Shady Grove

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

The transcriber of this left no name on ultimateguitar.com, but did leave these notes:  "The chords in () are optional to "spice up" the melody if the continual Dm gets boring to you play in a 2/4 upbeat rhythm, remember this is a dancin' tune."  There is a full transcription of the Tony Rice-Peter Rowan version from the album "Quarter" is in the June 2007 issue of Acoustic Guitar.

 

Dm             (C)         Dm     (C)    Dm

Peaches in the summertime, apples in the fall,

C                               Am                 Dm

If I can't get the girl I love, won't have none at all.

 

CHORUS 1:

Dm           (C)           Dm    (C)      Dm

Shady grove, my true love, Shady grove, I know,

C                              Am                  Dm

Shady grove, my true love, I'm bound for the shady grove.

 

Once I was a little boy, playin' in the sand,

Now I am a great big boy, I think myself a man,

 

CHORUS 1:

 

When I was a little boy, I wanted a whittlin' knife;

Now I am a great big boy and I want a little wife.

[alt:  When I was a little boy, then my mama told me

That if I never kissed a girl, my lips would grow all moldy.]

 

CHORUS 1:

 

Wish I had a banjo string, made of golden twine,

And every tune I'd pick on it is "I wish that girl were mine."

 

CHORUS 1:

 

Wish I had a needle and thread fine as I could sew.

I'd sew that pretty girl to my side and down the road I'd go.

 

CHORUS 1:

 


Some come here to fiddle and dance, some come here to tarry,

Some come here to fiddle and dance, I come here to marry.

 

CHORUS 1:

 

Every night when I go home, my wife, I try to please her,

The more I try, the worse she gets, damned if I don't leave her.

 

CHORUS 2:

Shady grove, my little love; shady grove, my darlin';

Shady grove, my little love, I'm going back to Harlan.

 

Fly around, my blue-eyed girl, fly around, my daisy,

Fly around, my blue-eyed girl, nearly drive me crazy.

 

CHORUS 2:

 

The very next time I go that road and it don't look so dark and grazy.

The very next time I come that road, I'll stop and see my daisy.

 

CHORUS 2:

 





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