John O'Reilly
Charlie RobisonVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
My name is John O'Reilly and my father worked the fields
In the hills of old Kilarny where I helped him turn the wheels
My arms grew hard as iron for a boy of 17
And I used my fists for gambling on those wet Kilarny streets
Well the ship left for America and I took my pack aboard
Said goodbye to my dear Ireland said a prayer to my dear lord
But I fought those sorry guineas in the kitchen they called hell
Well I fought them for their dollar and those guineas paid me well
Fair the well fair Dover
Fair the well your seasons turn
For my pockets will be jingling on the day of my return the day of my return
Well I fought in New York City and I fought the Jersey shore
My gut stayed full of whiskey and my bed stayed full of whores
Well they called my right a cannonball and my left they called the same
And I left them all lyin' half in blood and half in shame
Well I met a man on 32 and he stuck out his hand
And he offered me a thousand if I'd fall before his man
Well I said it could be done but only for another two
And he smiled at me and nodded as I stuck it in my shoe
Fair the well fair dover
Fair the well your seasons turn
For my pockets will be jingling on the day of my return the day of my return
Well they rang the bell two times before I let him have my nose
And I let him work my left until my eye was swollen closed
Then I let loose a right that they still talk about today
For that guinea didn't know that I had bet the other way
They covered every dock and every port there on the coast
Looking for the double crosser who had turned into a ghost
But I was on a train my friend that rode the other way
And I'll sail from California back to Dublin one fine day
x2
Fair the well fair Dover
Fair the well your seasons turn
For my pockets will be jingling on the day of my return the day of my return
Source: Songsterr · Rights holder? Request removal.
Readable chord sheet for John O'Reilly by Charlie Robison
[D]My name is John O'Reilly and my father worked the f[G]ields In the hills of old K[D]ilarny where I helped him turn the w[A]heels [D]My arms grew hard as iron for a boy of [G]17 And I used my fists for [D]gambling on those [A]wet Kilarny [D]streets [D]Well the ship left for America and I took my pack a[G]board Said goodbye to my dear [D]Ireland said a prayer to my dear [A]lord [D]But I fought those sorry guineas in the kitchen they called [G]hell Well I fought them for their [D]dollar and those [A]guineas paid me [D]well [D]Fair the well fair Dover Fair the well your seasons [G]turn For my pockets will be [D]jingling on the day of my [Bm]return the [A]day of my [D]return [D]Well I fought in New York City and I fought the Jersey [G]shore My gut stayed full of [D]whiskey and my bed stayed full of [A]whores [D]Well they called my right a cannonball and my left they called the [G]same And I left them all [D]lyin' half in [A]blood and half in [D]shame [D]Well I met a man on 32 and he stuck out his [G]hand And he offered me a [D]thousand if I'd fall before his [A]man [D]Well I said it could be done but only for another [G]two And he smiled at me and [D]nodded as I [A]stuck it in my [D]shoe [D]Fair the well fair dover Fair the well your seasons [G]turn For my pockets will be [D]jingling on the day of my [Bm]return the [A]day of my [D]return [D]Well they rang the bell two times before I let him have my [G]nose And I let him work my [D]left until my eye was swollen [A]closed [D]Then I let loose a right that they still talk about [G]today For that guinea didn't [D]know that I had [A]bet the other [D]way [D]They covered every dock and every port there on the [G]coast Looking for the double [D]crosser who had turned into a [A]ghost [D]But I was on a train my friend that rode the other [G]way And I'll sail from [D]California back to [A]Dublin one fine [D]day x2 [D]Fair the well fair Dover Fair the well your seasons [G]turn For my pockets will be [D]jingling on the day of my [Bm]return the [A]day of my [D]return