Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?

Subject: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST,I.W.
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 04:29 PM

I've been looking for the chords to "The beggarmans song" for a long time now, but I've only been able to find the lyrics.Are there anyone who can help me? Just to be shure, the two first lines go like this: I am a little beggarman, a begging I have been,
For three score years in this little isle of green......."
Thanks!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: DADGBE
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:01 PM

Hi I.W.,

Give me some help here. What key do you sing it in? Are you familiar with chord names? chord numbers?

I'll bet that we can work this out.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Inükshük
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:39 PM

Red Haired Boy, Soldier With the Wooden Leg, are tunes with the same melody.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Melbert
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:43 PM

Music with Chords is in Soodlum's "100 Irish Ballads, Volume 2", ISBN 1 85720 011 X

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:51 PM

Well those flat 7ths always cause problems with conventional guitar chords. But say you were singing it in D, here's one possibility. I've put one bar every /, and written the chords as they change every time you tap your foot.
/DD/DG/DD/AmAm/DD/DG/DA7/DD/
/D7D7/D7G/DD/AmAm/DD/DG/DA7/DD

You might care to modify that a bit round the endings, but that could be a basis.

Subject: ADD Version: Little Begger Man
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Jun 03 - 11:33 PM

Arlo Guthrie's "Little Beggar Man" (lyrics) is HERE

Little Beggar Man
Traditional, adapted
by Arlo Guthrie

LITTLE BEGGAR MAN

I am a little Beggar and a Beggar I have been
For three score'r more in this little Isle of green
And I'm known from the Liffy down to Segue
And I'm known by the name of bold Donahue

Of all the trades a-goin' now sure beggin is the best
When a man gets tired he can lay him down to rest
He can beg for his dinner when there's nothing left to do
Then just cut around the corner with his old Rigadoo

I slept in a barn way down in Curabawn
A-waitin' in for the mornin' I slept till the dawn
With the holes in the roof and the rain a-comin' through
And the cats and the rats they were playin' peeka-boo

Who should awaken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten when I said boo!
Sayin' don't be afraid ma'am it's old Johnny Dhu.

I met a little flaxy haired girl one day,
Good morning little flaxy haired girl I say
Good morning little Beggar Man and how do you do
With your rags and your tags and your old Rigaioo

Buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a be
And a nice big lady I will fetch by and by
Buy a pair of goggles and I'll color them blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too

Over the fields with the pack on my back
Over the field with my great heavy sack
With the holes in my shoes and the toes a'peekin' through
Singin' skittilee rink-a-doodle it's the old Johnny Dhu

Must be going to bed boys, it's gettin' late at night
All the fire's all raked and up goes the light
And now you've heard the story of my old Rigadoo
It's "Good-bye God be with you' sings the old Johnny Dhu.

©1978 Arloco Music Inc. (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 04:40 PM

Well, the Morris side I play mandolin for, Bishop Gundulf, dance to this (no, don't ask me why a Morris side might want to dance to an Irish tune) and the dratted thing has been driving me mad for over a year, so I finally sat down with a download of the tune and here are the chords (as I hear them) - in G, just to upset the purists who say that in Irish sessions it is ALWAYS played in A and only an Englishman would play it in any other key...

I (G) am a little beggarman, a begging I have (C) been
For (G) three score years in this (F) little isle of green
I'm (G) known along the Liffey from the Basin to the (C) Zoo
And (G) everybody calls me by the name of (C) John(D)ny (G) Dhu

Of (F) all the trades a going, sure the begging is the best
For (G) when a man is tired he can (D) sit him down and rest
He can (G) beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to (C) do
But to (G) slip around the corner with his (C)old r(D)iga(G)doo

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 04:53 PM

I'd go along with Richard on this one, except for the second part where I hear an F where Richard has a D -

'For (G) when a man is tired he can (F, not D) sit him down and rest'

but maybe it's just my ear/taste!

Curiously I've just run through it and played it in A, but that's only because the capo was on the second fret........

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 05:20 PM

I've been back to look at that again. To my ear the chord wants the D note (E, if you are in A) in it, and the F note on the top string in the F chord grates. One option would be Dm7, with the open D string, but still to my ear that F on the top string grates.

A better (IMHO) chord than the standard D chord would be to stretch the little finger a bit and avoid the F sharp on the top string by playing the A at the fifth fret - you are then playing a D with no F sharp at all in it.

Next step try it on the mandolin!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Roughyed
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 05:41 PM

I used to play it in D capoed up to the third fret making it F but transposed the chords I used were. The minor chords were quite effective but of course I was playing an Am which has the minor third on the second string giving a different sound than Dm where it is on the first string - if you play them in the first position. Nice song and there is a North East song to the same tune I think called the Jovial Collier.

I (G) am a little beggarman, a begging I have (C) been
For (G) three score years in this (Dm) little isle of (F)green
I'm (G) known along the Liffey from the Basin to the (C) Zoo
And (G) everybody calls me by the name of (C) John(D)ny (G) Dhu

Of (Dm) all the trades a going, sure the (F)begging is the best
For (G) when a man is tired he can (Dm) sit him down and (F) rest
He can (G) beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to (C) do
But to (G) slip around the corner with his (C)old r(D)iga(G)doo

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 05:49 PM

Some good ideas in there Roughyed. How about switching the Dm and the F in the first line of the B part?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 06:34 PM

Yes, Roughyed, those chords work for me. I agree with Richard about using an F instead of Dm in the B music, but I'd stay there for the whole line. Personal taste I suppose.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 09:29 PM

Just wanderd by, and as a non player not a word did I get.
I headr
Put the respones to my asmuth in the minor basketball net but lay off the burger in the third septet..
is that about right?
Nick

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Roughyed
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 12:24 PM

Well if you don't play how do you expect to understand a thread which says 'Chords required'? Having said that my contribution above was a bit garbled but I think players got the gist. If you want an explanation I don't mind giving one but you'd be better sending me a PM cos it'll be long and boring!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: Jim I
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 03:41 PM

I've never found any minor chord that works for me in this song.

If I may borrow Roughyed's words:) (Although I tend to play it in D!)

(D)I am a little beggarman, a begging I have (C) been
For (D) three score years in this (A) little isle of (C)green
I'm (D) known along the Liffey from the Basin to the (C) Zoo
And (D) everybody calls me by the name of (A7) Johnny (D) Dhu

Of (C) all the trades a going, sure the begging is the best
For (D) when a man is tired he can (A) sit him down and (C) rest
He can (D) beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to (C) do
But to (D) slip around the corner with his (A7)old riga(D)doo

Certainly I can't find any notes that grate played this way but perhaps played in G or A there may be.

In the 2nd line I have A rather than A7 as the three notes there(li-tle-isle) are E-C#-A so they form a run down from the 1st to the third strings.

Played in G using the chords given by Roughyed it sounds OK but to me there is still something not quite right. It just goes to show there are many ways to skin a cat and even more ways to play a tune.

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE WEATHERMAN (parody of BEGGARMAN)
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:31 AM

Just for laughs, some different lyrics. I don't have a problem with the chords as I do it unaccompanied with just a metronome beat on the guitar body.
^^
THE LITTLE WEATHERMAN
Tune "The Little Beggarman" (Irish Trad.)


I am a little weatherman, you'll see me on TV,
I stand upon a box because I'm only five foot three,
I smile into the camera, to communicate to you,
That I really know me job, and every word I say is true,
        Of all the trades that's going, meteorology's the one,
        With the greatest chance of failure, ah! But that is half the fun,
        It really doesn't matter if I cock it up you see,
        For, when I'm on you're all out in the kitchen making tea.

Oh! The mysteries of forecasting are really quite obscure,
But the use of Doppler radar makes prediction very sure,
I forecast dry and sunny, over twenty three degrees,
And it rains so hard the water level's well above your knees,
        Take a tip, take the day off, take the car, get out of town,
        Pay a visit to the seaside, and you're sure to come back brown,
        You may boast about your suntan, if you really feel you must,
        But, unless they're blind or stupid, they will realise it's rust.

I stood upon me little box, one dark and stormy night,
And I told ten million viewers "There's no hurricane in sight",
Next morning, scattered far and wide were fifteen million trees,
I must be the country's worst case of the foot in mouth disease,
        And since that day I've tried right hard, to cover my backside,
        I predict the worst scenario, whatever might betide,
        For repeating that fiasco is the last thing I would wish,
        So TOMORROW WILL BE ROTTEN, and goodnight from Michael Fish.



© Don Thompson April 1988

Don T.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 07:09 AM

I am a little beggarman and begging I have been
For three score or more in this little isle of green
I'm known from the Liffey down to Segue
And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu
Of all the trade's that's going, sure begging is the best
For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo

I slept in the barn, down at Caurabawn
A wet night came on and I slept 'till the dawn
With holes in the roof and the rain coming through
And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo
When who did I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said "boo
Aarah, don't be afraid mam it's only Johnny Dhu"

I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day
"Good morning little flaxy-haired girl" I did say
"Good morning little beggarman, a how do you do
With your rags and you tags and you old rig-a-doo"
I'll buy a pair of leggings, a collar and a tie
And a nice young lady I'll fetch by and by
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too

Over the road with my pack on my back
Over the fields with my great heavy sack
With holes in my shoes and my toes peeping through
Singing skinny-me-rink a doodle o and old Johnny Dhu
I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night
The fire's all raked and out goes the light
So now you've heard the story of my old rig-a-doo
It's good-bye and God be with you says old Johnny Dhu

"Dragged" from Tommy Maken lyrics

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The beggarmans song (Johnny Dhu)?
From: GUEST,Johnny Dhu
Date: 12 Feb 10 - 04:27 PM

Who is Johnny Dhu ?