HOUSE CARPENTER (traditional arr. Natalie Merchant on "The House Carpenter's Daughter)
Capo 3 Banjo intro: (play G)
(still banjo)
Cadd6
"well met, well met
and I know true love
Cadd6
well met, well met", said he
F* (* see note)
"I'm just returning
from the salt, salt sea
and it's all for the love of thee"
Cadd6
"come in, come in
my own true love
Cadd6
and have a seat with me
it's been three-fourths
of a long, long year
G (Begin strumming)
since together we have been"
Cadd6
"no I can't come in
and I can't sit down
Cadd6
for I have but a moment's time
they say that you're married
to a house carpenter
G (rest of the band comes in)
and your heart shall never be mine"
Cadd6
"well I could have married
a king's daughter fair
Cadd6
she would have mar-ried me
but I forsaked upon
her crowns of gold
G (Fiddle comes in)
and it's all for the love of thee"
Cadd6
"now will you forsake on
your house carpenter
Cadd6
and go along with me?
I'll take you where
The grass grows green
On the banks of the bitter reeds"
Break/Fiddle Solo: , Cadd6 Cadd6
Cadd6
She pick'd up her wee little babe
Cadd6
And kisses gave it three saying,
"stay right here my darling little one
keep your papa company"
Break/Fiddle Solo: (Like the first) G, Cadd6 G Cadd6 G F G
Cadd6
Now they had not been
On the ship two weeks
Cadd6
I swear it was not three
When his true love began
To weep and moan
And she wept most bitterly
Cadd6
"now are you weeping
for my silver and gold
Cadd6
are you weeping for my store or are
you weeping for that house carpenter
that you ne'er shall see no more?"
Cadd6
curse, curse
on the sailor she cried
Cadd6
a curse, a curse she swore
"you robbed me of my sweet little babe
that I ne'er shall see no more!"
Break/Fiddle Solo: , Cadd6 Cadd6
(Slower)
Cadd6
well, they had not been
on the ship three weeks
Cadd6
I swear it was not four
Until there came a leak in the ship
end.
And she sank to rise no more...
* The guitar during this section does little variations. I suggest if playing by yourself play:
Famj7
Xx 32 13 3211 3210 3211
EADGBe
To give it a more complete and richer sound.
Cadd6 x3203