Guitar on a Snowy Day: Molly Malone, The Whatchamacallit Sheet Music / Blank Guitar Chord Sheets

Being cooped up in the house due to the snow has made me graciously take to music. I was given a very beautiful parlor guitar for Christmas and new silver strings for it for Valentine's Day and have been playing it nonstop. I have been particularly keen on learning a simple traditional Irish song from 1884 called "Molly Malone." There are many different renditions of this song available but one particular rendition of it on youtube.com by "Joe and Larry." I can hardly imagine how that man is still standing. It reminds me of the lyrics of a song by The Prodigals: "You dance like you're drunk but you sing like you're sober."  It is nevertheless one of the best renditions of the song I have yet heard.

Chords to the song: Molly Malone. (I like this site because it shows the fingering charts for unfamiliar chords and it can also change the key for you.)

Tin Whistle/Fife/ Irish Flute Music for Molly Malone.

There is a statue in Dublin commemorating the Molly Malone of the song but no one can be sure if Molly Malone was a real person. The statue is controversial because she is wearing 17th century clothing which is considered a bit risque today.

   

I made up some blank guitar chord sheets. The ones that I had were a little smaller and I can't see them so well when I am trying to play. This one has fit my needs, it is like large print books. :D

A while ago, I tried my hand at writing a traditional style Irish song. It has multiple names to mimic the Irish practice of learning songs by ear. Traditionally, as a song passed from player to player, the songs would acquire new names, adaptations and changes but would remain the same songs. My guitar "teacher" wrote the guitar chords and I think it turned out really well. I don't know how to make chords do anything but he can put them together like magic! (You know--years of talent and hard work. :D) 

*Note: I am sorry to learn that Larry, from Joe and Larry has recently passed away on February 13, 2010. Many of his videos can be found here. A traditional Irish blessing in his honor:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.