Black Is The Colour chords

by Christy Moore

Song Key: Bb Minor (Relative to Db Major)

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 122 bpm

Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner (easy chords)

Guitar Chords in A Minor: Am, Asus2, E, E7, F, G

Capo: 1st fret (to play along with the video in Bb Minor)

Black Is The Colour

The Relative Major Key of Am is highlighted (C) - Transpose to any other key.

    Am           F         G                     Am     Asus2
1.  Black is the co-lour     Of my true love's | hair -        |
  Am             F             G      E 
    Her lips are like     Some ro-ses fair
  E7                      F                 G         E 
    She has the sweet-est smile     And the gent-lest hands,
  E7               F        G                Am         Asus2
    And I love the ground     Where-on she | stands  -        |
           
  Am          F      G                Am       Asus2
2.  I love my love     And well she | knows -         |
  Am           F                G      E 
    I love the ground     Where-on she goes
  E7           F          G          E 
    I wish the day     It soon would come
  E7             F   G               Am    Asus2
    When she and I     could be as | one -        |

  Am            F       G                   Am     Asus2
3.  I go to the Clyde     And I mourn and | weep -        |
  Am       F        G            E 
    Sat-is-fied     I ne-ver can be
  E7              F                  G         E 
    I write her a let-ter     Just a few short lines
  E7            F       G               Am       Asus2
    And suf-fer death     A thou-sand | times -         |
           
    Am           F         G                     Am    Asus2
4.  Black is the co-lour     Of my true love's | hair -        |
  Am             F             G      E 
    Her lips are like     Some ro-ses fair
  E7                      F                 G         E 
    She has the sweet-est smile     And the gent-lest hands
  E7               F        G                Am        Asus2
    And I love the ground     Where-on she | stands -        |

Notes & Helpful Tips:

Level Of Ease: Easy in the key of A Minor
Key Signature: B♭ Minor - relative to Db Major with 5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭)
If you prefer to play in Bbm, press Db on the Transposer, as that is relative to Bbm (they share the same key signature).
If you are playing along with the video - Capo on the 1st fret, and play in the key of A Minor - relative to C major with no sharps or flats... much easier to play.
4/4 time: This means 4 quarter-note/crotchet beats per bar, therefore the count is
| 1 2 3 4 |, or | 1& 2& 3& 4& |etc.
Tempo: 122 bpm - the click track will sound on every beat of each bar. If you want the beat to sound on the every 2nd beat of each bar, set the metronome to approx 60 bpm.
The hyphen between 2 chords means you split the beat-count of the bar evenly between the 2 chords, e.g., | Am - Asus2 | with a time signature of 4/4 - play the Am chord for 2 beats, and the Asus2 for 2 beats.
The Asus2 chord adds a nice touch. You don't have to play it, but it does enhance the overall sound. It's a very easy chord to play... you just take your first finger off the Am chord.
The chord formula for a sus2 chord is 1 - 2 - 5... Asus2 = A - B - E (x02200)
On the second and third lines of each verse there is an added 2/4 bar (2 beats) of F major before the G chord... you will notice this when you play along with the video. There is a tendency to want to play the G chord earlier, but if you count each bar and listen to Christy, you will notice there is an extra 2 beats added to the F chord - 6 beats in total OR 1 bar + 1/2 bar OR 4/4 bar + 2/4 bar... I hope this is not too confusing. Just follow the chord changes on the chart as they are placed exactly where each chord change occurs.
Christy plays the G chord exactly the same as the F chord (open position) except 2 frets up... F + 2 semitones (frets) = G. You don't have to play it like this, but you should give it a go as it gives you an extra option to add to your repertoire... xx5433 (see charts).