HOUSE CARPENTER (traditional arr. Natalie Merchant on "The House Carpenter's Daughter)
Tabbed by Izzylou
Capo 3 Banjo intro: (play G)
(still banjo)
G Cadd6
"well met, well met
G
and I know true love
Cadd6
well met, well met", said he
F* (* see note)
"I'm just returning
from the salt, salt sea
G
and it's all for the love of thee"
G Cadd6
"come in, come in
G
my own true love
G Cadd6
and have a seat with me
F
it's been three-fourths
of a long, long year
G (Begin strumming)
since together we have been"
G Cadd6
"no I can't come in
G
and I can't sit down
Cadd6 G
for I have but a moment's time
F
they say that you're married
to a house carpenter
G (rest of the band comes in)
and your heart shall never be mine"
G Cadd6
"well I could have married
G
a king's daughter fair
Cadd6 G
she would have mar-ried me
F
but I forsaked upon
her crowns of gold
G (Fiddle comes in)
and it's all for the love of thee"
G Cadd6
"now will you forsake on
G
your house carpenter
Cadd6 G
and go along with me?
F
I'll take you where
The grass grows green
G
On the banks of the bitter reeds"
Break/Fiddle Solo: G, Cadd6 G Cadd6 G F G
G Cadd6 G
She pick'd up her wee little babe
Cadd6 G
And kisses gave it three saying,
F
"stay right here my darling little one
G
keep your papa company"
Break/Fiddle Solo: (Like the first) G, Cadd6 G Cadd6 G F G
G Cadd6
Now they had not been
G
On the ship two weeks
Cadd6 G
I swear it was not three
F
When his true love began
To weep and moan
G
And she wept most bitterly
G Cadd6
"now are you weeping
G
for my silver and gold
Cadd6 G F
are you weeping for my store or are
you weeping for that house carpenter
G
that you ne'er shall see no more?"
G Cadd6
a curse, a curse
G
on the sailor she cried
Cadd6 G
a curse, a curse she swore
F
"you robbed me of my sweet little babe
G
that I ne'er shall see no more!"
Break/Fiddle Solo: G, Cadd6 G Cadd6 G F G
(Slower)
G Cadd6
well, they had not been
G
on the ship three weeks
Cadd6 G
I swear it was not four
F
Until there came a leak in the ship
G end.
And she sank to rise no more...
* The guitar during this section does little variations. I suggest if playing by yourself play:
Fadd9 F Fmaj7 F Fadd9 F Famj7 G
Xx 32 13 3211 3210 3211
EADGBe
To give it a more complete and richer sound.
Cadd6 x3203
