Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn

Chords

5.026 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

                   THE SICK BED OF CUCHULAINN
  [INTRO]      C     Dm     C       Dm     C      Dm      F  C  
  McCCormack and Richard TaDmuber, Are sinCgin' by the Dmbed
  There's a glCass of punch bDmelow your feet,  And an aFngel at your hCead
  There's deCvils on each Dmside of you,  With botCtles in their Dmhand
  You'll need oCne more drop of poDmison,  And you'll dAmream of foreign lAmands
  [STRUM CHANGE]
 (1, 2, 3,)
  When you piFssed yourself in FraBbnkfurt,  And got sCyph down in ColFogne
  And you heFard the rattlin' dBbeath trains, As you lCay there all alFone
  Frank RFyan brought you whiFskey, In a brBbothel in MaFdrid
  And you deBbcked some fuckin' blacBbkshirt,  That was curFsing all the yCids
  At the sFick bed of CuchFulainn,  We'll kBbneel and say a prFayer
  And the ghBbosts are rattlin' Fat the door,  And the DeCvil's in the chFair, Wheew
  [INST]      F     F     Bb          C     F     F     Bb  F  
  And,  FIn the Euston TaBbvern,  You scrCeamed it was your shFout
  But they woFuldn't give you seBbrvice, So you kiCcked the windows oFut
  They tFook you out iFnto the street,  KiBbcked you in the brFains
  So you waBblked back in through a boBblted door, And dFid it all agCain
  At the sFick bed of CuchFulainn,  We'll kBbneel and say a prFayer
  And the ghBbosts are rattlin' Fat the door, And the DeCvil's in the chFair, Hey
                                                 *STRUM*
  [INST]      F     F     Bb          C     F     F     Bb     C*CHANGE*
           F   F   Bb   C        F   F   Bb   F      C       C
  You remCember that foul evDmening,  When you heCard the Banshees Dmhowl
  There were lCazy drunken baDmstards singin',  BiFlly In The bCowl
  They tCook you up to miDmdnight mass,  And lCeft you in the lDmurch
  So you droCpped a button Dmin the plate, And spAmewed up in the chAmurch
  [STRUM CHANGE]
  (1, 2, 3,)
  Now, You'll sFing a sing of liBbberty, For blCacks and paks and joFcks
  And they'll tFake you from this dBbump you're in,   And stCick you in a bFox
  Then they'll tFake you to ClouFghprior, And sBbhove you in the groFund
  But you'll sBbtick your head back Bbout and shout,  We'll hFave another roCund
  At the gravFeside of CuchuFllainn,  We'll kBbneel around and pFray
  And BbGod is in his HeFaven, And BiClly's down by the bFay, Whoow
  INST:        F     F      Bb           C      F     F      Bb        FTO FADE

All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

"The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" appears on The Pogues' 1985 album, Rum Sodomy & the Lash. The band, known for fusing Irish traditional music with punk rock, often brought a raw energy to their storytelling. This particular song, with its evocative title, channels a boisterous and perhaps defiant spirit, rooted in a rich cultural tapestry. Playing it, you can feel the blend of traditional Irish folk and punk rock, a signature of The Pogues' sound.

AI-written from these sources:The Pogues — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn

by The Pogues

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

THE SICK BED OF CUCHULAINN

C Dm C Dm C Dm F C

[INTRO]

C Dm C Dm

McCormack and Richard Tauber, Are singin' by the bed

C Dm F C

There's a glass of punch below your feet, And an angel at your head

C Dm C Dm

There's devils on each side of you, With bottles in their hand

C Dm Am Am

You'll need one more drop of poison, And you'll dream of foreign lands

[STRUM CHANGE]

(1, 2, 3,)

F Bb C F

When you pissed yourself in Frankfurt, And got syph down in Cologne

F Bb C F

And you heard the rattlin' death trains, As you lay there all alone

F F Bb F

Frank Ryan brought you whiskey, In a brothel in Madrid

Bb Bb F C

And you decked some fuckin' blackshirt, That was cursing all the yids

F F Bb F

At the sick bed of Cuchulainn, We'll kneel and say a prayer

Bb F C F

And the ghosts are rattlin' at the door, And the Devil's in the chair, Wheew

F F Bb C F F Bb F

[INST]

F Bb C F

And, In the Euston Tavern, You screamed it was your shout

F Bb C F

But they wouldn't give you service, So you kicked the windows out

F F Bb F

They took you out into the street, Kicked you in the brains

Bb Bb F C

So you walked back in through a bolted door, And did it all again

F F Bb F

At the sick bed of Cuchulainn, We'll kneel and say a prayer

Bb F C F

And the ghosts are rattlin' at the door, And the Devil's in the chair, Hey

*STRUM*

F F Bb C F F Bb C

[INST] *CHANGE*

F F Bb C F F Bb F C C

C Dm C Dm

You remember that foul evening, When you heard the Banshees howl

C Dm F C

There were lazy drunken bastards singin', Billy In The bowl

C Dm C Dm

They took you up to midnight mass, And left you in the lurch

C Dm Am Am

So you dropped a button in the plate, And spewed up in the church

[STRUM CHANGE]

(1, 2, 3,)

F Bb C F

Now, You'll sing a sing of liberty, For blacks and paks and jocks

F Bb C F

And they'll take you from this dump you're in, And stick you in a box

F F Bb F

Then they'll take you to Cloughprior, And shove you in the ground

Bb Bb F C

But you'll stick your head back out and shout, We'll have another round

F F Bb F

At the graveside of Cuchullainn, We'll kneel around and pray

Bb F C F

And God is in his Heaven, And Billy's down by the bay, Whoow

F F Bb C F F Bb F

INST: TO FADE

About The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn Chords by The Pogues

Learn how to play The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn by The Pogues with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn chords”, “The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn guitar chords”, or “The Pogues The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, Dm, F, Am, Bb.

FAQ — The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn by The Pogues

How do I play "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues free?

Yes. The chords for "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Pogues below.

What key is "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" in?

The chords for "The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn" show the original chord names (including C, Dm, F, Am, Bb). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.