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Kate Rusby – I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love This Night (Ruth's interpretation)
Capo on 1st fret – tab is written as if 1st fret is open string
I don’t think this is bang on, but it’s very close and if you’re playing and singing
it yourself I doubt anyone would spot the (minor) differences – I’ve played this
version at open mics and it’s worked fine. The 5th bar of the verse is a killer to
play I’m afraid (bar 2nd (3rd with capo) fret).
Intro:
e|------------|------0-----|------------|------0-----|
b|------------|------------|------------|------------|
g|----2-----2-|----1---1---|----2-----2-|----1---1h2-|
d|--2-----2---|--2-------2-|--2-----2---|--2---------|
a|4-----5-----|------------|4-----5-----|------------|
e|------------|0-----------|------------|0-----------|
e|------------|------0-----|------------|------0-----|
b|------------|------------|----3-------|------------|
g|----2-----2-|--1h2---1h2-|----2-----2-|----1---1---|
d|--2-----2---|2-----------|--2-----2---|--2-------2-|
a|4-----5-----|------------|4-----5-----|------------|
e|------------|------------|------------|0-----------|
Verse:
wonder what is keeping my true love this night I
e|------------|------0-----|------0-----|--------0---|
b|------0---0-|------------|------------|----------2-|
g|----1-2---2-|----2---1h2-|----2-----2-|------2-1h2-|
d|--2---------|--2---------|0h4---------|--2-2---2---|
a|------------|0-----------|------------|0-----------|
e|0-------0---|------------|--------0---|------------|
wonder what is keeping him out of my sight… etc.
e|------------|------0-----|------------|------0-----|
b|------5-----|------------|------------|------------|
g|----------2-|----1---1h2-|----2-----2-|----1---1---|
d|----2---4---|--2---------|--2-----2---|--2-------2-|
a|--4---------|------------|4-----5-----|------------|
e|2-----------|0-----------|------------|0-----------|
e|------------|------0-----|------------|------0-----|
b|------5-----|------------|------------|------------|
g|----------2-|----1---1h2-|----2-----2-|----1---1---|
d|----2---4---|--2---------|--2-----2---|--2-------2-|
a|--4---------|------------|4-----5-----|------------|
e|2-----------|0-----------|------------|0-----------|
e|----0-------|--------0---|------0-----|--------0---|
b|------------|----------2-|------------|----------2-|
g|1h2-----1h2-|------2-1h2-|----2---1h2-|------2-1h2-|
d|------------|--2-2---2---|0h2---------|--2-2---2---|
a|4-----------|0-----------|------------|0-----------|
e|------------|------------|------------|------------|
Repeat for verse 2: “Oh love, are you coming your cause to advance…”
At the end of the 3rd verse:
“…I’ll love whom I please…” - when you get to this “please” bit, finish off playing
the verse tab but then switch back and play bars 2-4 of the intro. The song then has
an instrumental bit (which is pretty similar to the verse). Personally I just play
bars 2-8 of the intro and plough straight into the 4th verse…
Play right through the verse section as before, doing the 4th and 5th verses, then
end of the 5th verse finish as you did with the 3rd verse.
To summarise:
Intro
Verse 1:
I wonder what is keeping my true love this night
I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight
I wonder if he knows all the pain I endure
And stays from me this night I’m not sure
Verse 2:
Oh love, are you coming your cause to advance
Or yet are you waiting for a far, far better chance
Are you coming for to tell me you’ve a new love in store?
Are you coming for to tell me you love me no more?
Verse 3:
For I can love lightly and I can love strong
I can love the old love til the new love comes along
I only said I loved you for to give your heart ease
And when I’m not with you I’ll love who I please
Back to bars 2-4 of intro, then instrumental (verse fingerpicking) before going into verse 4
(Alternative: bars 2-8 of intro then straight into verse 4)
Verse 4:
Oh there’s gold in my pocket and pain in my heart
I can’t love a man with too many sweethearts
You’re my first and only false love but it’s lately I knew
The stronger I loved you the falser you grew
Verse 5:
Oh the spring grass grows the greenest and spring water runs clear
I’m sorry and tormented for the love of my dear
Your love it lies so lightly as the dew on the thorn
That’s there in the evening and away with the dawn
That’s there in the evening and away with the dawn
Repeat last fingerpicking line of verse (as with the vocals) then repeat intro bars 2-8 to finish.
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Last Updated: January 30, 2026