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Roud Folk Song Index #2123
This song seems to have originated in County Antrim. It has been attributed to Robert Cinnamond of Glenavy and to Charles Boyle of Belfast who learnt it from his mother; she recalled it having been sung in the mills and factories of that city. Peter Kennedy recorded the song in 1952 - from the liner notes of the 2002 Hen Party album WildGoose as per mainlynorfolk.info
This song seems to have originated in County Antrim. It has been attributed to Robert Cinnamond of Glenavy and to Charles Boyle of Belfast who learnt it from his mother; she recalled it having been sung in the mills and factories of that city. Peter Kennedy recorded the song in 1952 - from the liner notes of the 2002 Hen Party album WildGoose as per mainlynorfolk.info
Greenwood Laddie, The
by trad
If [Dm] you had [C] seen my [Dm] dearest
and his [C] ey- [Dm] es [Am] shine the [Dm] clearest
His [Dm] cheeks like [C] the [Dm] red blood,
thats [C] new- [Am] dropped in [Dm] snow
He is [Dm] neat, tall and [F] slender
and his [C] hands [Dm] soft [Am] and [Dm] tender
He'll be [Dm] my [Bb] Green- [F] wood [C] Laddie
where- [F] ev- [Gm] er he [Dm] go
My parents, my darling, they slight you with scorn
Because you have no riches wrapped up in store
But the more that they slight you, the more I'll invite you
To be my Greenwood Laddie till time is no more
For if I had the wealth of the East or West Indies
Or I had the gold of the African shore
Or if I could gain thousands I'd lie on your bosom
You'd be my Greenwood Laddie whom I'll always adore
Its down yonder bower I've spent many's the long hour
A-pulling the flowers by yon clear winding shore
It was his stolen kisses caused my fondest wishes
He'll be my Greenwood Laddie and the boy I adore.
and his [C] ey- [Dm] es [Am] shine the [Dm] clearest
His [Dm] cheeks like [C] the [Dm] red blood,
thats [C] new- [Am] dropped in [Dm] snow
He is [Dm] neat, tall and [F] slender
and his [C] hands [Dm] soft [Am] and [Dm] tender
He'll be [Dm] my [Bb] Green- [F] wood [C] Laddie
where- [F] ev- [Gm] er he [Dm] go
My parents, my darling, they slight you with scorn
Because you have no riches wrapped up in store
But the more that they slight you, the more I'll invite you
To be my Greenwood Laddie till time is no more
For if I had the wealth of the East or West Indies
Or I had the gold of the African shore
Or if I could gain thousands I'd lie on your bosom
You'd be my Greenwood Laddie whom I'll always adore
Its down yonder bower I've spent many's the long hour
A-pulling the flowers by yon clear winding shore
It was his stolen kisses caused my fondest wishes
He'll be my Greenwood Laddie and the boy I adore.