Key: D
Introduction:
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When I was a lad on the Emerald Isle,
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I heard many stories both lovely and wild.
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A bout the great dragons and monsters that be,
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That swallow the ships as they sail on the sea.
G
'Tho I was an artist with canvas and paints,
D
I sailed with Saint Brendan and his jolly saints.
G
We told the good people, "Goodbye for a while,
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We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
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When we had been sailing for ninety-four days,
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We came to a spot where the sea was ablaze.
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Those demons from Hades was dancing with glee
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And burning the sailors alive on the sea
G
Then Saint Brendan walked on the festering waves,
D
He threw all the demons right back to their caves,
G
And all of the saints bore a heavenly smile,
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We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
D G D
One night while the brethren were lying asleep,
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A great dragon came up from under the deep.
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He thundered and lightninged and made a great din
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He awakened Saint Brendan and all of his men.
G
The dragon came on with his mouth open wide.
D
We threw in a cross and the great dragon died.
G
We skinned him and cooked him and feasted awhile
D A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
D G D
At last we came onto that beautiful land.
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We all went ashore and we walked on the sand.
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We took up our longbows and killed a Zebu.
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We roasted it up and had hot barbecue.
G
And after a while we were singing a song,
D
We noticed the island was moving along.
G
We ate and we drank and we rode in high style,
D A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
D G D
Now Brendan said, "Boys, this is much to my wish
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"We ride on the back of the world's biggest fish
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"Hold fast to the rope that is pulling the ship,
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"We'll need it some day if this fish takes a dip!"
G
We sailed every ocean, we sailed every sea,
D
We sailed every spot that a sailor could be.
G
In forty-four days we sailed ten million miles,
D A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
A D
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.