Barbara Allen

Joan Baez

  • A
  • A7
  • Bm
  • D
  • D7
  • G
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Key:
D A D Twas in the merry month of May,
G D When green buds all were swellin,
D7 G D Bm Sweet William on his death bed lay
D A7 D For love of Barbara Allen.
A D He sent his servant to the town,
G D To the place where she was dwellin,
D7 G D Bm Saying, "You must come to my master dear,
D A7 D If your name be Barb´ry Allen."
A D So, slowly, slowly she got up,
G D And slowly she drew nigh him,
D7 G D Bm And the only words to him did say,
D A7 D "Young man, I think you´re dyin."
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A D He turned his face unto the wall,
G D And death was in him wellin,
D7 G D Bm "Good-bye, good-bye to my friends all,
D A7 D Be good to Barb´ry Allen."
A D When he was dead and laid in grave,
G D She heard the death bells Knellin,
D7 G D Bm And every stroke to her did say:
D A7 D "Hard-hearted Barb´ry Allen."
A D "Oh mother, oh mother, go dig my grave,
G D Make it both long and narrow;
D7 G D Bm Sweet William died of love for me,
D A7 D And I will die of sorrow."
A D "And father, oh father, go dig my grave,
G D Make it both long and narrow,
D7 G D Bm Sweet William died on yesterday,
D A7 D And I will die tomorrow."
A D Barb´ry Allen was buried in the old church-yard,
G D Sweet William was buried beside her;
D7 G D Bm Out of Sweet William´s heart there grew a rose,
D A7 D Out of Barb´ry Allen´s, a briar.
A D They grew and grew in the old church-yard,
G D Til they could grow no higher;
D7 G D Bm At the end they formed a true lovers´ knot,
D A7 D And the rose grew round the briar.
Song details

Composition: Baez Joan and Domain Public

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