[Intro]
G C G D G D G C G C G
[Verse]
C G
Sweet Willie and fair Annie sat ae day on a hill
D G D
Though they had sitten seven lang year, they ne'er wad had their fill
G C
Sweet Willie said a word in haste and Annie took it ill
G C G
"I winna wed a tocherless maid against ma mither's will"
[Verse]
C G
"For ye're come o' the rich, Willie, and I'm come o' the poor
D G D
I'm ower laich tae be your bride an' I winna be yer hooer"
G C
So Annie's gane in 'til her bower, and Willie doon the den
G C G C
And he's come 'til his mither's bower by the lee licht o' the moon
[Verse]
G C G
"Oh, sleep ye, wake ye, mither?" he says, "Or are ye the bower within?"
D G D
"I sleep richt aft, I wake richt aft, whit want ye wi' me, son?
G C
Whaur hae ye been a' the nicht, Willie? And war, ye've tarried lang"
G C G
"I've been courtin' fair Annie, and she is frae me gan"
[Instrumental]
G C G D G D G C G C G
[Verse]
C G
"There is twa maidens in a bower, which o' them sall I bring hame?
D G D
The nut-broon maid has sheep and cows, fair Annie, she's got nane"
G C
"It's an ye wed the nut-broon maid, I'll heap wi' gowd ma hand
G C G
But an ye wed the fair Annie, I'd straik it wi' a wand
[Verse]
C G
The nut-broon maid has sheep and cows, fair Annie, she's got nane
D G D
And Willie, for my benison, the nut-broon maid bring hame"
G C
"Oh, I sall wed the nut-broon maid and I sall bring her hame
G C G
But peace nor rest atween us twa, 'til death sinder's again
[Verse]
C G
For sheep will die in cots, mither, and owsen die in byre
D G D
And what's this warld's wealth to me, gin I get na ma heart's desire?"
G C
"Ye'll tell her to come tae Willie's weddin' the morn at twel at noon
G C G
Ye'll tell her to come tae Willie's weddin', the heir o' Dublin toon"
[Instrumental]
G C G D G D G C G C G
[Verse]
C G
So he is on tae Annie's bower and he's tirled at the pin
D G D
Wha was sae ready as Annie hersel tae open and let him in
G C
"It's I will come tae Willie's weddin' the morn at twel tae dine
G C G
It's I will come tae Willie's weddin', though I'd raither it had been mine
[Verse]
C G
So maidens, tae my bower come and lay gowd on my hair
D G D
And far ye laid ae plait afore, ye'll now lay ten times mair
G C
Tailors, tae my bower come and mak' tae me a weed
G C G
And smiths untae my stable come and shoe tae me a steed"
[Verse]
C G
At every tate o' Annie's horse, there hang a silver bell
D G D
There cam a wind oot frae the north which made them a' tae knell
G C
Fan she came tae Marykirk and sat down in the deas
G C G c
The licht that cam frae fair Annie enlichtened a' the place
[Verse]
G C G
But up and stands the nut-broon bride, jist at her faither's knee
D G D
"Oh, fa is this, ma faither dear, that blinks in Willie's ee?"
G C
"Oh, this is Willie's first true love, afore he lovèd thee"
G C G C
"Gin that be Willie's first true love, he micht hae latten me be"
[Verse]
G C G
"Oh, far got ye the water, Annie, that washes ye sae white?"
D G D
"I got it in ma mither's wame, far you'll ne'er get the like
G C
For ye've been washed in Dunny's well and dried on Dunny's dyke
G C G
And a' the water in the sea will never wash ye white"
[Instrumental]
G C G D G D G C G C G
[Verse]
C G
Fan nicht was come, and day was gane, and a' man boun' to bed
D G D
Sweet Willie and the nut-broon bride were in their chamber laid
G C
They werena weel lyen doon and scarcely fa'an asleep
G C G C
Fan up and stands she, fair Annie, jist up at Willie's feet
[Verse]
G C G
"Weel brook ye o' your broom, broon bride, atween ye and the wa'
D G D
And sae will I o' my winding sheet, that suits me best of a'"
G C
Sad Willie raise, pit on his claise, drew 'til him hose and shoon
G C G
And he is on tae Annie's bower by the lee licht o' the moon
[Verse]
C G
The firsten bower that he cam 'til there was richt dowie wark
D G D
Her mither and her three sisters were makin' her a sark
G C
The neisten bower that he cam 'til there was richt dowie cheir
G C G
He's lifted up the coverlet, fair Annie lay streekit there
[Verse]
C G
"It's I will kiss yer bonny cheek and I will kiss yer chin
D G D
I will kiss yer clay-cald lip, but I'll ne'er kiss woman again
G C
The day ye deal at Annie's grave, the breid but and the wine
G C G
Afore the morn at twel o'clock they'll deal the same at mine"
[Verse]
C G
The tane was buried in Mary's kirk, the tither in Mary's quire
D G D
And oot o' the tane there grew a birk, and oot o' the tither a briar
G C
And aye they grew, and aye they drew, until the twa did meet
G C G C
And every ane that passed them by said, "There's been lovers sweet"
[Outro]
G C G D G D G C G C G