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THE  SEA  AROUND  US

Time signature:  6/8
but played as a fast "rolling" waltz, rather than a "jig"
    Dominic Behan 
       (1966 or earlier)      
      UNDER CONSTRUCTION !
​  Everything needs to be checked.
Go to youTube Videos
Go to Guitar Chords
​
Accordion Notation
Beats per bar = 6
Beat symbol  =  Dot ( . ) or equivalent
Either row  =   Buttons  2 to 7*
Verses  1 (of 4)

   .5   |   .2      .3    .3     .3      .2*   .3   |   .3*   .5      .5   :5
They    say  that  the  lakes of    Kil  -  lar - ney  are  fair

 "5*  "5*   |    .6*       .5*   .6*   .5  .5*    .5   |    .4   .3*   .3    :2*     
That no     stream  like  the  Lif-fey  can     ev - er  com-pare,
​
"3* "3*  |   .4   .4    .4      .3*       .3       .2*   |    .3     .5      .5       :5
 If   it's     wat-er  you  want,  you'll  find     noth-ing  more  rare

  "5    "5*  |    .6*     .5*      .5        .4      .3*   .3   |   .2*   ::3
Than the     stuff  they  make  down  by  the      o - cean.

Chorus: 

   .5   |   .5      .6    .6     .6      .6*  .6   |   .7*       .6      .6*     .:6
The     sea,   oh   the  sea    is   the   gradh  geal   mo  croide*

   .6*     .5*   .6*  .5    .5*   .5      |   .5    .4       .3*    :2*    
Long  may  it  stay  be-tween   Eng-land  and   me

 "3 "3*  |    .4      .4*    .4   .3*   .3      .2*   |    .3       .5    .5    .5
It's  a      sure  guar-an-tee  that  some   hour  we'll  be  free

  .5     .5*   |    .6*     .5*      .5      .4*    .3*   .3   |   .2*   ::3
Oh, thank    God  we're  sur-round-ed   by      wat - er.

NOTE:  Repeat last line at end of final chorus.
 
GUITAR CHORD NOTATION      
To be added later

 
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
Go to Lyrics & Background
Total 12 videos, various keys:  C=2    Db=1    D=1    F#=1     G=3     A=4

Key:   C

Tempo:  ~200 bpm
​
Composer & Singer:  Dominic Behan

​Posted by:  K Ryan

Key:   F

​Tempo:  ~190 bpm


Group:  The Irish Rebels

Posted by:  Michael Riley

​From the LP: The Rebel Songs of Ireland



Key:  Db​

Tempo:  ~160 bpm


Singer:  Derry John Crawford 
​
​Posted by:  john crawford

​Key:  D

Tempo:  ~185 bpm


Group:  The Jolly Beggarmen
​
​Posted by:  Quadstriker

Key:   F#

Singer:  Patsy Watchorn
Music by:  The Irish Rebels

Posted by: Erin Go Bragh -
​                  The Irish Rebel Channel

​Patsy skips the chorus after verses 3 & 4

Key:  C

​Tempo:  ~165 bpm

Singer:  Denis Murray
​
​Posted by:  Denis Murray



Key:  G

​Tempo:  ~175 bpm

Group: Fighting Men From Crossmaglen
​
​Posted by:  Fighting Men From
​                             Crossmaglen - Topic

Key:  G

​Tempo:  ~150 bpm

Singer:  Ron Kavana

Music:  The Alias Acoustic Band
​
​Posted by:  DoubleSqueeze

Album:  Irish Songs of Rebellion,
             Resistance and Reconcilliation

Key:    A

Tempo:  ~165 bpm
​
Group:  The Dubliners

Singer:  Ronnie Drew

Posted by:  LordOfNumenor

​Recorded live at the Grace Theatre in Dublin.


Key:   A

​Tempo:  ~190 bpm

Group:  The Ludlows

Posted by:  catalpa

"This was No 1 in Ireland in 1966"



Key:   D

​Tempo:  ~190 bpm

Group:  The Clare Celts

Posted by:  Various Artists - Topic

​

Key:   A

​Tempo:  ~190 bpm

Singer:  Charlie King with
              Len Wallace & Sharon Abreu


Posted by:  Various Artists - Topic

Album:  Brilliant Songs of Ireland


 
Lyrics, Background Information & Links
LYRICS       
Verse 1




Chorus




Verse 2



​
Verse 3



​

Verse 4



​
Verse 5



They say that the lakes of Killarney are fair
That no stream like the Liffey can ever compare,
If it's water you want, you'll find nothing more rare
Than the stuff they make down by the ocean.

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide*
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh, thank God we're surrounded by water.

Tom Moore made his "Waters" meet fame and reknown
A great lover of anything dressed in a crown
In brandy the bandy old Saxon he'd drown
But throw ne'er a one in the ocean.

The Scots have their Whisky, the Welch have their speech
And their poets are paid about tenpence a week
Provided no hard words on England they speak
Oh Lord, what a price for devotion.

The Danes came to Ireland with nothing to do
But dream of the plundered old Irish they slew,
"Yeh will in yer vikings" said Brian Boru
And threw them back into the ocean.

Two foreign old monarchs in battle did join
Each wanting his head on the back of a coin;
If the Irish had sense they'd drowned both in the Boyne
And partition thrown into the ocean.
Return to Top of Page
Background info and link:
​-
​
There are many Irish folksongs that fall into the categories of Resistance, Rebellion, and Reconciliation, including this one.  Verses 2 & 3 singles out Irish poets, such as Tom Moore, for their failure to resist British rule, and verses 4 & 5 refer to rebellion against the Danes (Vikings) and the English.

Click HERE for additional info about this song (wikipedia).

Click HERE for (wikipedia) info on Dominic Behan