Four Green Fields chords
by Jim McCannSong Key: G Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: 102 bpm
Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Skill Level: Beginner 🟢
Chords: G, D, C, Em, Am, D7, Dsus2
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Performance Video
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Four Green Fields
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key G
Intro: 3/4 | | % | % | % | % | % |
G D G C G
1. What did I have Said the fine old wo-man
G D G C Am D Dsus2
What did I have This proud old wo-man did say | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
I had four green fields Each one was a jew-el | |
G D Em C Am D Dsus2
But strang-ers came And tried to take them from me | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
I had fine strong sons They fought to save my jew-els | |
C D7 G Em G D G
They fought and they died And that was my grief said she | % | % | % |
G D G C G
2. Long time a-go Said the fine old wo-man
G D G C Am D Dsus2
Long time a-go This proud old wo-man did say | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
There was war and death Plund-er-ing and pill-age | |
G D Em C Am D Dsus2
My child-ren starved By mount-ain vall-ey and sea | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
And their wail-ing cries They reached the ver-y heav-ens | |
C D7 G Em G D G
My four green fields Ran red with their blood said she | % | % | % |
G D G C G
3. What have I now Said the fine old wo-man
G D G C Am D Dsus2
What have I now This proud old wo-man did say | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
I have four green fields One of them's in bond-age | |
G D Em C Am D Dsus2
In strang-er's hands Who tried to take it from me | |
G D Em G C D Dsus2
And my sons have sons As brave as were their fath-ers | |
C D7 G Em G D G
My four green fields _ Will bloom once a-gain said she | % |
C D7 G Em G D C G
My four green fields _ Will bloom once a-gain said she | |...Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: G Major - 1 sharp (F#)
- Time Signature: 3/4 — Three quarter-note beats per measure, therefore the count is
| 1 2 3 | or | 1& 2& 3& | or in this case where you are playing a hammer-on hammer-off on the the 3rd beat of the bar | 1& 2& 3&& | etc. - Tempo: Moderately
- Metronome: ♩ = 102
- Voice Range: B3 - D5
Guitar Tutorial - the Hammer (h)
- h means to hammer-on: you bring your finger(s) down on the fingerboard sharply, causing a note or chord to sound.
- To hammer-off is to simply lift your finger off after a hammer-on, creating a small trill.
- In this instance, the hammer-on and hammer-off occur on the + of the 3rd beat of the bar which is played on the C-note located on the 1st fret-string 2. (xxxx1x)
- In this example you will count the bar as | 1 + 2+ 3++ |, where the '++' is played in the same time as '+'.
1+ 2+ 3++ | G / G-h | is actually:
- G (1+)
- G (2+)
- G (3)
- G hammer-on C note (+)
- G hammer-off C note (+)
Play it slowly counting the beats as you go... you will hear this if you are playing with the video. - The Intro | G |... x6 can be played as | G / G-h |... x 6 where you hammer on and off on the 3rd beat of each bar.
- The same applies to the end of verses 1 & 2 where there are 4 bars of the G chord. Instead of playing | G | G | G | G | - you can play | G | G / G-h | G | G |
- You don't have to play the hammer on. It simply provides a bit of interest and teaches you a little more about guitar technique.
- If you are not playing with the video, you don't have to play the 4 bars of G at the end of verses 1 & 2 - you may prefer 2 bars.
- We have added a Dsus2 which is included in the video. Again, you can simply continue with a D chord, or you can spice it up a bit using a Dsus4. Whichever chord you decide on, it still sounds fine.
Song Details:
- Songwriter: Tommy Makem
- Date: 1967
- Lyrics Begin: What did I have, said the fine old woman,
- Genre: Irish Folk Song
- Featured Artist: Jim McCann
- Album: The Best of Jim McCann
Released: June 27, 2003 - Album Tracks:
Please Note: Although the album tracks are all perfomed by Jim McCann, links with an asterisk will take you to pages performed by other artists.
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