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."

              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.