Intro 
Em  G  A  B7 
Em  G  A  B7  Em 

Verse 
                                    D 
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                  D 
Twa daughters were the bairns she bore 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                            D 
One was as bright as is the sun 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                              D 
Sae coal black grew the elder one 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                    D 
A knight came riding to the ladies' door 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                             D 
He travelled far to be their wooer 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                     D 
He courted one, aye, with gloves and rings 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                 D 
But he loved the other above all things 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Instrumental 
Em  G  A  B7  Em 

Verse 
                                    D 
"Sister, sister won't you walk with me 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                            D 
An' see the ships sail upon sea?" 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                D 
And as they stood on that windy shore 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                    D 
The elder sister pushed her younger o'er 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                    D 
Sometimes she sank or sometimes she swam 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                  D 
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand" 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                  D 
And there she floated just like a swan 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                              D 
The salt sea carried her body on 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Instrumental 
Em  G  A  B7 
Em  G  A  B7  Em 

Verse 
                                       D 
Two minstrels walking by the north sea strand 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                   D 
They saw the maiden, aye, float to land 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                   D 
They made a harp out of her breast bone 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                         D 
The sound of which would melt a heart of stone 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                    D 
They took three locks of her yellow hair 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                 D 
And wi' them strung that harp so rare 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Instrumental 
Em  G  A  B7     x3   
Em  G  A  B7  Em 

Verse 
                                      D 
The first string that those minstrels tried 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                    D 
Then terror seized the black-haired bride 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                   D 
The second string played a doleful sound 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                                D 
"The younger sister, oh, she is drowned" 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la 

Verse 
                                          D 
The third string, it played beneath their bow 
        Em 
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom 
                               D 
"And surely now her tears will flow" 
C                          Em 
Fa la la la la la la la la la