The Blacksmith reel

There are 19 recordings of this tune.

The Blacksmith has been added to 1 tune set.

The Blacksmith has been added to 20 tunebooks.

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Two settings

1
X: 1
T: The Blacksmith
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
(BA)|"Em" G2 y E2 y G2 (AB)|"D" d6 (AB)|"Em" B3 y E "D" y D2 E2-|"Em" E6 (BA)|
w: 1.~A_ black-smith court-ed_ me, nine_ months and bet-ter._ He_
"Em" G2 E2 G2 (AB)|"D" d6 (AB)|"Em" B3 E "D" D2 E2-|"Em" E6 GB|
w: fair-ly won my_ heart, wrote_ me a let-ter._ With his
"G" d2 d2 (ed)(BA)|"Bm/F#" B6 (BA)|"Em" G2 y E2 (GA) A2-|"D" A6 EF|
w: Ham-mer in_ his_ hand, he_ looked quite cle--ver,_ and if
[1 "CMaj7" G2 A2 B2 (^cA)|B6 (EF)|"CMaj7" G3 A "D" F2 E2-|"Em" E6:|
w: I were with my_ love, I'd_ live for-e-ver._
["Final""Em"2G2A2B2^cA|B6EF|"Em"G3A"D"F2E2-|"CMaj7"E6||
W: Verse 2.
W: But where is my love gone with his cheeks like roses?
W: He’s gone across the sea gathering primroses.
W: I’m afraid the scorching sun will shine and burn his beauty,
W: And if I was with my love I’d do my duty.
W: Verse 3.
W: Strange news is come to town, strange news is carried.
W: Strange news flies up and down that my love is married.
W: I wish them both much joy although they cannot hear me.
W: And may God reward him well for the slighting of me.
W: Verse 4.
W: Don’t you remember when you lay beside me?
W: And you said you’d marry me and not deny me?
W: If I said I’d marry you it was only for to try you,
W: So bring your witness love and I’ll not deny you.
W: Verse 5
W: No, witness have I none save God Almighty,
W: And may he reward you well for the slighting of me.
W: Her cheeks grew pale and wan it made her poor heart tremble,
W: To think she loved that one and he proved deceitful.
# Added by BenH .
2
X: 2
T: The Blacksmith
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
(BA)|"Em" G2 y E2 y G2 (AB)|"D" d6 (AB)|"CM7" B3 y E "D" y D2 E2-|"Em" E6 (BA)|
w: 1.~A_ black-smith court-ed_ me, nine_ months and bet-ter._ He_
"Em" G2 E2 G2 (AB)|"D" d6 (AB)|"CM7" B3 E "D" D2 E2-|"Em" E6 GB|
w: fair-ly won my_ heart, wrote_ me a let-ter._ With his
"G" d2 d2 "D"(ed)(BA)|"Em" B6 (BA)|"G" G2 y E2 "D"(GA) A2-|A6 EF|
w: Ham-mer in_ his_ hand, he_ looked quite cle--ver,_ and if
[1 "Em" G2 "D"A2 "Em"B2 ("A"^cA)|"CM7"B6 (EF)|"CM7" (GA)B2 "D" D2 E2-|"Em" E6:|
w: I were with my_ love, I'd_ live_ for-e-ver._
["Final""Em"G2 "D"A2 "Em"B2 "A"^cA|"CM7"B6EF|"CM7"GA B2"D"D2E2-|"Em"E6||
W: Verse 2.
W: But where is my love gone with his cheeks like roses?
W: He’s gone across the sea gathering primroses.
W: I’m afraid the scorching sun will shine and burn his beauty,
W: And if I was with my love I’d do my duty.
W: Verse 3.
W: Strange news is come to town, strange news is carried.
W: Strange news flies up and down that my love is married.
W: I wish them both much joy although they cannot hear me.
W: And may God reward him well for the slighting of me.
W: Verse 4.
W: Don’t you remember when you lay beside me?
W: And you said you’d marry me and not deny me?
W: If I said I’d marry you it was only for to try you,
W: So bring your witness love and I’ll not deny you.
W: Verse 5
W: No, witness have I none save God Almighty,
W: And may he reward you well for the slighting of me.
W: Her cheeks grew pale and wan it made her poor heart tremble,
W: To think she loved that one and he proved deceitful.

Three comments

The Blacksmith

Not actually a reel, but rather a vocal song. Here’s the lyrics the way we perform it:

A blacksmith courted me
Nine months and better
He fairly won my heart
Wrote me a letter
With his hammer in his hand
He looked quite clever
And if I was with my love
I’d live for ever

But where is my love gone
With his cheeks like roses?
He’s gone across the sea
Gathering primroses
I’m afraid the scorching sun
Will shine and burn his beauty
And if I was with my love
I’d do my duty

Strange news is come to town
Strange news is carried
Strange news flies up and down
That my love is married
I wish them both much joy
Although they cannot hear me
And may God reward him well
For the slighting of me

Don’t you remember when
You lay beside me?
And you said you’d marry me
And not deny me?
If I said I’d marry you
It was only for to try you
So bring your witness love
And I’ll not deny you

No, witness have I none
Save God Almighty
And may he reward you well
For the slighting of me
Her cheeks grew pale and wan
It made her poor heart tremble
To think she loved that one
And he proved deceitful

Posted by .

Andy Irvine sung this on the first Planxty album. The same lyrics are occasionally sung to the
old English hymn tune ‘To be a Pilgrim’ or ‘ He who would Valiant be’

The Blacksmith, X:2

A couple minor changes in the melody line, and some interesting additions to the chord progression, as I once heard it performed.