The Beggarman’s Song – lyrics and chords

The lyrics of The Beggarman’s Song are about a man content with his lifestyle of begging for his dinner each day.

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The chords are below in the chord of D major. Use our chord converter to play the song in other keys.

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D 
I am a little beggarman, a begging I have  
C 
been
 
For  
D 
three score years in this  
A7 
little isle of  
C 
green
 
I’m  
D 
known along the Liffey from the Basin to the  
C 
Zoo
 
And  
D 
everybody calls me by the  
C 
name of Johnny  
D 
Dhu
 
Of  
C 
all the trades a going, sure the begging is the  
C 
best
 
For  
D 
when a man is tired he can  
A7 
sit him down and  
C 
rest
 
He can  
D 
beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to  
C 
do
 
But to  
D 
slip around the corner with his  
A7 
old 
 
riga
D 
doo

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I slept in a barn one night in Currabawn
A shocking wet night it was, but I slept until the dawn
There was holes in the roof and the raindrops coming through
And the rats and the cats were a playing peek a boo.
Who did I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said boo
Sure, don’t be afraid at all, it’s only Johnny Dhu.

I met a little girl while a walking out one day
Good morrow little flaxen haired girl, I did say
Good morrow little beggarman and how do you do
With your rags and your tags and your old rigadoo.
I’ll buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie
And a nice young lady I’ll go courting by and by
I’ll buy a pair of goggles and I’ll color them with blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too.

So all along the high road with my bag upon my back
Over the fields with my bulging heavy sack
With holes in my shoes and my toes a peeping through
Singing, skin a ma rink a doodle with my old rigadoo.
Oh I must be going to bed for it’s getting late at night
The fire is all raked and now ’tis out of light
For now you’ve heard the story of my old rigadoo
So good and God be with you, from old Johnny Dhu.

The Beggarman’s Song videos
The Beggarman’s Song lyrics and chords

The Beggarman’s Song lyrics and chords print version

D 
I am a little beggarman, a begging I have  
C 
been
 
For  
D 
three score years in this  
A7 
little isle of  
C 
green
 
I’m  
D 
known along the Liffey from the Basin to the  
C 
Zoo
 
And  
D 
everybody calls me by the  
C 
name of Johnny  
D 
Dhu
 
Of  
C 
all the trades a going, sure the begging is the  
C 
best
 
For  
D 
when a man is tired he can  
A7 
sit him down and  
C 
rest
 
He can  
D 
beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to  
C 
do
 
But to  
D 
slip around the corner with his  
A7 
old 
 
riga
D 
doo

I slept in a barn one night in Currabawn
A shocking wet night it was, but I slept until the dawn
There was holes in the roof and the raindrops coming through
And the rats and the cats were a playing peek a boo.
Who did I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said boo
Sure, don’t be afraid at all, it’s only Johnny Dhu.

I met a little girl while a walking out one day
Good morrow little flaxen haired girl, I did say
Good morrow little beggarman and how do you do
With your rags and your tags and your old rigadoo.
I’ll buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie
And a nice young lady I’ll go courting by and by
I’ll buy a pair of goggles and I’ll color them with blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too.

So all along the high road with my bag upon my back
Over the fields with my bulging heavy sack
With holes in my shoes and my toes a peeping through
Singing, skin a ma rink a doodle with my old rigadoo.
Oh I must be going to bed for it’s getting late at night
The fire is all raked and now ’tis out of light
For now you’ve heard the story of my old rigadoo
So good and God be with you, from old Johnny Dhu.

The Beggarman’s Song videos
The Beggarman’s Song lyrics and chords