Lyrics and Chords

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

The lyrics to When Irish Eyes Are Smiling create a romantic image of Ireland and were written in 1912 for a Broadway musical called The Isle O’ Dreams.

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The warmth and sentimentality of the words, together with the catchy melody in waltz time, made it an instant hit.

The chords are also very straightforward, which made it easy to play and so helped the sales of sheet music when the song was particularly popular between 1912 and the early 1920s.

The chorus is the best known part of the song. Many performances begin with the chorus rather than the first verse.

When Irish Eyes are Smiling lyrics and chords

Chorus

 

When  

C 

Irish 

 

 

G 

eyes are  

C 

smiling,

 

Sure, ’tis  

F 

like the morn in  

C 

Spring.

 

In the  

F 

lilt of Irish  

C 

laughter

 

F 

You can  

D7 

hear the angels  

G 

sing.

 

When  

C 

Irish 

 

 

G 

hearts are  

C 

happy,

 

All the  

F 

world seems bright and  

C 

gay.

 

And when  

F 

Irish eyes are  

C 

smil

A7 

ing,

 

Sure, they  

D7 

steal your  

G7 

heart 

 

a

C 

way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

C 

There’s a tear in your eye,

And I’m wondering why,

 

For  

G7 

it 

 

 

C 

never should be there at  

G7 

all.

With such pow’r in your smile,

 

Sure a  

C 

stone you’d be  

A7 

guile,

 

So there’s  

D7 

never a teardrop should  

G 

fall.

 

When  

G7 

your sweet lilting laughter’s

Like some fairy song,

 

And your  

C 

eyes twinkle  

C7 

bright as can  

F 

be;

 

You should  

D7 

laugh all the while

 

And all  

G 

other times smile,

 

And now,  

D7 

smile a smile for

G 

me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chorus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For your smile is a part

Of the love in your heart,

And it makes even sunshine more bright.

Like the linnet’s sweet song,

Crooning all the day long,

Comes your laughter and light.

For the springtime of life

Is the sweetest of all

There is ne’er a real care or regret;

And while springtime is ours

Throughout all of youth’s hours,

Let us smile each chance we get.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chorus

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