Spancil Hill chords
by The DublinersSong Key: D Minor
Time Signature: 6/8
Tempo: 160 bpm
Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e
Skill Level: Beginner
Guitar Chords: Dm, C, G
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Spancil Hill
The Relative Major Key of Dm is highlighted (F) - Transpose to any other key. Dm C Dm
Intro: 6/8 ‖ | | % | | % ‖
Dm C Dm
1. Last night as I lay drea-ming of plea-sant days gone by
Dm C G
My mind being bent on ramb-ling to Ire-land I did fly
Dm C G
I stepped on board a vis-ion and I fol-lowed with the wind
Dm C Dm
Till next I came to an-chor at the cross in Spa-ncil Hill
Dm C Dm
2. It being on the twen-ty third of June the day be-fore the fair
Dm C G
When lre-land's sons and daught-ers and friends as-sem-bled there
Dm C G
The young the old the brave and the bold came their du-ty to ful-fil
Dm C Dm
At the par-ish church in Cloo-ney a mile from Span-cil Hill
Dm C Dm
3. I went to see me neigh-bours to see what they might say
Dm C G
The old ones were all dead and gone the young one's tur-ning grey
Dm C G
But I met the tail-or Qui-gley he's as bold as ev-er still
Dm C Dm
And he used to make me britch-es when I lived in Span-cil Hill
Dm C Dm C G
Instr: ‖ | | % | | % | % | | ‖
Dm C G Dm C Dm
‖ | % | | | | | % | | % ‖
Dm C Dm
4. I paid a fly-ing vis-it to my first and on-ly love
Dm C G
She's as white as an-y lil-ly gent-le as a dove
Dm C G
And she threw her arms a-round me say-ing "John-ny I love you still”
Dm C Dm
Ah she's Nel the far-mers daugh-ter and the pride of Span-cil Hill
Dm C Dm
5. I dreamt I held and kissed her as in the days of yore
Dm C G
"Ah John-ny you're on-ly jok-in’ as ma-ny’s the time be-fore"
Dm C G
Then the cock he crew in the mor-ning he crew both loud and shrill
Dm C Dm C Dm
I a-woke in Cal-i-for-nia ma-ny miles from Span-cil Hill | | % | |
Arrangement Details:
- Key Signature: D Minor - (relative to F major) – 1 flat (Bb)
- Time Signature: 6/8 — Six eighth-note beats per measure
- Tempo: Moderately fast
- Metronome: ♪ = 160
If you find this a little too fast on the metronome, you can set it at approx. 54 bpm where each click falls on every third eighth-note (red notes):
| ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ | = | ♩. ♩. | - Voice Range: C4 – E5
- Chord Types in This Arrangement:
- Major chords: C, G
- Minor chords: Dm
- Please Note: The Transposer only displays Major keys, so if you are changing the song key, you need to change to the relative Major key of the Minor key you choose, e.g., If you want to play in the key of Am, it is relative to C Major, so you press the 'C' button on the Transposer. 🥳
Song Details:

- Composer: Michael Considine - originally written as a poem.
- Lyrics Begin: Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by
- Genre: Irish Folk Song, Traditional Irish Folk Ballad
- Featured Artists: The Dubliners
- Album: Original Dubliners (1966-1969)
Released: 1993
Country: UK & Europe
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered
Label: EMI
