Lyrics and Chords

The Butcher Boy

The lyrics to The Butcher Boy tell the story of a young woman who takes her own life because she has been abandoned by her lover after becoming pregnant. There are variations with similar lyrics to be found throughout the English speaking world.

We give the lyrics here in full, although some of verses are often missed out to shorten the song for modern audiences.

The chords are presented here in the key of C Major. Use our key converter to play the chords in other keys.

Tommy Makem sang the song in A Major in his performances with the Clancys. Sinead O’Connor sings the song in B Flat Major. Maureen Hegarty and The Ludlows perform the song in C Major

The Butcher Boy Lyrics and chords

C 

In Dublin  

G7 

town where I did  

C 

dwell,

 

A butcher  

G7 

boy I loved right  

C 

well,

 

He courted  

Am 

me my life a

Dm 

way,

 

But now with  

G7 

me he will not  

C 

stay.

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Chorus

 

I wish, I  

G7 

wish, I wish in  

C 

vain.

 

I wish I  

G7 

were a maid a

C 

gain

 

But a maid a

Am 

gain I ne’er will  

Dm 

be

 

Till apples  

G7 

grow on an ivy  

C 

tree.

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Chorus

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There is an inn in some fine town

And there my love he sits him down.

He takes a strange girl on his knee

And he tells her what he wouldn’t tell me.

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Chorus

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The reason is, I’ll tell you why

Because she’s got more gold than I.

But gold will melt and silver fly

And in time of need be as poor as I.

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Chorus

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I wish my baby it was born,

And smiling on its daddy’s knee,

And my poor body to be dead and gone,

With the long green grass growing over me.

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Chorus

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I’ll go upstairs and make my bed,

“What’s there to do?” my mother said.

My mother she has followed me

Saying, “What’s the matter daughter dear?”

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Chorus

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Oh mother dear, you little know

What pains and sorrows or what woe

Go get a chair till I sit me down

With a pen and ink I’ll write it down.

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Chorus

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Her father he came home that night

Enquiring for his heart’s delight

He went upstairs and the door he broke

He found her hanging from a rope.

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Chorus

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He took his knife and he cut her down,

And in her pocket these words he found

Oh what a foolish girl was I

To give my heart to a butcher boy.

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Chorus

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Oh make my grave large wide and deep,

Put a marble stone at my head and feet,

And in the middle a turtle dove,

So the world may know that I died for love.