Revolutionary Tea
View chords used in this chart
Afinação: E A D G B ETecla: CCapotraste: Sem capotraste
Written by: Traditional (early 19th century)
Performed by: Diane Taraz
https://youtu.be/bOVO9svt6hs
[Verse 1]
C G
There was an old lady lived over the sea
C G
And she was an island queen.
C G
Her daughter lived off in a new country
F C G C
With an ocean of water between.
F C G C
With an ocean of water between.
[Verse 2]
C G
The old lady’s pockets were fill-ed with gold,
C G
But never contented was she;
C G
She called on her daughter to pay her a tax
F C G C
Of thruppence a pound on her tea.
F C G C
Of thruppence a pound on her tea.
[Verse 3]
C G
“Now, mother, dear mother,” the daughter replied,
C G
“I sha'n't do the thing that you ax.
C G
I’m willing to pay a fair price for the tea,
F C G C
But never the thruppenny tax.
F C G C
But never the thruppenny tax.”
[Verse 4]
C G
“You shall,” quoth the mother and reddened with rage,
C G
“For you’re my own daughter, you see;
C G
And sure ’tis quite proper the daughter should pay
F C G C
Her mother a tax on her tea.
F C G C
Her mother a tax on her tea.”
[Verse 5]
C G
And so the old lady her servant called in
C G
Then packed off a budget of tea.
C G
And eager for three pence a pound, she put in
F C G C
E--nough for a large family.
F C G C
E--nough for a large family.
[Interlude]
C G
C G
C G
F C G C
F C G C
[Verse 6]
C G
She ordered her servants to bring home the tax,
C G
Declaring her child should obey,
C G
Or, old as she was and almost woman grown,
F C G C
She’d half-whip her life away.
F C G C
She’d half-whip her life away.
[Verse 7]
C G
The tea was conveyed to the daughter’s own door,
C G
All down by the ocean’s side,
C G
And the bouncing girl poured out every pound
F C G C
In the dark and boiling tide.
F C G C
In the dark and boiling tide.
[Verse 8]
C G
And then she called out to the island queen,
C G
“Oh, mother, dear mother,” quoth she,
C G
“Your tea you may have when ’tis steep-ed enough,
F C G C
But never a tax from me.
F C G C
But never a tax from me.”
How to play Revolutionary Tea
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is E. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.