FAREWELL TO NOVA SCOTIA
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Time signature: 4/4
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Nova Scotian adaptation of the 1803 Scottish
folk song "The Soldier's Adieu," attributed to Robert Tannahill (1782 to 1872). |
Button Accordion Notation
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Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent |
Either row = buttons 4 to 7
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For Intermediate to Advanced players:
- As you follow the accordion notation below, you may observe that although each verse and chorus begins on "push" button 6, as expected, each is dominated by, and ends on, "pull" button 5*, which suggests that this tune is written in a natural minor key, based on 5*.
- If you have a strumming guitar accompaniment, it will provide minor chords, as appropriate.
- Otherwise, if your right hand is playing on the inside treble row, you may make use of the minor chord available on the left-hand's inside base-chord row's "pull" button 1*, as appropriate, especially when the right-hand is playing the inside treble "pull" button 5*.
- The lyrics tell of a young man, who has ready lost three brothers, sailing away to war, leaving his Nova Scotia home, his friends, his parents and his "bonnie lassie". Hence his feeling of sadness and melancholy heightened, for us, by the minor key. At the same time, there is the sense of his excitement driven, for us, by the tempo and rhythm. A beautiful and meaningful song.
Order: Verse 1 + Chorus + Verse 2 + Chorus + Verse 3 + Chorus + Verse 4 + Chorus
"6 | ;6 "7* .6 "4 "4* | .5 "5 "4 .5
The sun was set - ting__ in the__ West;
I grieve to leave my___ nat - ive__ land;
I have three brothers and they are at rest;
The drums they do beat and the wars do alarm
"6 "6* | ;5* "6* "6 "6 .7* | .7 .5* .5*
The__ birds were sing-ing in ev - 'ry tree.
I____ grieve to leave my___ com - rades all.
Their hands are fol - ded____ on their chest.
The__ cap - tain calls, we___ must o - bey.
'"6 '7* | ;7 "7 .7* "7* "6* | .5 "5 "6* .7*
All__ na-ture seemed in___ - clined for__ rest,
And my par-ents whom I____ held so__ dear,
But a poor and simple sail - or, just like me,
So fare - well, fare-well to No - va Scotia's charms,
'"6 '7* | "7 "6 "6 "6* "5* "6* "5* "5 | .4 .5* .5*
But__ still__, there was__ no__ rest for me.
And the bon-ny bon-ny las-sie that I do a - dore.
Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea.
For it's early in the morning; I am bound far a - way.
Chorus
'"5* '6* | '"6 '6* '"6 '7* .6 "4 "4* | .5 "5 "4 .5
Fare__ - well to No-va Sco-tia, the sea - bound coast,
"6 "6* | ;5* "6* .6 .7* | .7 "5* "5 .5*
Let your moun-tains dark and drear - y___ be.
'"6 '7* | "7 "7 '"7 '7* .7* "7* "6* | "5 "5 "5 "6* .7*
For when I am far a-way on the bri-ny o-cean tossed,
'"6 '7* | "7 "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* "5* "5 | .4 .5* ;5*
Will you ev - er heave a sigh__ and a wish for me?
"6 | ;6 "7* .6 "4 "4* | .5 "5 "4 .5
The sun was set - ting__ in the__ West;
I grieve to leave my___ nat - ive__ land;
I have three brothers and they are at rest;
The drums they do beat and the wars do alarm
"6 "6* | ;5* "6* "6 "6 .7* | .7 .5* .5*
The__ birds were sing-ing in ev - 'ry tree.
I____ grieve to leave my___ com - rades all.
Their hands are fol - ded____ on their chest.
The__ cap - tain calls, we___ must o - bey.
'"6 '7* | ;7 "7 .7* "7* "6* | .5 "5 "6* .7*
All__ na-ture seemed in___ - clined for__ rest,
And my par-ents whom I____ held so__ dear,
But a poor and simple sail - or, just like me,
So fare - well, fare-well to No - va Scotia's charms,
'"6 '7* | "7 "6 "6 "6* "5* "6* "5* "5 | .4 .5* .5*
But__ still__, there was__ no__ rest for me.
And the bon-ny bon-ny las-sie that I do a - dore.
Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea.
For it's early in the morning; I am bound far a - way.
Chorus
'"5* '6* | '"6 '6* '"6 '7* .6 "4 "4* | .5 "5 "4 .5
Fare__ - well to No-va Sco-tia, the sea - bound coast,
"6 "6* | ;5* "6* .6 .7* | .7 "5* "5 .5*
Let your moun-tains dark and drear - y___ be.
'"6 '7* | "7 "7 '"7 '7* .7* "7* "6* | "5 "5 "5 "6* .7*
For when I am far a-way on the bri-ny o-cean tossed,
'"6 '7* | "7 "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* "5* "5 | .4 .5* ;5*
Will you ev - er heave a sigh__ and a wish for me?
Key of Em in G collection: To play in Em, but sound in key of F#m or Gm - place capo at 2 or 3
Key of Am in C collection: To play in Am, but sound in Dm - place capo at fret 5
(The chords shown below in parenthesis can be omitted for simplicity.)
Key of Am in C collection: To play in Am, but sound in Dm - place capo at fret 5
(The chords shown below in parenthesis can be omitted for simplicity.)
Order: Verse 1 + Chorus + Verse 2 + Chorus + Verse 3 + Chorus + Verse 4 + Chorus
G (Bm)
C (Em)
The sun was setting in the West;
I grieve to leave my native home;
I have three brothers and they are at rest;
The drums do beat and the horns do alarm.
Em (C) Em
Am (F) Am
The birds were singing in every tree.
I grieve to leave my comrades all,
Their hands are folded on their chest.
My captain calls; we must obey.
G D
C G
All nature seemed inclined for rest,
And my aged parents whom I hold so dear,
But a poor and simple sailor, just like me,
Fare - well, fare-well, to Nova Scotia's charm.
Em (C) (Am) Em
Am (F) (Dm) Am
But, still, there was no rest for me.
And the bonny, bonny lassie that I do a - dore.
Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea.
For it's early in the morning; I am bound far away.
Chorus
G (Bm)
C (Em)
Fare-well to Nova Scotia, the sea-bound coast,
Em (C) Em
Am (F) Am
Let your mountains dark and dreary be.
G D
C G
For when I am far a-way, on the briny ocean tossed,
Em (C) (Am) Em
Am (F) (Dm) Am
Will you ev-er heave a sigh and a wish for me?
G (Bm)
C (Em)
The sun was setting in the West;
I grieve to leave my native home;
I have three brothers and they are at rest;
The drums do beat and the horns do alarm.
Em (C) Em
Am (F) Am
The birds were singing in every tree.
I grieve to leave my comrades all,
Their hands are folded on their chest.
My captain calls; we must obey.
G D
C G
All nature seemed inclined for rest,
And my aged parents whom I hold so dear,
But a poor and simple sailor, just like me,
Fare - well, fare-well, to Nova Scotia's charm.
Em (C) (Am) Em
Am (F) (Dm) Am
But, still, there was no rest for me.
And the bonny, bonny lassie that I do a - dore.
Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea.
For it's early in the morning; I am bound far away.
Chorus
G (Bm)
C (Em)
Fare-well to Nova Scotia, the sea-bound coast,
Em (C) Em
Am (F) Am
Let your mountains dark and dreary be.
G D
C G
For when I am far a-way, on the briny ocean tossed,
Em (C) (Am) Em
Am (F) (Dm) Am
Will you ev-er heave a sigh and a wish for me?
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Embedded youTube VIDEOS
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Seventeen videos in these "key" (accordion row) collections: Ab=1 A=4 Bb=2 C=2 F=2 G=6
Most played in corresponding (natural) relative minor keys: F=1 F#=4 G=2 A=2 D=2 E=6
Most played in corresponding (natural) relative minor keys: F=1 F#=4 G=2 A=2 D=2 E=6
(Except for electronic ones, it is unusual to find a dual-row diatonic accordion with Ab or Bb rows.)
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Collection (accordion row): Ab
Key: F minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Group: Ryan's Fancy Posted by: Betamax King |
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Collection (accordion row): A
Key: F# (or Gb) minor Tempo: ~105 bpm Singer: Catherine McKinnon Posted by: AlbertGeorge |
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Collection (accordion row): A
Key: F# (or Gb) minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Group: Ian and Sylvia Posted by: Ian & Sylvia - Topic |
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Collection (accordion row): A
Key: F# (or Gb) minor Tempo: ~125 bpm Singer: Stan Rogers Posted by: Sports Maniac |
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Collection (accordion row): A
Key: F# (or Gb) minor Tempo: ~125 bpm Singer: McGinty Posted by: quickaccent2006 |
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Collection (accordion row): Bb
Key: G minor Tempo: ~120 bpm Singer: Harry Hibbs Posted by: UnidiscMusic |
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Collection (accordion row): Bb
Key: G minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Group: Irish Rovers Posted by: Patrick Brousseau |
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Collection (accordion row): C
Key: A minor Tempo: ~90 bpm Singer: ? Posted by: A Cappella Trudbol |
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Collection (accordion row): C
Key: A minor Tempo: ~115 bpm ? Accordionist: B. M. Lush? Posted by: bmlushma Instrumental |
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Collection (accordion row): F
Key: D minor Tempo: 110 bpm Group: Touchstone Posted by: forevaclevah |
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Collection (accordion row): F
Key: D minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Group: Tom Eastland & Susanne Kozo Posted by: Tom Eastland |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~200 bpm ? Singer: Bonnie Dobson Posted by: andrijadragon |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~125 bpm Group: Pirates for Sail Posted by: A Pirate's Life |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~120 bpm Singer: Stompin' Tom Connors Posted by: Stompin' TomConnors |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Singer: Tommy Makem Posted by: Daniel Pollard |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~120 bpm Singer: Alan Giddens Posted by: Alan Giddens |
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Collection (accordion row): G
Key: E minor Tempo: ~115 bpm Accordionist: ? Posted by: Syntheway - Topic Instrumental |
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Background Lyrics, Information & Links
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Lyrics:
Verse 1 Chorus Verse 2 Verse 3 Verse 4 |
Sing chorus after each verse. Some begin with the chorus, and some omit verse 4.
The lyrics tell of a young man, who has ready lost three brothers, sailing away to war, leaving his Nova Scotia home, his friends, his parents and his "bonnie lassie". Hence his feeling of sadness and melancholy heightened, for us, by the minor key. At the same time, there is the sense of his excitement driven, for us, by the tempo and rhythm. A beautiful and meaningful song. The sun was setting in the West; The birds were singing in every tree. All nature seemed to be at rest, But, alas, there was no rest for me. Farewell to Nova Scotia, the sea-bound coast, Let your mountains dark and dreary be. For when I'm far away, on the briny ocean tossed, Will you ever heave a sigh and a wish for me? I grieve to leave my native home; I grieve to leave my comrades all, And my aged parents whom I hold so dear, And the bonny, bonny lass that I do adore. The drums do beat and the horns do alarm. My captain calls; we must obey. Farewell, farewell, to Nova Scotia's charm. For it's early in the morning; I am bound far away. I have three brothers and they are at rest; Their hands are folded on their chest. But a poor and simple sailor, just like me, Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea. |