[Verso 1]

       Bm                  A 
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
       Bm               A 
Two daughters were the babes she bore 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 2]

   Bm              A 
As one grew bright as is the sun 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
    Bm                 A 
So coal black grew the elder one 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 3]

    Bm                      A 
A knight came riding to the lady's door 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
      Bm              A 
He'd travelled far to be their wooer 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 4]

    Bm               A 
He courted one with gloves and rings 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
       Bm               A 
But he loved the other above all things 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 5]
 
     Bm              A 
"Oh sister, will you go with me" 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm                  A 
"To watch the ships sail on the sea?" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 

 
[Verso 6]

     Bm             A 
She took her sister by the hand 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
    Bm                   A 
And led her down to the North Sea strand 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 7]

    Bm                    A 
And as they stood on the windy shore 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm                  A 
The dark girl threw her sister o'er 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 8]

     Bm                  A 
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
          Bm              A 
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand!" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


[Verso 9]

     Bm              A 
"Oh sister, sister, let me live" 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm                    A 
"And all that's mine I'll surely give" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


      Bm                       A 
"Your own true love that I'll have and more" 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
      Bm               A 
"But thou shalt never come ashore" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 

 
     Bm                A 
And there she floated like a swan 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm               A 
The salt sea bore her body on 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


     Bm                A 
Two minstrels walked along the strand 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
    Bm               A 
And saw the maiden float to land 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


      Bm             A 
They made a harp of her breastbone 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
       Bm                 A 
Whose sound would melt a heart of stone 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


      Bm                      A 
They took three locks of her golden hair 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm                 A 
And with them strung a harp so rare 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


      Bm            A 
They went into her father's hall 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
    Bm              A 
To play the harp before them all 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 

 
    Bm              A 
But as they laid it on a stone 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
    Bm             A 
The harp began to play alone 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 

 
     Bm                  A 
The first string sang a doleful sound 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
       Bm               A 
"The bride her younger sister drowned" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 


    Bm            A 
The second string as they tried 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm               A 
"In terror sits the black-haired bride" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da 

 
     Bm                  A 
The third string sang beneath their bow 
        D                   Bm 
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom 
     Bm              A 
"And surely now her tears will flow" 
G                                Bm 
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da