| C | G7 | C | |
| ' | Twas in the mer | ry month of | May, |
| F | G7 | |
| When green buds | all were swe | llin', |
| F | C | Am | |
| Sweet W | illiam on his d | eath bed l | ay, |
| C | G7 | C | |
| For the | love of Ba | rbara Al | len. |
| He sent his servant to the town, |
| To the place where she was dwellin', |
| Sayin', "You must come to my master dear, |
| If your name be Barb'ry Allen. |
| So, slowly, slowly she got up, |
| And slowly she drew nigh him, |
| And the only words to him did say, |
| "Young man I think you're dyin'." |
| He turned his face unto the wall, |
| And death was in him wellin', |
| "Goodbye, goodbye to my friends all, |
| Be good to Barb'ry Allen." |
| When he was dead and laid in grave, |
| She heard the death bells knellin', |
| And every stroke to her did say: |
| "Hard-hearted Barb'ry Allen." |
| "Oh mother, oh mother, go dig my grave, |
| Make it both long and narrow, |
| Sweet William died of love for me, |
| And I will die of sorrow." |
| "And father, oh father, go dig my grave, |
| Make it both long and narrow, |
| Sweet William died on yesterday, |
| And I will die tomorrow." |
| Barb'ry Allen was buried in the old church yard, |
| Sweet William was buried beside her; |
| Out of William's heart, there grew a rose, |
| Out of Barb'ry Allen's a briar. |
| They grew and grew in the old church yard, |
| 'Til they could grow no higher; |
| At the end they formed a true lovers' knot, |
| And the rose grew 'round the briar. |
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