Liam Clancy

The Nightingale

Liam Clancy


Tom: C

[INTRO:]  C    G  C      G    C     G  C  F  G  C

[VERSE 1:]
                         G        C
As I was a-walking and a-rambling one day
                                      G
I spied a young couple, so fondly did stray
              C                           G
And one was a young maid, so sweet and so fair
        C               F             G          C
And the other one was a soldier and a brave grenadier


[CHORUS:]
                           F                  G             C
And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other
                                                    G
They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother
          C                                             G
They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream
         C               F                         G           C
And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing


[VERSE 2:]
                            G           C
Then out of his knapsack he drew a fine fiddle
                                                     G
And he played her such merry tunes that you ever did hear
       C                                                G
And he played her such a merry tune that the valley did ring
     C                  F                   G           C
"Ah, softly", cried the fair maid, hear the nightingale sing


[CHORUS:]
                           F                  G             C
And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other
                                                    G
They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother
          C                                             G
They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream
         C               F                         G           C
And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing


[VERSE 3:]
                              G          C
Oh well, I'm off to India for seven long years
                                                 G
Drinking wine and strong whiskey instead of pale beers
       C                                      G
And if ever I return again, it will be in the spring
          C               F                         G           C
And we'll both sit down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing


[CHORUS:]
                           F                  G             C
And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other
                                                    G
They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother
          C                                             G
They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream
         C               F                         G           C
And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing


[VERSE 4:]
                                 G         C
"Now," says the fair maid, "will you marry me"
                                             G
"Oh no," says the soldier, "however can that be?"
     C                                        G
"For I've me own wife at home in me own countery
         C   N.C.          (F)                   (G)       C
And sure she is the fairest little thing that you ever did see"


[CHORUS:]
                           F                  G             C
And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other
                                                    G
They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother
          C                                             G
They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream
         C               F                         G           C
And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing

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