Clyde Waters (child 216) Uke tab by Anaïs Mitchell

C                          F
Willie sits in his stable door

                C              F                     C
And he's combing his coal-black steed,

                C                          F
And he's doubting on fair Margaret's love

            C        G7       C
And his heart began to bleed.

           C              F
“Give corn unto my horse, mother,

        C           F         G7
And meat to my man John,

        C   F                  C                F
And I'll away to fair Margaret's bower

C                G7                 C
Before the night comes on.”


C                                    F 
"Oh stay at home with me, dear Willie,

C                F             C
Oh stay at home with me,

                C              F
And the very best cock in all the roost

         C      G7                 C
Your own supper shall be."

        C                           F
"It's all your cocks in all your roosts

C          F       G7
I value not a pin,

       C   F                  C                F
But I'll away to fair Margaret's bower

C                G7              C
Before the night sets in.”


    C                      F
"If you go to fair Margaret's bower

C            F                  C
Without the leave of me,

             C                            F
In the deepest part of the Clyde water

          C             G7         C
Then drowned you shall be."

       C                                   F
"Oh the good steed that I ride upon

 C           F                   G7
Cost me thrice thirty pounds,

        C         F                 C       F
And I'll put trust in his swift feet

C                 G7           C
To take me safe and sound."


C                                F
He's ridden o'er the high, high hills

                C              F         C
And he's down the dowy den,

                C                                F
And the noise that was in the Clyde water

C                              G7          C
Would have feared five hundred men,"

           C                 F
"O roaring Clyde, you roar so loud

        C                    F                G7
Your streams are wondrous strong,

C                 F        C               F
Make me a wreck as I come back

C                     G7      C
But spare me as I'm going."


C                            F
Oh when he's got to fair Margaret's bower,

         C        F              C
He's turled low on the pin.

        C             F
"Oh wake up, me May Margaret,

C                   G7       C
Rise up and let me in."

        C                           F
"Oh who is this at my bower door,

C           F            G7
Calling May Margaret's name?"

        C     F               C               F
"It's only your first love, little William,

C                G7               C
This night come to her home."


C                         F
"Open up your gates this night,

C              F          C
Open and let me in,

              C                                        F
For me boots they are full of the Clyde water


 C                      G7    C
And I'm frozen to the skin."

       C                          F
"Me barns are full of corn, Willie,

               C           F         G7
And the stable's full of hay,

  C                        F         C         F
And me bower's full of gentle-men -

C                G7              C
They'll not remove till day."

C                              F
"Then it's fare thee well to you, May Margaret,

                C            F             C
And it's fare thee well and adieu,

      C         F
For I have won my mother's own curse

     C                  G7      C
In coming this night to you."

             C                  F
And as he's ridden o'er the high, high hill

        C                F       G7
And down yon dowy den,

C                          F                   C    F
And the rushing in the Clyde wa-ter

C                    G7             C
Took Willie's cane from him.

C                                 F
And he's leaned him over his saddle-bow

     C              F          C
To catch his cane again,

               C                      F
And the rushing in the Clyde water

         C           G7     C
Took Willie's hat from him.

           C                                    F
And he's leaned him o’er his saddle-bow

      C              F         G7
To catch his hat by force,

C                         F                   C    F
But the rushing in the Clyde wa-ter

C                G7            C
Took Willie from his horse.


C                          F
And the very hour that young man sank

C            F            C
Into the parts so deep,

C                     F
There up and awoke this May Margaret

C                    G7         C
Out from her drowsy sleep.

 C                                             F
"Come here, come here, my mother dear,

               C      F                 G7
And you read my dreary dream.

  C                    F               C        F
I dreamed my lover was at our gates

C                   G7        C
And nobody let him in."



C                                         F
"Lie down, lie down, you May Margaret,

C                     F               C
Lie down and take your rest.

      C                                   F
For since your lover was at our gates

      C    G7               C
It's but two quarters passed."

          C                       F
Then nimbly, nimbly rose she up,

        C                            F         G7
And went down to the river's brim,

              C          F             C     F
And the louder that this lady cried,

       C          G7           C
The louder grew the wind.


C                            F
And the very first step that she went in,

        C                 F         C
She stepped up to her feet,

                C                                F
And it's "oh" and "alas," this lady cried,

         C           G7        C
"The water's wondrous deep."

              C                              F
And the very next step that she went in,

           C         F         G7
She's waded to her knee.

          C         F                   C         F
Says she, "I would wade farther in

     C                  G7         C
If I my true love I could see."


              C                               F
And the very next step that she went in,

C                    F         C
She's waded to her chin.

                   C                        F
And in the deepest part of Clyde water

        C        G7          C
She found sweet William in.

                C                         F
Saying, " You have had a cruel mother, Willie,

       C          F     G7
And I have had another.

        C               F            C              F
And now we'll sleep in Clyde wa-ter

        C        G7          C
Like sister and like brother."