Four Green Fields lyrics

Flying Column

What did I have, said the fine old woman
What did I have, this proud old woman did say
I had four green fields, each one was a jewel
But strangers came and tried to take them from me
I had fine strong sons, they fought to save my jewels
They fought and they died, and that was my grief said she.

Long time ago, said the fine old woman
Long time ago, this proud old woman did say
There was war and death, plundering and pillage
My people starved by mountain, valley and sea
And their wailing cries, they reached the very heavens
My four green fields ran red with their blood said she.

What have I now, said the fine old woman
What have I now, this proud old woman did say
I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage
In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me
But my sons they have sons, as brave as were their fathers
My fourth green field will bloom once again said she.

Song Details

Four Counties of Ireland — Four Green Fields

Words & Music: Tommy Makem - 1967

Tommy Makem: Musician, songwriter, artist, poet - born on 4th November 1932 in Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Brief: The song is a representation of the British colonization of Ireland. The old woman represents Ireland, while the four green fields depict the four provinces of Ireland; Ulster, Munster, Leinster, and Connaught. The reference in the song, "...one of them's in bondage", refers to Ulster which is still under British rule.

Category: Irish Rebel Song

Celtic Covers: Tommy Makem, Flying Column (featured), Derek Warfield, Fenian Folk, The Irish Descendants, The O'Brien Brothers, The Dubliners, Jim McCann...

Album: Favourite Irish Rebel Ballads ft. Four Green Fields by The Flying Column

Song chords below ↓

Four Green Fields Chords

Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: 130 bpm (♩)

Chord Charts: number = fret, x = don't play, 0 = play open string, (B) barre chord. Guitar: 6 segments represent a guitar string from low 'E' to high 'e' (E A D G B e).

Chord	Guitar	Piano
D	xx0232	D-F#-A
E	022100	E-G#-B
E7	020100	E-G#-B-D

Chord	Guitar	Piano
G	320003	G-B-D
A	x02220	A-C#-E
A7	x02020	A-C#-E-G

The song key is highlighted. Transpose to any other key.

Intro: 3/4

1. [D]What [A]did I [D]have, said the [G]fine old [D]woman
   [D]What [A]did I [D]have, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say
   I had [D]four [A]green [D]fields, each one [G]was a [A]jewel
   But [D]stran-[A]ger's [D]came and [E]tried to [E7]take them from [A]me
   I had [D]fine [A]strong [D]sons, they fought to [G]save my [A]jewels
   They [G]fought [A7]and they [D]died [G] and [D]that was my [A]grief said [D]she.

2. [D]Long [A]time a-[D]go, said the [G]fine old [D]woman
   [D]Long [A]time a-[D]go, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say
   There was [D]war [A]and [D]death, plunder-[G]ing and [A]pillage
   My [D]peo-[a]ple [D]starved by [E]mountain, [E7]valley and [A]sea
   And their [D]wail-[A]ing [D]cries, they reached the [G]very [A]heavens
   My [G]four [A7]green [D]fields [G] ran [D]red with their [A]blood said [D]she.

3. [D]What [A]have I [D]now, said the [G]fine old [D]woman
   [D]What [A]have I [D]now, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say
   I have [D]four [A]green [D]fields, one of [G]them's in [A]bondage
   In [D]strang-[A]er's [D]hands, that [E]tried to [E7]take it from [A]me
   But my [D]sons, [a]they have [D]sons, as brave as [G]were their [A]fathers
   My [G]fourth [A7]green [D]field will [D]bloom once a-[A]gain said [D]she...

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