Clyde's Water

Canadian folk singer Jesse Ferguson performs traditional Scottish ballad "Clyde's Water" (Child 216). Chords and lyrics below. Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JesseFergusonMusic Jesse on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/jesse-ferguson/309436997 Jesse on YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCMzLFahwOsdv3v3tKPd_wYA Jesse on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5heCdUhXKjzSB4IepcHbJe Jesse on Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.com/Shanties-Whaling-Ballads-Jesse-Ferguson/dp/B09BCCMSGV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=%22sea+shanties%22+ferguson&qid=1628462445&s=music&sr=1-1 Jesse's Website: http://www.jessefergusonmusic.com Jesse's Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bardofcornwall Clyde Waters (traditional, arrang. J. Ferguson, June 2015) V1. D Willie stands at his stable door G A D combin’ his jet-black steed. D Thinking of fair Margaret’s love G A D and his heart began to bleed. V2. D G “Mother, fetch my hat and coat D A and help me tie them on. Bm G I’ll away to fair Margaret’s bower D A D before the night comes on.” V3. “Stay at home with me, dear Willie: tonight there comes a storm. I’ll lay the table handsomely, your bed be soft and warm.” V4. “Your table and your bed, dear Mother, they cannot bring me rest. I’ll away to fair Margaret’s bower before the night is past.” V5. “If you go to fair Margaret’s bower my curse will go with thee: in the deepest part of the Clyde water drowned you shall be.” V6. “The good steed that I ride upon cost me thrice thirty pounds. I’ll put my trust in his swift feet to take me safe and sound.” V7. So he’s rode over the high, high hills and down the dewey glen, and the rushing in the Clyde water would have feared 500 men. V8. “Roaring Clyde, you roar so loud. Your streams are wond’rous strong. Make me a wreck as I come back; spare me as I’m going.” V9. When he came to fair Margaret’s gate he’s called to her within: “Rise up, rise up, maid Margaret. Rise up and let me in.” V10. “Oh, who’s that stands at my garden gate calling maid Margaret’s name?” “It’s only your first love, sweet William, this night come to your home. V11. “Open the door, maid Margaret, open and let me in. My boots are full of the Clyde water. I’m shivering to the skin.” V12. “My stable is full of horses, Willie; my barns of full of hay. My bower is full of gentlemen— they’ll not remove till day.” V13. “Then fare thee well, maid Margaret, fare thee well, adieu! A curse my mother laid on me for coming this night to you.” V14. So he’s rode over the high, high hills and down the dewey glen, and the rushing in the Clyde water took Willie’s hat from him. V15. So he’s leaned over his saddle bold to take his hat again, and the rushing in the Clyde water took Willie’s coat from him. V16. So he’s leaned over his saddle bold to take his coat by force, and the rushing in the Clyde water took Willie from his horse. V17. The very hour that this young man sank down in the water deep, then up and arose maid Margaret out of her drowsy sleep. V18. “Come here, come here, my mother dear, I’ve dreamed a dreary dream: I dreamed my lover was at our door but nobody let him in.” V19. “Lie down, lie down, maid Margaret, your lover’s come and gone. The sport you would have made with him, I’ve played it for my own.” V20. Nimbly, nimbly got she up and down to the water’s brim, but the louder that this lady cried the louder blew the wind. V21. The very first step that Margaret took she’s waded to her feet. “Oh and alas,” this lady cries, “Your water’s wond’rous deep.” V22. The very next step that she’s went in she’s waded to her knee. Says she, “I would wade father in if I my true lover could see.” V23. The very last step that she went in she stepped up to her chin. In the deepest part of the Clyde water she found sweet William in V24. “You have had a cruel mother, Willie, I have had another, but tonight we lie in Clyde water like sister and like brother.”