Songbook/Greensleeves

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Greensleeves

"My Lady Greensleeves" von Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1864

Greensleeves is an old English folk song that has been quoted in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602). This quote indicates that the song was very well known before (mid to late 16th century). The name of the Lady Greensleeves probably refers to the green puff sleeves that were fashionable in Northern England at the time.

Greensleeves

Strophe1

A- Am las, my C love, you G do me Em wrong,

To Am cast me off dis- E courteously.

For Am I have C loved you G well and Em long,

De- Am lighting E in your Am company.

Chorus

C Greensleeves was G all my Em joy

Am Greensleeves was E my delight,

C Greensleeves was my G heart of Em gold,

And Am who but my E lady Am, greensleeves.

2.

A- Am las, my C love, that G you should Em own

A Am heart of wanton E vanity,

So Am must I C medi- G tate a- Em lone

Up- Am on your E insin- Am cerity.

3.

Your Am vows you've C broken, G like my Em heart,

Oh, Am why did you so en- E rapture me?

Now Am I re- C main in a G world a- Em part

But Am my heart re- E mains in cap- Am tivity.

4.

If Am you in- C tend thus G to dis- Em dain,

It Am does the more en- E rapture me,

And Am even C so, I G still re- Em main

A Am lover E in cap- Am tivity.

5.

I've Am been C ready G at your Em hand,

To Am grant whatever E you would crave;,

I Am have both C wagered G life and Em land,

Your Am love and E good-will Am for to have.

6.

Thou Am couldst de- C sire no G earthly Em thing,

But Am still thou hadst it E readily.

Thy Am music C still to G play and Em sing;

And Am yet thou E wouldst not Am love me.

7.

Am I bought thee C kerchiefs G for thy Em head,

That Am were wrought fine and E gallantly;

I Am kept thee C at both G board and Em bed,

Am Which cost my E purse well- Am favoredly.

8.

Am I bought thee C petticoats G of the Em best,

The Am cloth so fine as E it might be;

Am I gave thee C jewels G for thy Em chest,

And Am all this E cost I Am spent on thee.

9.

Thy Am smock of C silk, both G fair and Em white,

With Am gold embroidered E gorgeously;

Thy Am petti- C coat of G sendal Em right,

And Am these I E bought thee Am gladly.

10.

My Am men were C clothed G all in Em green,

And Am they did ever E wait on thee;

All Am this was C gallant G to be Em seen,

And Am yet thou E wouldst not Am love me.

11.

They Am set thee C up, they G took thee Em down,

They Am served thee with hu- E mility;

Thy Am foot might C not once G touch the Em ground,

And Am yet thou E wouldst not Am love me.

12.

'Tis Am I will C pray to G God on Em high,

That Am thou my constancy E mayst see,

And Am that yet C once be- G fore I Em die,

Thou Am wilt vouch E safe to Am love me.

13.

Ah, Am Greens- C leeves, now G farewell, Em adieu,

To Am God I pray to E prosper thee,

For Am I am C still thy G lover Em true,

Come Am once a- E gain and Am love me.

Transcription

There are many variations of this song, including quite simple ones as a solo piece for the guitar. The chords in this version are based on a simple arrangement for the classical guitar. If the piece is too high (or too low), use a capo in the 5th fret. This would transpose the piece into D minor, and it may be easier to sing.

Am = Dm; C = F; D = G; F = Bb; E = A

Those who shy away from the Bb major can also transpose the piece to Em. This would correspond to a capo in the 7th fret.

Am = Em; C = G; D = A; F = C; E = H7