/
G(B)/C E(G#)/A C#m(E)/F# Bm(B)/D
[-1-]: (interlude, with viola:) [4 times] ||: B5 A5/B :||
B5 A5/B B5 A5/B
he gave me a wink-and he said it was funny-
B5 E G#m G#m
how mortals would pour all their blood, sweat and tears,-
A E A D*
onto tape, onto paper-or into the air-
[2 times]
F#m C#m B5 A5/B ||:B5 A5/B:||
to be lost and forgotten-outside of his kind employ/
B5 B5*
[-2-]:
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
then i thought i could hear a great sound in the distance-
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
of whiskey-soaked singing-and laughter and cheers-
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
and they're saying, that song could bring tears to a glass eye-
E D/E D/B E D/E D/B
so pass me the papers, i'll sign them in blood-
E D D/B E D D/B
E D D/B E D D/B
and the smell of the brimstone was turned into greasepaint-
E D D/B E D D/B
and the roar of the crowd like the furies of hell-
E D D/B E D D/B
and i hear the applause and i hear the bells ringing
[-1-]: A* E* A* D*
and the sound of a woman's voice from the next room/
G5 F5/G G5 F5/G
saying come to me now-come lay down beside me-
G5 C Em Em
whatever you're doing you're too gone to see-
F C F Bb*
you can't hold onto shadows, no more than to years-
Dm Am G5 F5/G G5*
so be glad for the pleasures-we're young enough to enjoy/
G(B)/C* E(G#)/A* C#m(E)/F#* Bm(B)/D*
[5 times]
||: B5 A5/B :||
B5 A5/B B5 A5/B
so maybe i'm drunk-or maybe a liar-
B5 E G#m G#m
or maybe we're all living inside a dream-
A E A D*
you can say what you like-when i'm gone, then you'll see-
F#m C#m F#m C#m
i'll be down in the dark-down underground-
F#m C#m B5 A5/B B5 A5/B
with shakespeare and bach-and the man who wrote danny boy
(viola to F# on final chord:) C#m7(add 4)(F#)
This transcription is also available in a plain text version.