Key: E
Introduction:
Em G A B7 Em
Verse
D
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
Twa daughters were the bairns she bore
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
One was as bright as is the sun
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
Sae coal black grew the elder one
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
A knight came riding to the ladies' door
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
He travelled far to be their wooer
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
He courted one, aye, with gloves and rings
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
But he loved the other above all things
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Instrumental
Em G A B7 Em
Verse
D
"Sister, sister won't you walk with me
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
An' see the ships sail upon sea?"
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
And as they stood on that windy shore
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
The elder sister pushed her younger o'er
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
Sometimes she sank or sometimes she swam
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand"
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
And there she floated just like a swan
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
The salt sea carried her body on
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Instrumental
Em G A B7 Em
Verse
D
Two minstrels walking by the north sea strand
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
They saw the maiden, aye, float to land
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
They made a harp out of her breast bone
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
The sound of which would melt a heart of stone
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
They took three locks of her yellow hair
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
And wi' them strung that harp so rare
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Instrumental
Em G A B7 Em
Verse
D
The first string that those minstrels tried
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
Then terror seized the black-haired bride
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
The second string played a doleful sound
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
"The younger sister, oh, she is drowned"
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Verse
D
The third string, it played beneath their bow
Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
D
"And surely now her tears will flow"
C Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la