Wow! What a treat to find this thread. I did a Google search on Steve and Peter Jones after listening to their album just now that contains this song. I purchased it at the Bethesda Co-Op back in 1985 or so and it has always been one of my favorite albums. The stereo has been in storage for many years and it has been a real treat having it out again and listening to some of these rare gems. I wanted to see if they were still playing but couldn't find any current references to them or a website for them. Anybody know if they are still playing? I've been living in California for the last 20 years but do occasionally get back to the DC area and would love to hear them play again.
At any rate, they have all the lyrics to their songs as well as the chords on the liner notes to the album and this is what they have for this song. I've used the preview function to do my best to get the chords lined up with the lyrics.
Am C
Kilkelly, Ireland, Eighteen and Sixty,
G Am
My Dear and loving son, John
C
Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's
G Am
So good as to write these words down
C G
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England
F G
The house is so empty and sad
Am C
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected
G Am
A third to half of them bad
C G
And your sister Bridget and Patrick O'Donnell
F G
Are going to get married in June
Am C
Your mother says not to work on the railroad
G Am
And be sure to come on home soon.
The rest of the verses repeat this pattern. The album says this song was "taken from letters written to our great-great-grandfather from his family in County Mayo".
If anyone knows if this album, or any other material by Steve and Peter, ever made it to CD, please let me know. My email address is david at vibrant-life.org
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sj