Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)

Subject: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 25 - 03:36 PM

I came across this song here: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/john-conolly/charlie-in-the-meadow-chords-3813497

CHARLIE IN THE MEADOW
(John Conolly)

  [Verse 1]
   
  G             D
  Charlie Is A Funny Kid
         G                   C
  You’ll Hear The Neighbours Say
       Am            C
  And You Will Never Find Him
  D              D                     D
  Where The Other Children Play
      G            D
  For Charlie Is A Solitary
  G             C
  Kind Of Little Boy
      Am              C
  The Flowers Are His Playmates
          D             D
  And The Earth His Only Toy
   
  [Chorus 1]
   
  Am                D
  By The Flickering Television
  Am              D
  Stands A Vacant Chair
  Am                  D
  There’s An All Star Show Tonight
  Am                  C
  But Charlie Doesn’t Care
    G              D
  And In The Misty Meadow
             G      C
  Where The Daisies Blow
  C          Am           C   D7   G
  Charlie Is Watching The Flowers Grow
   
  [Verse 2]
   
  G               D
  Charlie watches life goes by
       G              C
  And dreams a sunny dream
     Am                C
  of field mice in the meadow
              D             D
  grass and tadpoles in the stream
       G             D
  He listens for the cuckoo chimes
  G                       C
  and hears the blackbird songs
      Am              C
  for Charlie's got a feeling
          D                 D
  that they won't be with us long...
   
  [Chorus 2]
   
  Am                D
  By The Flickering Television
  Am              D
  Stands A Vacant Chair
  Am                  D
  There’s An All Star Show Tonight
  Am                  C
  But Charlie Doesn’t Care
    G              D
  And In The Misty Meadow
             G           C
  Where The moonlight glows
  C          Am           C   D7   G
  Charlie Is Watching The Flowers Grow
   
  [Verse 3]
   
  G                  D
  Charlie's kingdom vanishes
    G            C
  A little every day
     Am                C
  the countryside is shrinking
  D                   D
  the mice have moved away
  G                   D
  fields and flowers disappear
     G              C
  Before the hand of man
      Am               C
  And Charlie wants to see them all
       D                  D
  and touch them while he can...
   
  [Chorus 3]
   
  Am                D
  By The Flickering Television
  Am              D
  Stands A Vacant Chair
  Am                  D
  There’s An All Star Show Tonight
  Am                  C
  But Charlie Doesn’t Care
    G              D
  And In The Misty Meadow
             G         C
  Where The stars hang low
  C          Am           C   D7   G
  Charlie Is Watching The Flowers Grow

Subject: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 25 - 03:50 PM

CHARLIE IN THE MEADOW
(John Conolly)

[Verse 1]
Oh, Charlie is a funny kid
You’ll hear the neighbours say
And you will never find him
Where the other children play
Charlie is a solitary
Kind of little boy
The flowers are his playmates
And the earth his only toy

[Chorus 1]
By the flickering television
Stands a vacant chair
There’s an All Star Show tonight
But Charlie doesn’t care
And in the misty meadow
Where the daisies blow
Charlie is watching the flowers grow

[Verse 2]
Oh, Charlie watches life go by
And dreams a sunny dream
Of field mice in the meadow grass
And tadpoles in the stream
He listens for the cuckoo chime
And hears the blackbird's song
But Charlie's got a feeling
That they won't be with us long...

[Chorus 2]
By the flickering television
Stands a vacant chair
There’s an All Star Show tonight
But Charlie doesn’t care
And in the misty meadow
Where the stars hang low
Charlie is watching the flowers grow

[Verse 3]
Charlie's kingdom vanishes
A little every day
The countryside is shrinking
And the mice have moved away
Trees and flowers disappear
Before the hand of man
And Charlie wants to see them all
and touch them while he can...

[Chorus 3]
By the flickering television
Stands a vacant chair
There’s an All Star Show tonight
But Charlie doesn’t care
And in The misty meadow
By the moonlight's glow
Charlie is watching the flowers grow


Lyrics verified with the recording by The Broadside. Songwriter John Conolly was a member of The Broadside.

Mel Randall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oL-6BpzD6E

Bruce Davies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSx2EYTN2fU

The Broadside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS4Fus9oah4

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Reinhard
Date: 28 Mar 25 - 06:23 PM

John Conolly was the singer of The Broadside, so the third video ought to be a reliable source.

---

Thanks, Reinhard. I corrected the lyrics in my post according to the Broadside recording.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 25 - 06:53 PM

Wow! Thanks to all of you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Mar 25 - 04:32 AM

”John Conolly was the singer of The Broadside”

Indeed he was, and the accordionist was the inimitable Brian Dawson, a veritable fount of knowledge on all things Lincolnshire. Also Bill Meek (John’s writing-partner), Tom Smith, and Mike Lee. Brian, Bill, and Tom no longer with us of course - not sure about Mike Lee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: GUEST,Captain Swing
Date: 29 Mar 25 - 07:06 AM

Mike Lee died when he was quite a young man, early 1980s I think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Mar 25 - 12:37 PM

Thanks Capt., I'd forgotten about that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Mar 25 - 12:47 PM

Incidentally, John Conolly will be playing locally, at the Festival Hall, Market Rasen, Lincs., on Friday, 13th June at 8:00 PM. Support will be Ian Tumilty. Looks like being a great gig...

https://wegottickets.com/event/650182

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 25 - 01:04 PM

From 2020 to 2024, Rob Van Sante and Janie Meneely had a wonderful series of house concerts, broadcast online from their home in Whitby. Their concert recordings are still available online, including a concert by John Conolly.

https://falconaudiovisualarts.co.uk/page-11/page-10/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Charlie In The Meadow (John Conolly)
From: rich-joy
Date: 30 Mar 25 - 08:52 PM

Ah, this song was one of my late Beloved's favourites to sing! I believe he learnt it via a Tony Capstick recording .....
R-J (Down Under)