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Fair Ellender

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Gmajor

90BPM

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FAIR ELLENDER
GFather, oh father, come Criddle to Gme
DCome Griddle it all as Done
And Gtell me whether to Cmarry fair GEllen
Or Gbring the Cbrown girl Ghome
The brown girl she has house and land
Fair Ellender she has none
And there I charge you with the blessing
To bring the brown girl home
He got on his horse and he rode and he rode
He rode 'til he came to her home
And no one as ready as fair Ellen herself
To rise and bid him in
What news have you brought unto me, Lord Thomas?
What news have you brought unto me?
I've come to invite you to my wedding
A sorrowful wedding to be
Mother, oh mother, would you go or stay?
Fair child do as you please
I'm afraid if you go, you'll never return
To see your dear mother any more
She turned around all dressed in white
Her sisters dressed in green
And every town that she rode through
Took her to be some queen
They rode and they rode 'til they came to the hall
She pulled on the bell and it rang
And no one so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and welcome her in
He taking her by her lily white hand
And leading her through the hall
Saying, "Fifty gay ladies are here today
But here is the flower of all"
The brown girl she was standing by
With knife ground keen and sharp
Between the long ribs and the short
She pierced fair Ellender's heart
Lord Thomas he was standing by
With knife ground keen and sharp
Between the long ribs and the short
He pierced his own bride's heart
By placing the handle against the wall
The point against his breast
Saying, "This is the end of three true lovers
God send us all to rest"
Father, oh father, go dig my grave
Go dig it wide and deep
And place fair Ellender in my arms
The brown girl at my feet

All chords in this song (3)

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Fair Ellender

by Jerry Garcia

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

FAIR ELLENDER

G C G

Father, oh father, come riddle to me

D G D

Come riddle it all as one

G C G

And tell me whether to marry fair Ellen

G C G

Or bring the brown girl home

The brown girl she has house and land

Fair Ellender she has none

And there I charge you with the blessing

To bring the brown girl home

He got on his horse and he rode and he rode

He rode 'til he came to her home

And no one as ready as fair Ellen herself

To rise and bid him in

What news have you brought unto me, Lord Thomas?

What news have you brought unto me?

I've come to invite you to my wedding

A sorrowful wedding to be

Mother, oh mother, would you go or stay?

Fair child do as you please

I'm afraid if you go, you'll never return

To see your dear mother any more

She turned around all dressed in white

Her sisters dressed in green

And every town that she rode through

Took her to be some queen

They rode and they rode 'til they came to the hall

She pulled on the bell and it rang

And no one so ready as Lord Thomas himself

To rise and welcome her in

He taking her by her lily white hand

And leading her through the hall

Saying, "Fifty gay ladies are here today

But here is the flower of all"

The brown girl she was standing by

With knife ground keen and sharp

Between the long ribs and the short

She pierced fair Ellender's heart

Lord Thomas he was standing by

With knife ground keen and sharp

Between the long ribs and the short

He pierced his own bride's heart

By placing the handle against the wall

The point against his breast

Saying, "This is the end of three true lovers

God send us all to rest"

Father, oh father, go dig my grave

Go dig it wide and deep

And place fair Ellender in my arms

The brown girl at my feet

About Fair Ellender Chords by Jerry Garcia

Learn how to play Fair Ellender by Jerry Garcia with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Fair Ellender chords”, “Fair Ellender guitar chords”, or “Jerry Garcia Fair Ellender 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 Fair Ellender chords and for experienced players who want accurate Fair Ellender lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, A.

FAQ — Fair Ellender by Jerry Garcia

How do I play "Fair Ellender" by Jerry Garcia on guitar?

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Are the chords for "Fair Ellender" by Jerry Garcia free?

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Can I transpose "Fair Ellender" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Fair Ellender" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Fair Ellender"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Fair Ellender" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Fair Ellender" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Fair Ellender" by Jerry Garcia with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Jerry Garcia below.

What key is "Fair Ellender" in?

The chords for "Fair Ellender" show the original chord names (including G, C, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.