Sullivan's Gypsies - The Irish Miner

      Irish folk ballad from Canadian musician, written by Don Sullivan of Sullivan's Gypsies (later Ryan's Fancy). 

Slow and steady waltz rhythm, like an exhausted coal miner walking back to camp with a
slight sway in his step at the end of day.

Meter: 3/4

Rhythm: You can strum a standard waltz feel, but I prefer to play with swing 8ths, as illustrated above.


[Chorus]
        G
With me spade in me hand,
C         G
shovelin' sand,
G              D
workin' like a slave.
    G
I'm sweatin' all day,
C         G
savin' my pay,
     D                 C          G
Some-times I think I'm digging my grave.


[Verse 1]
G         C                G
Oh... I'm tired and what's worse,
    G              D
I'm workin' like a horse,
C       G         C     D    G
Diggin' holes all over 'Meri-cay.

G           C                 G
When... I'm down there in the ground,
         G             D
It's too dark to see a-round.
   C       G          C       D     G    C  D
My mind re-turns back home so far a-way.


[Chorus]
        G
With me spade in me hand,
C         G
shovelin' sand,
G              D
workin' like a slave.
    G
I'm sweatin' all day,
C         G
savin' my pay,
     D                 C          G
Some-times I think I'm digging my grave.


[Verse 2]
G         C             G
Then... I see her in my mind:
    G              D
The girl I left be-hind,
      C    G      C       D           G       C  D
Sweet Mary Murphy dancin' through the heather.
G        C           G
With a basket in her hand,
        G              D
full of soda bread and jam,
    C        G       C         D        G    C  D
she promised me that she would wait for-ever.


[Chorus]
        G
With me spade in me hand,
C         G
shovelin' sand,
G              D
workin' like a slave.
    G
I'm sweatin' all day,
C         G
savin' my pay,
     D                 C          G
Some-times I think I'm digging my grave.


[Verse 3]
G           C               G
Oh... some day I'll go back home
    G             D
and never more to roam
    C       G    C       D       G    C  D
and darlin' Mary will be-long to me.

G      C               G
I will take her for my wife
         G                   D
and it's there I'll spend my life,
    C          G    C    D      G    C  D
But right now, over here I must be.


[Chorus]
        G
With me spade in me hand,
C         G
shovelin' sand,
G              D
workin' like a slave.
    G
I'm sweatin' all day,
C         G
savin' my pay,
     D                 C          G
Some-times I think I'm digging my grave.

     D                 C          G
Some-times I think I'm digging my grave.