That's An Irish Lullaby

John Gary

Song Keys: C Major → Db Major → D Major

Time Signature: 2/4

Tempo:  Varied due to the expressive nature of the song


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Intermediate 🟠

Chords in C Major: C, Am, G, D7, G7, F, G7#5, C7, F#dim7, Am7, A7

Chords in D♭ Major: A♭7, D♭, B ♭m, A♭, E♭7

Chords in D Major: A7, D, Bm, A, E7, G, A7#5, D7, G#dim7, Bm7, B7

Arrangement Song Details
Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
C Major C7 D Major D7 A7 A7-V2 E7 F Major F Major barre chord G Major G7 G7#5 barre chord B7 Am7 Bm7 F#dim7 G#dim7 G7#5 A7#5 Db Major-barre chord Ab Major Ab7 barre chord Ab7 Eb7 barre chord Bbm
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
C Major-LH C7-LH D Major-LH D7-LH A7-LH A7-V2-LH E7-LH F Major-LH F Major barre chord-LH G Major-LH G7-LH G7#5 barre chord-LH B7-LH Am7-LH Bm7-LH F#dim7-LH G#dim7-LH G7#5-LH A7#5-LH Db Major-barre chord-LH Ab Major-LH Ab7 barre chord-LH Ab7-LH Eb7 barre chord-LH Bbm-LH
Speed: x0.1

That's An Irish Lullaby

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
  
Time Signature: 2/4 Played smoothly with much expression in time.

   C                       Am            G
1. O-ver in Kil-lar-ney    Ma-ny years a-go
      C              Am               D7                 G
   My mo-ther sang a song to me    In tones so sweet and low
          C                                Am              G
   Just a sim-ple lit-tle dit-ty    In her good old I-rish way
           F                 C        Am           D7               G   G7#5
   And I'd give the world if she could sing    That song to me this day

        C             C7         F                     F#dim7
Chorus: Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    Too - ra - loo - ra - li
        C      F      C      Am7   D7                  G    G7
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral      Hush, now don't you cry
        C             C7         F                     F#dim7
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    Too - ra - loo - ra - li
        C      F      C      A7            D7     G      C        Ab7
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    That's an I-rish lul-la-by... (key change)

   Db                          Bbm            Ab   
2. Oft, in dreams I wan-der    To that cot a-gain
     Db              Bbm               Eb7              Ab7         A7
   I feel her arms a hug-gin' me    As when she held me then... (key change)
         D                                  Bm            D 
   And I hear her voice a hum-min' to me    As in days of yore
            G               D      Bm           E7             A7     A7#5 
   When she used to rock me fast a-sleep    Out-side the cabin door

        D             D7         G                     G#dim7
Chorus: Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    Too - ra - loo - ra - li
        D      G      D      Bm7   E7                  A    A7
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral      Hush, now don't you cry
        D             D7         G                     G#dim7
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    Too - ra - loo - ra - li
        D      G      D      B7            E7     A          D    G#dim7   D
        Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral    That's an I-rish lul - la - by...

Arrangement Details & Playing Tips:

  • Song Keys: C Major → D♭ Major → D Major.
    This stepwise modulation is a classic technique for building momentum.
  • Key Signatures:
    C Major - no sharps or flats
    Db Major - 5 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb)
    D Major - 2 sharps (F#, C#)
  • Time Signature: 2/4 — Two quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Expressivo (Italian: “expressively”) - smoothly with expression.
  • Metronome: Difficult to set the metronome due to the expressive nature of the performance.
  • Voice Range: C4 - A5 
    A5 is unusually demanding for a male voice — it demonstrates Gary’s exceptional control and range.
  • Strum Pattern: This version of the song is a little difficult to play along with, but if you listen to the guitar on the video, you will notice it is being played using one down stroke at the start of each bar during the verses. This is because the timing of the song is so diverse.

    An emotional song such as this one gives the singer poetic licence — the freedom to shape the music according to feeling rather than strict tempo. This means the performer may speed up or slow down wherever the mood takes them.

    This makes it very difficult for a rhythm guitarist to strum along, so the safest way is to do what this guitarist is doing, and play a down stroke at the start of each bar.

    You will notice in the choruses, the timing is more stable, and the guitarist becomes a little more adventurous!
  • We have tried to keep the song as simple as possible, however with 2 key changes, we get in some murky territory— especially with the first modulation to D♭ Major. This is where barre chords come in very handy. The next key change gets you back into 'safer waters'! 🥳💚
  • The diminished 7th chords are actually quite easy once you get used to the basic shape. What makes them especially friendly for guitarists is their symmetry — every interval is a minor third, so the chord repeats itself every three frets.
    🔹 F#dim7 (same notes as Adim7, Cdim7 and Ebdim7)
    🔹 G#dim7 (same notes as Bdim7, Ddim7 and Fdim7).
  • If you find the dim7 chords (1 - b3 - b5 - bb7) too difficult, just continue with the previous chord:
    🔹 F Major in the first chorus
    🔹 G Major in the second chorus.
  • 7#5 is a seventh augmented fifth chord with a formula: 1 - 3 - #5 - b7. It can also be referred to as a 7+5 or +7 chord.
    In this song we have:
    G7#5 and A7#5.
    They are both easy to play and sound great going into each respective chorus.

Song Details:

Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Songwriter: John Royce Shannon - Irish-American composer and lyricist
  • Date: 1913
  • Other title: Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral
  • Lyrics Begin: Over in Killarney, many years ago, my mother sang a song to me In tones so sweet and low.
  • Genre: Irish lullaby
  • Featured Artist: John Gary
    Born: John Gary Strader on November 29, 1932 in Watertown, New York, U.S.
    Profession: Singer, television personality
    Instrument: Vocals
    Music Styles: Traditional pop, easy listening
  • Album: A Little Bit Of Heaven
    Released: 1965
    Country: US
    Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
    Label: RCA Victor
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