Four Green Fields lyrics
Flying Column 🎸What did I have, said the fine old woman
What did I have, this proud old woman did say
I had four green fields, each one was a jewel
But strangers came and tried to take them from me
I had fine strong sons, they fought to save my jewels
They fought and they died, and that was my grief said she.
Long time ago, said the fine old woman
Long time ago, this proud old woman did say
There was war and death, plundering and pillage
My people starved by mountain, valley and sea
And their wailing cries, they reached the very heavens
My four green fields ran red with their blood said she.
What have I now, said the fine old woman
What have I now, this proud old woman did say
I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage
In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me
But my sons they have sons, as brave as were their fathers
My fourth green field will bloom once again said she.
Song Details
Songwriter: Tommy Makem - Musician, songwriter, artist, poet - born on 4th November 1932 in Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Died on 1st August 2007 (aged 74) Dover, New Hampshire, United States.
Date: 1967
Brief: The song is a representation of the British colonization of Ireland. The old woman represents Ireland, while the four green fields depict the four provinces of Ireland; Ulster, Munster, Leinster, and Connaught. The reference in the song, "...one of them's in bondage", refers to Ulster which is still under British rule.
Genre: Irish Rebel Song
Covers: Flying Column (featured), Derek Warfield, Fenian Folk, The Irish Descendants, The O'Brien Brothers, The Dubliners, Jim McCann...
Featured Artists: Flying Column - a Belfast folk group known for performing Irish rebel songs and ballads that celebrate Ireland's history and struggles for independence. Active during the 1970s, they contributed significantly to the resurgence of traditional Irish music and nationalist themes.
Album: Four Green Fields (1971)
Album Tracks:Please Note: Although the album tracks are all perfomed by Flying Column, links will take you to pages performed by other artists.
Four Green Fields Chords
Key: D MajorTime Signature: 3/4
Tempo: 130 bpm (♩)
The song key is highlighted. Transpose to any other key.
Intro: 3/4 1. [D]What [A]did I [D]have, said the [G]fine old [D]woman [D]What [A]did I [D]have, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say I had [D]four [A]green [D]fields, each one [G]was a [A]jewel But [D]stran-[A]ger's [D]came and [E]tried to [E7]take them from [A]me I had [D]fine [A]strong [D]sons, they fought to [G]save my [A]jewels They [G]fought [A7]and they [D]died [G] and [D]that was my [A]grief said [D]she. 2. [D]Long [A]time a-[D]go, said the [G]fine old [D]woman [D]Long [A]time a-[D]go, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say There was [D]war [A]and [D]death, plunder-[G]ing and [A]pillage My [D]peo-[a]ple [D]starved by [E]mountain, [E7]valley and [A]sea And their [D]wail-[A]ing [D]cries, they reached the [G]very [A]heavens My [G]four [A7]green [D]fields [G] ran [D]red with their [A]blood said [D]she. 3. [D]What [A]have I [D]now, said the [G]fine old [D]woman [D]What [A]have I [D]now, this [E]proud old [E7]woman did [A]say I have [D]four [A]green [D]fields, one of [G]them's in [A]bondage In [D]strang-[A]er's [D]hands, that [E]tried to [E7]take it from [A]me But my [D]sons, [a]they have [D]sons, as brave as [G]were their [A]fathers My [G]fourth [A7]green [D]field will [D]bloom once a-[A]gain said [D]she...
References
- Wikipedia: "Four Green Fields" – article is about the folk-song.
- Dictionary of Irish Biography. Makem, Thomas ('Tommy'). Published on June 2013.
- Wikipedia: "Northern Ireland" – The creation of Northern Ireland in 1921.
- MusicBrainz "Four Green Fields" – Album Tracks released by Flying Column in 1971.
