Nancy Spain (Masterless Men) MIDI, tabs, videos

#00059

Nancy Spain (Masterless Men) MIDI, tabs, videos

#1358: YouTube video by thenewfoundlandmusic
©2016 ~ Used with permission ~

Of all the stars that ever shone,
Not one does twinkle like your pale blue eyes;
Like golden corn at harvest time your hair.
Sailing in my boat the wind gently blows,
And fills my sails;
Your sweet-scented breath is everywhere.

Daylight peeping through the curtain
Of the passing night-time is your smile;
The sun in the sky is like your laugh.
Come back to me, my Nancy,
Linger for just a little while;
Since you left these shores I know no peace nor joy.

No matter where I wander,
I'm still haunted by your name;
The portrait of your beauty stays the same.
Standing by the ocean,
Wondering where you've gone, if you'll return again;
Where is the ring I gave to Nancy Spain?

On the day in spring when the snow starts to melt,
And streams to flow,
With the birds, I'll sing to you a song;
In the while, I'll wander down by bluebell grove,
Where wildflowers grow;
And hope my lovely Nancy will return.

####.... © Barney Rush, Irish poet and singer ....####

The video above features a recording of a variant by Masterless Men (Ode To Age / The Masterless Men, trk#12, 1993, produced by Jim Fidler and recorded at Piper Stock Productions, Torbay, NL, published by Masterless Men, Mount Pearl, NL).

See more Masterless Men songs.

A variant was also recorded by D'Arcy Broderick of Bay de Verde, NL (By Request, trk#10, 2006, Independent, Torbay, NL).

See more D'Arcy Broderick songs.

Variants were also recorded by Colcannon (1993); Noel McLoughlin (1995); Bobby Murray; Mike Barrett.

This song was popularized by Christy Moore and first appeared on his 1976 self-titled album. In The Christy Moore Songbook, edited by Frank Connolly, 1984, Moore noted on page 50 that he first heard this song in 1968 in Jersey in the Channel Islands sung by the author Barney Rush, originally from Sallynoggin (in Dublin) but later lived in Germany. Barney Rush recorded it for him and he had the tape in the drawer for about ten years before he started to sing it. He supposed that it had become the best-known song in his repertoire. On his 1994 album Live At The Point Christy Moore introduces the song as a song about the daughter of The Man From Scapa Flow, which is a novel by Taffrail (Captain Taprell Dorling, DSO, RN), Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1933.

The video below features a live performance by Christy Moore (Live At The Point, 1994).

#1057: YouTube video by darrin42
©2007 ~ Used with permission ~

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Notes On Tabs:
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All tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.

Played in the key of G (several recordings have it in a different key - this is the one I prefer to play it in). There are a lot of cute little embellishments you can throw into this song as well (e.g., after the "eyes" in the first verse you can take the D to a D7 and set up your C nicely). It's really a fun song to play.

[G] Of all the stars that ever shone,
Not [C] one does twinkle like
[G] your pale blue [D] eyes;
Like [C] golden corn at
[D] harvest time your [G] hair.

Chorus:
[G] No matter where I wander,
I'm still [C] haunted by your [D] name;
The [C] portrait of your [D] beauty is the [G] same.
[G] Standing by the ocean wondering,
[C] Where you've gone,
if [G] you'll return [D] again;
Where [C] is the ring I [D] gave to [G] Nancy Spain?

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