The Green Fields Of France chords
The Fureys & Davey ArthurSong Key: F Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: 124 bpm
Standard Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e
Skill Level: Beginner 🟢
Guitar Chords in D major: D, Bm, G, Em, A, A7
Capo: 3rd fret (to play with the video in F Major)
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The Green Fields Of France
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key D
Intro: 3/4 | | % | % | % | % | % |
D Bm G Em
1. Well how do you do, young Wil-lie Mc-Bride?
A A7 G D
Do you mind if I sit here down by your grave-side
D Bm G Em
And rest for a while 'neath the warm sum-mer sun?
A A7 G D
I've been walk-ing all day, and I'm near-ly done | % |
D Bm G Em
** I see by your grave-stone you were on-ly nine-teen
A A7 G A A7
When you joined the great fall-en in Nine-teen Six-teen | |
D Bm G Em
I hope you died well, and I hope you died clean
A A7 G D
Or young Wil-lie Mc-Bride, was it slow and ob-scene?
A A7 G D
Chorus: Did they beat the drums slow-ly Did they play the fife low-ly
A A7 G A A7
Did they sound the death march as they low-ered you down? | |
G D Bm
Did the band play the last post and cho-rus | |
D G A D
Did the pipes play the flow-ers of the fo - rest? | % | % | % |
D Bm G Em
2. Did you leave a-ny wife or a sweet-heart be-hind?
A A7 G D
In some faith-ful heart, is your mem-o-ry en-shrined?
D Bm G Em
Al-though you died back in Nine-teen Six-teen
A A7 G D
In that faith-ful heart are you for-e-ver nine-teen? | % |
D Bm G Em
** Or are you a stran-ger with-out e-ven a name
A A7 G A A7
En-closed in for-e-ver be-hind the glass frame | |
D Bm G Em
In an old pho-to-graph torn, bat-tered and stained
A A7 G D
And fa-ded to yel-low in a brown, lea-ther frame
A A7 G D
Chorus: Did they beat the drums slow-ly Did they play the fife low-ly
A A7 G A A7
Did they sound the death march as they low-ered you down? | |
G D Bm
Did the band play the last post and cho-rus | |
D G A D
Did the pipes play the flow-ers of the fo - rest? | % | % | % |
D Bm G Em
3. The sun now it shines on the green fields of France
A A7 G D
There's a warm, sum-mer breeze that makes the red pop-pies dance
D Bm G Em
And look how the sun shines from un-der the clouds
A A7 G D
There's no gas, no barbed wire, there's no gun fi-ring down | % |
D Bm G Em
** But here in this grave-yard, it's still no man’s land
A A7 G A A7
The count-less white cros-ses stand mute in the sand | |
D Bm G Em
To a man's blind in-dif-fer-ence to his fel-low man
A A7 G D
To a whole gen-e-ra-tion that were but-chered and damned
A A7 G D
Chorus: Did they beat the drums slow-ly Did they play the fife low-ly
A A7 G A A7
Did they sound the death march as they low-ered you down? | |
G D Bm
Did the band play the last post and cho-rus | |
D G A D
Did the pipes play the flow-ers of the fo - rest? | % | % | % |
D Bm G Em
4. Ah, young Wil-lie Mc-Bride, I can't help won-der why
A A7 G D
To those that lie here, now why did they die?
D Bm G Em
And did they be-lieve when they an-swered the call
A A7 G D
Did they real-ly be-lieve that this war would end war? | % |
D Bm G Em
** Well, the sor-rows, the suf-fer-ing, the glo-ry, the pain
A A7 G A A7
The kil-ling and dy-ing was all done in vain | |
D Bm G Em
For young Wil-lie Mc-Bride, it all hap-pened a-gain
A A7 G D
And a-gain and a-gain and a-gain and a-gain!
A A7 G D
Chorus: Did they beat the drums slow-ly Did they play the fife low-ly
A A7 G A A7
Did they sound the death march as they low-ered you down? | |
G D Bm
Did the band play the last post and cho-rus | |
D G A D
Did the pipes play the flow-ers of the fo - rest?
A A7 G D
Chorus: Did they beat the drums slow-ly Did they play the fife low-ly
A A7 G A A7
Did they sound the death march as they low-ered you down? | |
G D Bm
Did the band play the last post and cho-rus | |
D G A G D
Did the pipes play the flow-ers of the fo - rest? | % | | % |
𝄑
Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: F Major - 1 flat (Bb)
- Piano chords set: F, Dm, Bb, Gm, C, C7
- Time Signature: 3/4 — Three quarter-note beats per measure
- Tempo: Moderately
- Metronome: ♩ = 124
- Voice Range: G3 - C5
Beginners - Helpful Tips:
- If you haven't learned to play barre chords, here is an open chord voicing for Bm:
RH/LH:
- The metronome is set to sound on every beat. If you want the beat to sound on the first beat of each bar, set the metronome to approx 41 bpm.
- The fermata or pause symbol 𝄐 at the end of the song means you play the D chord and stop, letting the chord ring out. It is often found at the end of a song where a chord or note is drawn out till the note or chord fades, or sometimes when the song finishes abruptly.
- The song is fairly simple, with little coloration, but you can experiment, using Dsus4 every now and then, especially when the D chord is drawn out over a few bars. You may want to use Dsus2 as well.
Right-Handed:
Left-Handed:
- You can also experiment with Asus4 and Asus2 in combination with the A & A7 chords. This is especially useful if you are playing solo, as it tends to add a bit of interest to the song.
Right-Handed:
Left-Handed:
- Music provides a great platform for bringing out your 'creative side'. Try different things... you may just come across a 'vibe' that takes the song to another level, and you may surprise yourself in the process.
- This is a beautiful song with a very simple but moving melody line. Some of the most simple tunes are often the best... enjoy. 💕
Song Details:
- Songwriter: Eric Bogle - a Scottish-Australian singer/song-writer. It was originally named 'No Man's Land', and also called Willie McBride.
He wrote No Man's Land after visiting military cemeteries in both North France and Flanders. The subject of the song was the death of a young soldier called Willie McBride. - Date: 1976
- Lyrics Begin: Well, how d' you do, young Willie McBride?
- Genre: Anti-War, Folk
- Featured Artists: The Fureys & Davey Arthur
- Single:
Released: 1979
B-side: Evening Falls
Country: Ireland
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Label: Banshee Records - Album: The Green Fields Of France
Released: 1979
Country: Ireland
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Label: Banshee Records
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