A Maid Of Constant Sorrow by Judy Collins, tabs and chords at PlayUkuleleNET

A Maid Of Constant Sorrow

Biography:

Judy Collins (born Judith Marjorie Collins on May 1, 1939, in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter known for the eclectic range of material she records (which has included folk, show tunes, pop, and rock and roll, as well as and standards) and for her social activism. Beginning in 1959, she was drawn to the music of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the traditional songs of the folk revival of the early 1960s. In 1968 she was awarded a Grammy for "Both Sides Now".

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Judy Collins - A Maid Of Constant Sorrow - Album (1961)

1. Maid Of Constant Sorrow
2. The Prickilie Bush
3. Wild Mountain Thyme
4. Tim Evans
5. Sailor's Life
6. Bold Fenian Men
7. Wars Of Germany
8. O Daddy Be Gay
9. I Know Where I'm Going
10. John Riley
11. Pretty Saro
12. The Rising Of The Moon

==================================================================

Track 1 - Maid Of Constant Sorrow

[Intro]
D G

[Verse 1]
D G
I am a maid of constant sorrow
Em Am
I've seen trials all of my days
D G
I'm going back to California
Em Am D G
Place where I was partly raised

[Verse 2]
D G
Your friends may say that I'm a stranger
Em Am
My face they'll never see no more
D G
There is but one promise that's given
Em Am D G
I'll sail on this golden shore

[Verse 3]
D G
All through this world I'm bound to ramble
Em Am
Through sun and wind and driving rain
D G
I'm bound to ride the western railway
Em Am D
Perhaps I'll take the very next train

[Instrumental]
D G Em Am

[Verse 4]
D G
I am a maid of constant sorrow
Em Am
I've seen trials all of my days
D G
I'm going back to California
Em Am
Place where I was partly raised

==================================================================

Track 2 - The Prickilie Bush

CAPO: 2nd Fret

[Intro]
G D G D G D G

[Chorus]
D G
Oh, the prickilie bush
C D
It pricks my heart full sore
G D G C
If I ever get out of the prickilie bush
G D G
I'll never get in it anymore

[Verse 1]
D G
Hangman, stay your rope
C D
Will you stay it for a while
G D G C
I think I see my mother coming
G D G
Riding over yonder stile

[Verse 2]
D G
Mother, did you bring me gold
C D
Or silver to pay my fee
G D G C
For to save my body from the cold clay ground
G D G
My neck from the gallows tree

[Verse 3]
D G
I didn't bring you gold
C D
Or silver to pay your fee
G D G C
But I have come to see you hang
G D G
On the gallows tree

[Chorus]
D G
Oh, the prickilie bush
C D
It pricks my heart full sore
G D G C
If I ever get out of the prickilie bush
G D G
I'll never get in it anymore

[Verse 4]
D G
Hangman, stay your rope
C D
Will you stay it for a while
G D G C
I think I see my father coming
G D G
Over yonder stile

[Verse 5]
D G
Father, did you bring me gold
C D
Or silver to pay my fee
G D G C
Or have you come to see me hang
G D G
On the gallows tree

[Verse 6]
D G
I didn't bring ya gold
C D
Or silver to pay your fee
G D G C
Your mother and I have come today
G D G
To see you on the gallows tree

[Chorus]
D G
Oh, the prickilie bush
C D
It pricks my heart full sore
G D G C
If I ever get out of the prickilie bush
G D G
I'll never get in it anymore

[Verse 7]
D G
Hangman, stay your rope
C D
Once more for a while
G D G C
I think I see my darling coming
G D G
Over yonder stile

[Verse 8]
D G
Darling, did you bring me gold
C D
Or silver to pay my fee
G D G C
For to save my body from the cold clay ground
G D G
My neck from the gallows tree

[Verse 9]
D G
I brought ya gold
C D
And silver to pay your fee
G D G C
I did not come to see you hang
G D G
On the gallows tree

[Chorus]
D G
Oh, the prickilie bush
C D
It pricks my heart full sore
G D G C
But now that I'm out of the prickilie bush
G D G
I'll never get in it anymore

==================================================================

Track 3 - Wild Mountain Thyme

CAPO: 1st Fret

[Verse 1]
N.C.
Oh, the summer time is coming
And the leaves are sweetly turning
And the wild mountain thyme
Blooms around the purple heather
C F C
Will you go, Laddie, go?

[Chorus]
F C
And we'll all go together
F C
To pull wild mountain thyme
Am
All around the purple heather
C F C
Will you go, Laddie, go?

[Verse 1]
N.C.
If my true love will not go
I will surely find another
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the purple heather
C F C
Will you go, Laddie, go?

[Chorus]
F C
And we'll all go together
F C
To pull wild mountain thyme
Am
All around the purple heather
C F C
Will you go, Laddie, go?

==================================================================

Track 4 - Tim Evans

CAPO: 1st Fret

[Intro]
Em

[Verse 1]

Tim Evans was a prisoner
G A
Within his prison cell
Em
And those who read about his crime
G A
They damned his soul to hell
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 2]

For the murderer of his own dear wife
G A
And the killing of his child
Em
The jury found him guilty
G A
And the hanging judge he smiled
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 3]

Tim Evans pleaded innocent
G A
And swore by him on high
Em
He never killed his own dear wife
G A
Or caused his child to die
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 4]

They moved him out at 6 o'clock
G A
To his final flowery dell
Em
And day and night two guards were there
G A
And never left his cell
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 5]

Sometimes they played cards with him
G A
Solo and Pontoon
Em
To stop him brooding on the ropes
G A
That was to be his doom
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 6]

The Governor came in one day
G A
With the chaplain by his side
Em
Said, your appeal has been turned down
G A
Prepare yourself to die
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 7]

Tim Evans walked in the prison yard
G A
The guards walked behind
Em
He saw the sky above the wall
G A
And knew no peace of mind
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 8]

They fit the rope around his neck
G A
Buckle behind his ear
Em
The prison bell was tolling
G A
But Tim Evans did not hear
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 9]

A thousand men were cursing
G A
And banging on the doors
Em
But Tim Evans could not hear them
G A
He was deaf for evermore
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

[Verse 10]

They sent Tim Evans to the drop
G A
For a crime he didn't do
Em
Twas Christy was the murderer
G A
The judge and jury too
Em D Em
Saying, "Go down, you murderer, go down"

==================================================================

Track 5 - Sailor's Life

CAPO: 4th Fret

[Intro]
D

[Chorus]
C D
Oh, a sailor's life is a weary life
C D
For he robs the girls of their delight

Causes them to weep, causes them to mourn
G D
Loss of a true love, never to return

[Verse 1]
C D
Oh father, father build me a boat
C D
And on the world's oceans I will float

Hail each captain as I pass by
G D
There I'll ask for my sailor boy

[Verse 2]
C D
Oh captain, captain tell me true
C D
Does my own Willie sail with you?

Tell me soon to give me joy
G D
None will I have but my sailor boy

[Verse 3]
C D
Oh no, kind lady, he's not here
C D
He drowned in the gulf and we buried him there

Upon the island as we passed by
G D
There we left your sailor boy

[Verse 4]
C D
Oh, she rung her hands and tore her hair
C D
Just like some lady in great despair

Called for a chair to sit her down
G D
Penningdon for to write it down

[Verse 5]
C D
Oh, dig my grave wide and deep
C D
Put a marble stone at the head and feet

On my grave a turtle dove
G D
Tell the world I died for my love

[Chorus]
C D
Oh, a sailor's life is a weary life
C D
For he robs the girls of their delight

Causes them to weep, causes them to mourn
G D
Loss of a true love, never to return

==================================================================

Track 6 - Bold Fenian Men

[Verse 1]
Am G Am C
'Twas down by the glenside, I met an old woman
Am C Am C
A-plucking young nettles, nor saw I was coming
Am F D G
I listened awhile to the song she was humming
Am Em F G Am
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

[Verse 2]
Am G Am C
'Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beaming
Am C Am C
And strong manly forms, and their eyes with hope gleaming
Am F D G
I see them again, sure, through all my days dreaming
Am Em F G Am
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

[Verse 3]
Am G Am C
When I was a colleen, their marching and drilling
Am C Am C
Awoke by the glenside, sounds awesome and thrilling
Am F D G
But they loved dear old Ireland, and to die they were willing
Am Em F G Am
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

[Verse 4]
Am G Am C
Some died by the glenside, some died amid strangers
Am C Am C
And wise men have told us their cause was a failure
Am F D G
But they stood by old Ireland and never feared danger
Am Em F G Am
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

[Verse 5]
Am G Am C
I passed on my way, god be praised that I met her
Am C Am C
Be life long or short, I shall never forget her
Am F D G
And we may have great men, but we'll never have better
Am Em F G Am
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

==================================================================

Track 7 - Wars Of Germany

[Intro]
D

[Verse 1]

Oh, woe be to the orders
C G A
That marched my love away
D F#m G A
And woe be to the bitter tears
D G A
I shed upon this day

[Verse 2]
D F#m G A
And woe be to the bloody wars
D G C A
Of high Germany
D G D
For they've carried off my own true love
C G A
Left a broken heart to bleed

[Verse 3]

The drums beat in the morning
C G A
Before the break of day
D F#m G A
And the wee, wee pipes played loud and shrill
D G A
While yet the morn was grey

[Verse 4]
D F#m G A
And the bonnie flags were all unfurled
D G C A
Was a gallant sight to see
D G D
But sorrow for my soldier lad
C G A
Who marched to Germany

[Verse 5]
D
Oh, woe be to the orders
C G A
That marched my love away
D F#m G A
And woe be to the bitter tears
D G A
I shed upon this day

[Verse 6]
D F#m G A
And woe be to the country
D G C A
Where our men are forced to be
D G D
And woe be to the foreign wars
C G A G A
That stole my love from me

==================================================================

Track 8 - O Daddy Be Gay

CAPO: 1st Fret

[Intro]
Am

[Verse 1]
G Am
There was an old man who lived under the hill
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
There was an old man who lived under the hill
Am G
If he ain’t goin’ away he’d be livin’ there still
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 2]
G Am
One day the Devil came down to his plough
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
One day the Devil came down to his plough
Am G
Said, "One of your family I’ll have to have now"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 3]
G Am
"Oh, tis not just your son or daughter I crave"
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
"Tis not your son or your daughter I crave
Am G
But your old baggin’ wife I’ll carry away"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 4]
G Am
"Ah, take her away with all of my heart"
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
"Take her away with all of my heart
Am G
And I’ll bet the two of you never will part"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 5]
G Am
The Devil he hoisted her up on his back
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
The Devil he hoisted her up on his back
Am G
And off to Hell with her in a pack
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 6]
G Am
He set her down at the fork in the road
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
He set her down at the fork in the road
Am G
He said, "Old woman, you’re a hell of a load"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 7]
G Am
Then he carried her down to the gates of Hell
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
He carried her down to the gates of Hell
Am G
Said, "Rake up the coals and we’ll roast her well"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 8]
G Am
One poor little devil looked over the wall
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
One poor little devil peeked over the wall
Am G
He said, "Take her home daddy, she’ll murder us all"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 9]
G Am
Oh, the Devil he hoisted her up on his back
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
The Devil he hoisted her up on his back
Am G
And home again with her in a pack
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 10]
G Am
The old woman went a whistlin’ over the hill
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
The old woman went a whistlin’ over the hill
Am G
"The Devil won’t have me, I wonder who will"
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

[Verse 11]
G Am
There is an advantage we have over men
G D Am
O daddy be gay
D
There is an advantage we have over men
Am G
We can go down to Hell and come back again
Am D Am
Daddy be gay if you can be

==================================================================

Track 9 - I Know Where I'm Going

CAPO: 2nd Fret

[Intro]
G C G C G C G C

[Verse 1]
G C G C
I know where I'm going
G C Am D
And I know who's going with me
G C
I know who I love
Am D
And the Devil knows who I'll marry

[Verse 2]
G C G C
I have stockings of silk
G C Am D
Shoes of bright green leather
G C
Combs to buckle my hair
Am D
And a ring for every finger

[Verse 3]
G C G C
Feather beds are soft
G C Am D
Painted rooms are bonnie
G C
I would trade them all
Am D
For my handsome, winsome Johnny

[Verse 4]
G C G C
Some say he's bad
G C Am D
I say he's bonnie
G C
Fairest of them all
Am D
Is my handsome, winsome Johnny

[Verse 5]
G C G C
I know where I'm going
G C Am D
And I know who's going with me
G C
I know who I love
Am D
The Devil knows who I'll marry

==================================================================

Track 10 - John Riley

CAPO: 2nd Fret

[Intro]
Am D

[Verse 1]
Am D Am D
A fair young maid was in her garden
Am D Am D
Strange young man came riding by
Am C G Em
He said, "Fair maid, will you marry me?"
D Am
And this answer, was her reply

[Verse 2]
Am D Am D
"Oh no, kind sir, I cannot marry thee
Am D Am D
For I’ve a love and he sails the sea
Am C G Em
And though he’s been gone for seven years
D Am
Still, he will return to me"

[Verse 3]
Am D Am D
"Well, what if he’s in some battle slain
Am D Am D
Or if he’s been drowned in the deep salt sea
Am C G Em
Or if he’s found another love
D Am
And he and his love both married be"

[Verse 4]
Am D Am D
"If he’s in some battle slain
Am D Am D
Then I shall die when the moon doth wane
Am C G Em
And if he’s drowned in the deep salt sea
D Am
Still I’m true to his memory"

[Verse 5]
Am D Am D
"And if he’s found another love
Am D Am D
And he and his love both married be
Am C G Em
I wish them health and happiness
D Am
Where they live across the sea"

[Verse 6]
Am D Am D
He picked her up in his arms so strong
Am D Am D
And kisses he gave her one two three
Am C G Em
Said, "Weep no more my own true love
D Am
I am your long lost John Riley"
Am C G Em
Said, "Weep no more my own true love
D Am
I am your long lost John Riley"

==================================================================

Track 11 - Pretty Saro

[Intro]
D

[Verse 1]

Down in some lone valley in a lonesome place
A
Where the wild birds all whistle and their notes do increase
D
Farewell Pretty Saro, I must bid you adieu
A D
And I'll dream of Pretty Saro wherever I go

[Verse 2]

My love she won't have me and I understand
A
She wants a rich merchant and I have no land
D
I cannot maintain her, I've no silver and gold
A D
Can't give her the nice things that a big house will hold

[Verse 3]

But if I were a merchant and I could write a fine hand
A
And I'd write my love a letter that she'd understand
D
I'd write it by the river where the waters o'erflow
A D
And I'll dream of Pretty Saro wherever I go

==================================================================

Track 12 - The Rising Of The Moon

[Intro]
Am

[Verse 1]

Ah, then tell me Sean O'Farrell
Em
Tell me why you're hurrying so
Am C
Hush, my boy, oh, hush and listen
E Am Em Am
And his eyes were all aglow
Em Am C
I bear orders from the captain
Em Am Em
Get you ready quick and soon
Am Em C
For the pikes must be together
E Am
At the rising of the moon

[Verse 2]

Ah, then tell me Sean O'Farrell
Em
Where the gatherin' is to be
Am C
In the old spot by the river
E Am Em Am
Right well known to you and me
Em Am C
One thing more for signal token
Em Am Em
Whistle up the marchin' tune
Am Em C
With your sword upon your shoulder
E Am
At the rising of the moon

[Verse 3]
Em Am C
Rumours passed along the valley
Em Am Em
Like a banshee's lonely croon
Am Em C
And a thousand blades were flashin'
E Am
At the rising of the moon

[Verse 4]

All along the singing river
Em
That dark mass of men were seen
Am C
Far above their shining weapons
Em Am Em Am
Hung their own immortal green
E Am Em Am
Death to every foe and traitor
Em Am Em
Foreign strike the marchin' tune
Am Em C
And hurrah me boys for Ireland
E Am
Tis the rising of the moon

[Verse 5]

Well, they fought for poor old Ireland
Em
And full bitter was their fate
Am C
Oh, what glorious pride and sorrow
E Am Em Am
Fill the name of ninety-eight
Em Am C
Yet thank god while hearts are beating
Em Am Em
Foreign manhood's burnin' noon
Am Em C
We shall follow in their footsteps
E Am
At the rising of the moon

[Verse 6]
E Am Em Am
Death to every foe and traitor
Em Am Em
Foreign strike the marchin' tune
Am Em C
And hurrah me boys for freedom

Tis the rising
E Am
Tis the rising of the moon

==================================================================