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The Rare Old Mountain Dew – Irish folksongs and ballads

A happy Irish drinking song about poitín – home-made whiskey. Try your lilting skills in the chorus! The song gets honourable mention in The Pogues Fairytale of New York. A slower tempo practice file is included in the resources.


On the Road Again – Classic sing-alongs

This great song about a musician’s life on the road, written in 1980, is one of Willie Nelson’s most recognisable works. It became a huge hit and won him a Grammy award. We look at how to play the song with and without a capo, and include Tabs in the resources section for the solo.


Star of the County Down – Popular Irish Songs

A follow-up to an earlier lesson on how to play the melody, we look at the chords and strum pattern for this ever-popular song. The words to this  song were written by Donegal man, Cathal MacGarvey in the late 19th century.


Boston Rose – Songs and Tunes popular in Ireland

Written by Liam Reilly, this song was made famous by the Wolfe Tones among others. We use a finger-picking pattern to accompany the song, and we have a second lesson where we look at how to play the intro/solo.


The Irish Pub Song – Popular Irish Songs

This song by The High Kings celebrates the world-famous Irish Pub – you could find one anywhere! A related lesson will follow where we look at how to play the solo (Part A of The Kesh Jig) – includes Tabs and slower tempo audio file.


I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)- Classic Sing-along songs

Released in 1988, this was, and is, a huge hit for The Proclaimers – the great rock duo, the Scottish Reid brothers. We use a muted, percussive strum for the verses. We also look at a simpler way to play the Barre chords – using power chords – at the end of the lesson.


Margaritaville – Classic sing-alongs

Conjure images of hot sun, golden beaches and sipping cocktails as you play along to the late Jimmy Buffett’s classic. Learn how to play the intro and strum along to the melody – with chord prompts.