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Little Musgrave

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[Verse]
GIt fell upon a hColy-day
As Gmany in the year, 
GMusgrave to the Cchurch did go 
to Gsee fine Cladies Gthere 
[Verse]
GAnd some were dressed in Cvelvet red 
and Gsome in velvet pale 
And Gthen in came Lord CBarnard's wife, 
The Gfairest Camong them Gall. 
[Verse]
GShe cast an eye on CLittle Musgrave, 
full Gbright as the summer sun; 
Said Musgrave unto Chimself 
"This Glady's Cheart have I Gwon." 
[Verse]
GI have loved you Cfair laGdy 
for Glong and many's the day 
and GI have loved you Clittle MusgGrave 
though Gnever a Cword did Gsay 
[Verse]
G'I have a bower at CBucklesfordberry, 
GIt's me hearts delight 
GI'll take you back Cthere with me 
If you'll Glie in my Carms all Gnight.' 
[Verse]
But Gstanding by was a Clittle footpage, 
From the Glady's coach he ran. 
'GAlthough I am my Clady's page, 
I Gam Lord CBarnard's Gman. 
[Verse]
'Lord GBarnard shall Cknow of this, 
GWhether I sink or swim;' 
    G              c
And everywhere the bridges were broke, 
He'd Genter the wCater and Gswim. 
[Verse]
" GLord Barnard, my CLord BarGnard, 
you Gare a man of life, 
but GMusgrave he's at CBucklesfordGberry, 
GAsleep with your Cwedded Gwife.' 
[Verse]
G'If this be true, me lCittle footpage, 
This Gthing that you tell me, 
All the Ggold in CBucklesford Berry 
GGladly I'll gCive to tGhee. 
[Verse]
G'But if this be a lie, thou lCittle foot page, 
GThis thing that you tell me, 
From the Ghighest tree in CBucklesfordberry, 
GHanged you Cshall Gbe.' 
[Verse]
"Go Gsaddle me the Cblack he Gsaid 
go sGaddle me the grey 
and Gsound you not your hCorns," he Gsaid 
"Glest our coming Cyou Gbetray" 
[Verse]
GBut there was a man in CLord Barnard's train 
Who lGoved the little Musgrave 
and he Gblew his horn both lCoud and shrill 
G'Away, CMusgrave, Gaway.'
[Verse]
G'I think I hear the Cmorning cock, 
I tGhink I hear the jay; 
GI think I hear Lord CBarnard's men, 
And I Gwish I wCas aGway.' 
[Verse]
G'Lie still, lie still, thou CLittle Musgrave, 
And Ghug me from the cold;
'It's Gonly a Cshepherd's boy, 
A-bGringing his Cflock to fGold. 
[Verse]
'Is Gnot your hawk uCpon it's perch? 
Your sGteed eats oats and hay; 
And GYou've a lady iCn your arms, 
And Gyet you'd Cgo Gaway?' 
[Verse]
So he's Gturned around and he's Ckissed her twice 
and Gthen they fell asleep 
when tGhey awoke Lord CBarnard's Men 
were Gstanding Cat their Gfeet. 
[Verse]
G"How do you like me Cbed?" he sGaid, and 
G"How do you like me sheets?" 
"And Ghow do you like me Cfair laGdy , 
that Glies in you Carms Gasleep?" 
[Verse]
"It's Gwell I like your Cbed," he said 
G" and great it gives me pain, 
GI would gladly give a Chundred pounds 
to Gbe on yConder Gplain.' 
[Verse]
So Gslowly, so slowly Che got up
So Gslowly he put on
GSlowly Cdown the stairs
GThinking Cto be Gslain.
[Verse]
GRise up rise up,little CMusgGrave, 
Grise up and then put on;
It Gshall not be said in Cfair IrelGand 
that I Gslayed a Cnaked Gman. 
[Verse]
G'There are two swords Cdown at my side, 
Gand dear they cost my purse; 
GAnd you shall have the Cbest of them, 
And GI will tCake the Gworse.' 
[Verse]
GThe first rook that CMusgrave struck 
It Ghurt Lord Barnard sore; 
But the Gnext rook that Lord BCarnard struck, 
Little GMusgrave Cne'er struck Gmore. 
[Verse]
GThen up and Cspake the fair lady, 
Gfrom on her bed she lay.' 
'GAlthough you're dead, Little CMusgrave,
GStill for Cyou I"ll Gpray. 
[Verse]
G"How do you like his Ccheek?" he sGaid, and 
G"how do you like his chin? 
and Ghow do you like his Cdead bodGy, 
now Gthere's no lCife wGithin." 
[Verse]
G"It's well I like his cCheek" she said, 
"and Gmore I want his chin, 
It's Gmore I love his dCead body, than 
Gall your Ckith and Gkin." 
[Verse]
GHe's taken out his Clong,long sword, 
to Gstrike the mortal blow, 
and Gthrough, and through the lCady's heart 
the Gcold steel Cit did Ggo 
[Verse]
G'A grave, a grave,' Lord CBarnard cried, 
G'To put these lovers in; 
But Gput my lady on the Cupper half, 
For she Gcame from Cbetter Gkin.' 
[Verse]
G'For I've just killed the Cfinest knight 
That Gever rode a steed; 
And GI've just slain the fCairest lady 
That Gever did a Cwoman's Gdeed." 
[Verse]
GIt fell upon a Choly-day 
As mGany's in the year,
GMusgrave to the Cchurch did go
to Gsee fine Cladies tGhere

All chords in this song (2)

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Little Musgrave

by Christy Moore

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse]

G C

It fell upon a holy-day

As many in the year,

G C

Musgrave to the church did go

G C G

to see fine ladies there

[Verse]

G C

And some were dressed in velvet red

and some in velvet pale

G C

And then in came Lord Barnard's wife,

G C G

The fairest among them all.

[Verse]

G C

She cast an eye on Little Musgrave,

full bright as the summer sun;

Said Musgrave unto himself

G C G

"This lady's heart have I won."

[Verse]

G C G

I have loved you fair lady

for long and many's the day

G C G

and I have loved you little Musgrave

G C G

though never a word did say

[Verse]

G C

'I have a bower at Bucklesfordberry,

It's me hearts delight

G C

I'll take you back there with me

G C G

If you'll lie in my arms all night.'

[Verse]

G C

But standing by was a little footpage,

From the lady's coach he ran.

G C

'Although I am my lady's page,

G C G

I am Lord Barnard's man.

[Verse]

G C

'Lord Barnard shall know of this,

Whether I sink or swim;'

G c

And everywhere the bridges were broke,

G C G

He'd enter the water and swim.

[Verse]

G C G

" Lord Barnard, my Lord Barnard,

you are a man of life,

G C G

but Musgrave he's at Bucklesfordberry,

G C G

Asleep with your wedded wife.'

[Verse]

G C

'If this be true, me little footpage,

This thing that you tell me,

G C

All the gold in Bucklesford Berry

G C G

Gladly I'll give to thee.

[Verse]

G C

'But if this be a lie, thou little foot page,

This thing that you tell me,

G C

From the highest tree in Bucklesfordberry,

G C G

Hanged you shall be.'

[Verse]

G C G

"Go saddle me the black he said

go saddle me the grey

G C G

and sound you not your horns," he said

G C G

"lest our coming you betray"

[Verse]

G C

But there was a man in Lord Barnard's train

Who loved the little Musgrave

G C

and he blew his horn both loud and shrill

G C G

'Away, Musgrave, away.'

[Verse]

G C

'I think I hear the morning cock,

I think I hear the jay;

G C

I think I hear Lord Barnard's men,

G C G

And I wish I was away.'

[Verse]

G C

'Lie still, lie still, thou Little Musgrave,

And hug me from the cold;

G C

'It's only a shepherd's boy,

G C G

A-bringing his flock to fold.

[Verse]

G C

'Is not your hawk upon it's perch?

Your steed eats oats and hay;

G C

And You've a lady in your arms,

G C G

And yet you'd go away?'

[Verse]

G C

So he's turned around and he's kissed her twice

and then they fell asleep

G C

when they awoke Lord Barnard's Men

G C G

were standing at their feet.

[Verse]

G C G

"How do you like me bed?" he said, and

"How do you like me sheets?"

G C G

"And how do you like me fair lady ,

G C G

that lies in you arms asleep?"

[Verse]

G C

"It's well I like your bed," he said

" and great it gives me pain,

G C

I would gladly give a hundred pounds

G C G

to be on yonder plain.'

[Verse]

G C

So slowly, so slowly he got up

So slowly he put on

G C

Slowly down the stairs

G C G

Thinking to be slain.

[Verse]

G C G

Rise up rise up,little Musgrave,

rise up and then put on;

G C G

It shall not be said in fair Ireland

G C G

that I slayed a naked man.

[Verse]

G C

'There are two swords down at my side,

and dear they cost my purse;

G C

And you shall have the best of them,

G C G

And I will take the worse.'

[Verse]

G C

The first rook that Musgrave struck

It hurt Lord Barnard sore;

G C

But the next rook that Lord Barnard struck,

G C G

Little Musgrave ne'er struck more.

[Verse]

G C

Then up and spake the fair lady,

from on her bed she lay.'

G C

'Although you're dead, Little Musgrave,

G C G

Still for you I"ll pray.

[Verse]

G C G

"How do you like his cheek?" he said, and

"how do you like his chin?

G C G

and how do you like his dead body,

G C G

now there's no life within."

[Verse]

G C

"It's well I like his cheek" she said,

"and more I want his chin,

G C

It's more I love his dead body, than

G C G

all your kith and kin."

[Verse]

G C

He's taken out his long,long sword,

to strike the mortal blow,

G C

and through, and through the lady's heart

G C G

the cold steel it did go

[Verse]

G C

'A grave, a grave,' Lord Barnard cried,

'To put these lovers in;

G C

But put my lady on the upper half,

G C G

For she came from better kin.'

[Verse]

G C

'For I've just killed the finest knight

That ever rode a steed;

G C

And I've just slain the fairest lady

G C G

That ever did a woman's deed."

[Verse]

G C

It fell upon a holy-day

As many's in the year,

G C

Musgrave to the church did go

G C G

to see fine ladies there

About Little Musgrave Chords by Christy Moore

Learn how to play Little Musgrave by Christy Moore with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Little Musgrave chords”, “Little Musgrave guitar chords”, or “Christy Moore Little Musgrave chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Little Musgrave chords and for experienced players who want accurate Little Musgrave lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, A.

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