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House Carpenter Tab

by Nickel Creek


This gives a little variation if you're doing this solo acoustic.

House Carpenter
Traditional, Arr. Sara Watkins / Alison Krauss.
Capo 2

[] "Well met, well [] met, said an [] old true love.
"Well met, well [] met, said [] he.
"I have [] just returned from the [] salt, salt [] sea.
"And it's [] all for the [] love of [] thee." 

[] Come in, come [] in, my [] own true love,
And have a [] seat by [] me.
It's [] been three-fourths of a [] long, long [] year,
Since [] together, [] we have [] been.

[] "I can't come [] in and I [] can't sit down,
"For I've only a [] moment's [] time.
"They [] say you're married to a [] house carpenter,
"And your [] heart will [] never be [] mine.

[Em] "I could have [D] married a [Em] King's daughter, fair,
"And she would have [D] married [Em] me,
"But [C] I have forsaken her [D] crowns of [Bm] gold,
"And it's [C] all for the [D] love of [Em] thee."

[Em] "Now you [D] forsake your [Em] house carpenter,
"And go [D] along with [Em] me.
"I'll [C] take you where the [D] grass grows [Bm] green.
"On the [C] banks of the [D] deep blue [Em] sea."

[Em] Then she picked [D] up a [Em] darlin' little babe,
And kisses, she [D] gave it [Em] three.
Saying [C] "Stay right here, my [D] darlin' little [Bm] babe,
"And [C] keep your pappa [D] company [Em]."

[Em] They had not [D] been on the [Em] ship two weeks,
I'm sure it [D] was not [Em] three,
Till his [C] true love began to [D] weep and to [Bm] mourn,
And [C] she wept most [D] bitterly [Em].

[Em] Sayin': "Are you [D] weepin' for my [Em] silver and my gold."
Sayin': "Are you [D] weepin' for my [Em] store?
"Or [C] are you weepin' for your [D] house [Bm] carpenter,
"Whose [C] face you'll never [D] see no [Em] more?"

[Em] "A curse, a [D] curse to the [Em] sailor," she cried.
"A curse, a [D] curse," she [Em] swore.
"You [C] robbed me of my [D] darlin' little [Bm] babe,
"That [C] I shall never [D] see no [Em] more."

[Em] They had not [D] been on the [Em] ship three weeks,
I'm sure it [D] was not [Em] four,
When there [C] came a leak in the [D] bottom of the [Bm] ship,
And [C] sank them for to [D] rise no [Em] more.