First Whippoorwill, The

Written by Bill Monroe

Key of Bb · Chords: I IV V

Verse 1

Springtime is near my darling
You say that you are going away
   Bb    Bb   Bb Bb   Bb  F  Bb     Bb
My heart will be with you my darling
And I’m counting now the days

Chorus

I know that soon I’ll have to travel
I know I’m over the hill
  Eb      Eb           Bb           Bb
I feel so all alone my darling said she’d be gone
       Bb    F          Bb          Bb
When I heard that first whippoorwill

Verse 2

    Bb          Bb       Bb     F      Bb
The flowers are blooming little darling
With the budding of the trees
I hear the night birds a crying
I know that they are warning me

Verse 3

Our love was planted little darling
Just like the farmer plants his grain
But there will never be a harvest
On the hills the whippoorwills now sing