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Thomas The Rhymer

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AmTrue Thomas lay on EHuntlie bank,
AmA ferlie he spied wEi' his e'e,
AmAnd there he saw a lady Ebright
AmCome riding down by the EmEildon AmTree.
AmHer skirt was o' thEe grass-green silk,
AmHer mantle o' the vEelvet fyne.
AmAt ilka tett o' her Ehorse's mane
AmHung fifty siller bEells and nine.
AmTrue Thomas he pullE's aff his cap
AmAnd louted low down Eto his knee:
Am“All hail, thou migEhty Queen o' Heaven!
AmFor thy peer on earEth I never did Amsee.”
Am“O no, o no, ThomasE,” she said,
Am“That name does not Ebelong to me;
AmI am but the queen Eof fair Elfland
AmThat am hither come Eto visit Amthee.”
Am“Harp and carp, ThoEmas,” she said,
Am“Harp and carp alonEg wi' me.
AmAnd if ye dare to kEiss my lips,
AmSure of your body I Ewill Ambe.”
Am“Betide me weal, beEtide me woe,
AmThat weird shall neEver daunton me.”
AmSyne he has kissed Eher rosy lips
AmAll underneath the EEildon AmTree.
Am“Now ye maun gang wEi' me,” she said,
Am“True Thomas, ye maEun gang wi' me.
AmAnd ye maun serve mEe seven years
AmThro' weal and woe, Eas may chance tAmo be.”
AmShe mounted on her Emilk-white steed,
AmShe's ta'en True ThEomas up behind.
AmAnd aye whene'er heEr bridle rung
AmThe steed flew fastEer than the Amwind.
AmO they rode on and Efarther on,
AmThe steed gaed swifEter than the wind,
AmUntil they reached Ea desert wide
AmAnd living land was Eleft bAmehind.
Am“Light down, light Edown now, True Thomas
AmAnd lean your head Eupon my knee,
AmAbide and rest a liEttle space
AmAnd I will show you EferlieAms three.
Am“O see ye not yon nEarrow road
AmSo thick beset with Ethorns and briars?
AmThat is the path of Erighteousness,
AmTho' after it but fEew enqAmuires.
Am“And see ye not thaEt braid, braid road
AmThat lies across thEat lily leven?
AmThat is the path of Ewickedness,
AmTho' some ca' it thEe road to Amheaven.
Am“And see ye not thaEt bonny road
AmThat winds about thEe fernie brae?
AmThat is the road to Efair Elfland
AmWhere thou and I thEis night mauAmn gae.
Am“But, Thomas, ye maEun hold your tongue
AmWhatever ye may heaEr or see.
AmFor if you speak woErd in Elfyn land
AmYe'll ne'er get bacEk to your ain couAmntrie.”
AmSyne they came on tEo a garden green,
AmAnd she pu'd an appEle frae a tree:
Am“Take this for thy Ewages, True Thomas
AmIt will gi' ye the Etongue that can neveAmr lie.”
Am“My tongue is mine Eain,” True Thomas said,
Am“A guidly gift ye wEad gie to me!
AmI neither dought to Ebuy or sell,
AmAt fair or tryst whEere I maAmy be.
Am“I dought neither sEpeak to prince or peer
AmNor ask of grace frEom fair ladye.”
Am“Now hold thy peaceE,”, the lady said,
Am“For as I say, so mEust it Ambe.”
AmHe has gotten a coaEt of the even cloth
AmAnd a pair of shune Eof velvet green,
AmAnd till seven yearEs were gane and past
AmTrue Thomas on eartEh was never Amseen.

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Thomas The Rhymer

by Ewan MacColl

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Am E

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank,

Am E

A ferlie he spied wi' his e'e,

Am E

And there he saw a lady bright

Am Em Am

Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.

Am E

Her skirt was o' the grass-green silk,

Am E

Her mantle o' the velvet fyne.

Am E

At ilka tett o' her horse's mane

Am E

Hung fifty siller bells and nine.

Am E

True Thomas he pull's aff his cap

Am E

And louted low down to his knee:

Am E

“All hail, thou mighty Queen o' Heaven!

Am E Am

For thy peer on earth I never did see.”

Am E

“O no, o no, Thomas,” she said,

Am E

“That name does not belong to me;

Am E

I am but the queen of fair Elfland

Am E Am

That am hither come to visit thee.”

Am E

“Harp and carp, Thomas,” she said,

Am E

“Harp and carp along wi' me.

Am E

And if ye dare to kiss my lips,

Am E Am

Sure of your body I will be.”

Am E

“Betide me weal, betide me woe,

Am E

That weird shall never daunton me.”

Am E

Syne he has kissed her rosy lips

Am E Am

All underneath the Eildon Tree.

Am E

“Now ye maun gang wi' me,” she said,

Am E

“True Thomas, ye maun gang wi' me.

Am E

And ye maun serve me seven years

Am E Am

Thro' weal and woe, as may chance to be.”

Am E

She mounted on her milk-white steed,

Am E

She's ta'en True Thomas up behind.

Am E

And aye whene'er her bridle rung

Am E Am

The steed flew faster than the wind.

Am E

O they rode on and farther on,

Am E

The steed gaed swifter than the wind,

Am E

Until they reached a desert wide

Am E Am

And living land was left behind.

Am E

“Light down, light down now, True Thomas

Am E

And lean your head upon my knee,

Am E

Abide and rest a little space

Am E Am

And I will show you ferlies three.

Am E

“O see ye not yon narrow road

Am E

So thick beset with thorns and briars?

Am E

That is the path of righteousness,

Am E Am

Tho' after it but few enquires.

Am E

“And see ye not that braid, braid road

Am E

That lies across that lily leven?

Am E

That is the path of wickedness,

Am E Am

Tho' some ca' it the road to heaven.

Am E

“And see ye not that bonny road

Am E

That winds about the fernie brae?

Am E

That is the road to fair Elfland

Am E Am

Where thou and I this night maun gae.

Am E

“But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue

Am E

Whatever ye may hear or see.

Am E

For if you speak word in Elfyn land

Am E Am

Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie.”

Am E

Syne they came on to a garden green,

Am E

And she pu'd an apple frae a tree:

Am E

“Take this for thy wages, True Thomas

Am E Am

It will gi' ye the tongue that can never lie.”

Am E

“My tongue is mine ain,” True Thomas said,

Am E

“A guidly gift ye wad gie to me!

Am E

I neither dought to buy or sell,

Am E Am

At fair or tryst where I may be.

Am E

“I dought neither speak to prince or peer

Am E

Nor ask of grace from fair ladye.”

Am E

“Now hold thy peace,”, the lady said,

Am E Am

“For as I say, so must it be.”

Am E

He has gotten a coat of the even cloth

Am E

And a pair of shune of velvet green,

Am E

And till seven years were gane and past

Am E Am

True Thomas on earth was never seen.

About Thomas The Rhymer Chords by Ewan MacColl

Learn how to play Thomas The Rhymer by Ewan MacColl with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Thomas The Rhymer chords”, “Thomas The Rhymer guitar chords”, or “Ewan MacColl Thomas The Rhymer 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 Thomas The Rhymer chords and for experienced players who want accurate Thomas The Rhymer lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, E, A, Em.

FAQ — Thomas The Rhymer by Ewan MacColl

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What key is "Thomas The Rhymer" in?

The chords for "Thomas The Rhymer" show the original chord names (including Am, E, A, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.