The Mountains Of Mourne lyrics were written by Percy French - famous Irish songwriter and entertainer, while the music is traditional (composer unknown). The song Carrigdhoun, which is also a traditional Irish folk song, shares the same tune.
This version by Irish Mist is from their album: Irish Mist - Their Classic Collection
Music: Key of D Major in 3/4 time at ~ 114 bpm (♩)
Chords: D, G, Em, A, A7, Bm... chord charts below.
Mountains Of Mourne
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
D G Em A A7 D A7Intro: 3/4 | | 𝄎 | | | | | | |
D G Em A A7 D A7 D
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D G Em
1. Oh Ma-ry this Lon-don's a won-der-ful sight
A7 D
With the peo-ple here work-ing by day and by night
D G Em
They don't grow po-ta-toes nor bar-ley nor wheat
A7 D
But there's gangs of them dig-gin' for gold in the street
A7 D Bm
At least when I asked them that's what I was told
D Bm Em A7
So I just took a hand at this dig-gin' for gold
D G Em
But for all that I've found there I might as well be
A7 D
Where the Moun-tains Of Mourne sweep down to the sea
D G Em
2. Re-mem-ber young Peter O'-Laugh-lin of course
A7 D
He's o-ver here now at the head of the force
D G Em
I met him to-day as I walked down the strand
A7 D
Sure he stopped all the traf-fic with one wave of his hand
A7 D Bm
As we stood there and talked of the days that were gone
D Bm Em A7
To the whole pop-u-lat-ion of Lon-don looked on
D G Em
But for all his great powers he's long-ing like me
A7 D
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea
D G Em
3. There's beau-ti-ful girls here I sure ne-ver you mind
A7 D
With won-der-ful shapes na-ture ne-ver de-signed
D G Em
Love-ly com-ple-xion all ro-ses and cream
A7 D
As Laugh-lin re-marked with re-gards to the same
A7 D Bm
But if at those ro-ses you hap-pen to sip
D Bm Em A7
Till the co-lor would all come a-way on your lips
D G Em
So I'll wait for my wild rose who's waitin' for me
A7 D
Where the Moun-tains Of Mourne sweep down to the sea
4. Repeat Verse 1
↓ The Mountains Of Mourne - version by Irish Mist - some lyrics have been altered and verse 2 has been omitted... verse 4 is the repeat of verse 1.
↓ The Mountains O Mourne - version by Don McLean - This is perhaps the most popular version where Don McLean calls the song, Mountains O' Mourne. He improvises a little with the melody throughout the song, especially in verse 3... the chord structure remains the same.
He tends to sing behind or in front of the beat, but we have kept the chord changes on the beat, as that would be how you would normally sing it. This version is in the key of G Major.
