Matty Groves

Traditional

Key of C · Chords: I IV vi

Verse 1

Was on the high high holy day
The very best day in the year
             Am
Little Matty Groves had gone to church
     F         C
Holy words for to hear
     F         C
Holy words for to hear

Verse 2

The first to come down was dressed in red
And the second one dressed in green
                  Am
The third to come down was Lord Daniel’s wife
   F       C
As fair as any queen
     F          C
Just as fair as any queen

Verse 3

     Am           C
Then Matty Groves says to one of his men
See the fair one dressed in white
         Am
Although she is Lord Daniel’s wife
     F       C
I’ll be with her tonight
     F       C
I’ll be with her tonight

Verse 4

Well the little foot page was standing by
And heard every word that was said
             Am
He says Lord Daniel shall know tonight
       F    C
Before I go to bed
       F    C
Before I go to bed

Verse 5

He had 15 miles for to go that night
And 10 of them he run
He run til he come to the broke down bridge
     F              C
Then he bent to his breast and swum
   F                  C
He bent to his breast and swum

Verse 6

   Am                  C
He swum til he come to where the grass was green
   F                C
He took to his feet and he run
He run til he come to Lord Daniel’s Gate
     F                           C
Then he rattled at the bells and they rung
   F                        C
He rattled at the bells and they rung

Verse 7

What news What news Lord Daniel says
What news to me have you brung
             Am
Little Matty Groves is in the bed with your wife
    F                      C
And their hearts both beat as one
    F                      C
And their hearts both beat as one

Verse 8

    Am           C
Now if the truth you’ve told to me
A rich man you shall be
         Am
But if a lie you’ve told to me
     F        C
I’ll hang you to a tree
     F        C
I’ll hang you to a tree

Verse 9

He gathered him up about 50 good men
He done it with a free good will
Then he popped his bugle unto his lips
    F                 C
And he blowed it loud and shrill
   F              C
He blowed it loud and shrill

Verse 10

    Am            C
I’d better get up said little Matty Groves
I’d better get up and go
            Am
I know your husband is a coming home
    F           C
For I heard his bugle blow
  F         C
I heard his bugle blow

Verse 11

    Am       C
Lay down lay down my precious one
Lay down and go to sleep
It’s only my father’s shepherd’s horn
    F                  C
And he’s a calling for his sheep
     F             C
He’s a calling for his sheep

Verse 12

So they laid down together again
And they soon were fast asleep
              Am
And when they awoke it was broad daylight
     F         C
Lord Daniel at their feet
     F         C
Lord Daniel at their feet

Verse 13

Get up from there your naked man
And put you on some clothes
        Am
I never intend for to have it said
     F       C
That a naked man I slow
     F       C
That a naked man I slow

Verse 14

   Am               C
Oh give me a chance said little Matty Groves
A chance to fight for my life
          Am
For there you have two very fine swords
    F              C
And me not as much as a knife
    F              C
And me not as much as a knife

Verse 15

Oh yes I have two very fine swords
And they cost me deep in the purse
You may have the finest one
    F           C
And I will take the worst
    F           C
Yes I will take the worst

Verse 16

     Am           C
Then Matty Groves struck the very first lick
And he wounded Lord Daniel sore
Lord Daniel struck the very next lick
    F                        C
And he drove Matty Groves to the floor
   F                     C
He drove Matty Groves to the floor

Verse 17

     Am       C
Then he taken his lady by the hand
And he sat her on his knee
                Am
And he says Now which do you love the best
       F            C
Little Matty Groves or me
       F            C
Little Matty Groves or me

Verse 18

     Am     C
Very well I like your rosy cheeks
Very well I like your chin
             Am
But better I love little Matty Groves
     F              C
Than you and all of your kin
     F              C
Than you and all of your kin

Verse 19

    Am                  C
You can dig my grave on a pretty green hill
Dig it wide and deep
               Am
And put little Matty Groves in my arms
     F         C
Lord Daniel at my feet
     F         C
Lord Daniel at my feet