The Bitter Withy chords by The Young Tradition

Chords with lyrics

Intro:
D MajorD
C majorC G+G
D MajorD
G+G D MajorD G+G

D MajorD
C majorC G+G
D MajorD
G+G D MajorD G+G

Verse 1:

D MajorD
As it fell out upon a bright holiday

   C majorC           G+G
Small hail from the sky did fall;

           D MajorD
Our Saviour asked his mother dear

  G+G    D MajorD    G+G
If he might play at ball.

Verse 2:

D MajorD
“At ball? At ball? My own dear son?

   C majorC         G+G
It's time that you was gone,

             D MajorD
But don't let me hear of any doings

 G+G     D MajorD   G+G
Tonight when you return.”

Verse 3:

D MajorD
So it's up the hill, and down the hill

  C majorC          G+G
Our sweet young Saviour ran,

          D MajorD
Until he met three rich young lords

  G+G    D MajorD   G+G
All playing in the sun.

Verse 4:

D MajorD
“Good morn, good morn, good morn”, cried they,

   C majorC         G+G
“Good morning,” oh says he,

              D MajorD
“And which one of you three rich young lords

   G+G    D MajorD     G+G
Will play at ball with me?”

Verse 5:

D MajorD
“Well, we're all lords' and ladies' sons,

  C majorC          G+G
All born in a bower and hall,

             D MajorD
And you are nothing but a Jewish child

G+G     D MajorD  G+G
Born in an oxen stall”

Instrumental 1:
D MajorD
C majorC G+G
D MajorD
G+G D MajorD G+G

Verse 6:

D MajorD
“Well, though you're lords' and ladies' sons

  C majorC           G+G
All born in your bower and hall

             D MajorD
I'll prove to you at your latter end

    G+G   D MajorD     G+G
I'm an angel above you all”

Verse 7:

D MajorD
So he built him a bridge from the beams of the sun

  C majorC           G+G
And over the river danced he;

                D MajorD
Them rich young lords followed after him

  G+G      D MajorD    G+G
And drowned they was all three.

Verse 8:

D MajorD
So it's up the hill and down the hill

   C majorC         G+G
Three rich young mothers run

               D MajorD
Crying “Mary mild, fetch you home your child

  G+G     D MajorD      G+G
For ours he's drowned each one.”

Verse 9:

D MajorD
So Mary mild fetched home her child,

  C majorC          G+G
She laid him across her knee

           D MajorD
And with a bundle of withy twigs

  G+G    D MajorD    G+G
She gave him thrashes three.

Verse 10:

D MajorD
“Oh bitter withy. oh bitter withy

   C majorC      G+G
That causes me to smart.

           D MajorD
Oh the withy shall be very first tree

  G+G   D MajorD   G+G
To perish at the heart.”

Instrumental 2:
D MajorD
C majorC G+G
D MajorD
G+G D MajorD G+G