Under the Willow She's Sleeping

This is a sad song of a mother weeping over the grave of her child, a common sight in view of the high rate of infant deaths at this time. Stephen Foster published this song in 1860. Background music is in the key of D

Value T-Shirt with harmonica logo

 5  5   5  -5   5   -5     6   7     6
Un-der the wil-low she's laid with care,

   5  5   5    5  -4   4     5  -4
(Sang a lone moth-er while weep-ing.)

 5  5   5  -5   5    -5    6  7    6
Un-der the wil-low, with gold-en hair,

-5  5  -4   4    -4  5  -4   -4   4
My lit-tle one's qui-et-ly sleep-ing.

chorus

  7    -7   -6    6  7    6
Fair, fair, and gold-en hair;

   5  5   5    5  -4   4     5  -4
(Sang a lone moth-er while weep-ing,)

  7    -7   -6    6  7    6
Fair, fair, and gold-en hair;

 6 -5   5  -5   6   -5     -5   5
Un-der the wil-low she's sleep-ing,

verse 2
Under the willow no songs are heard,
Near where my darling lies dreaming
Nought but the voice of some far off bird
Where life and its pleasures are beaming.

verse 3
Under the willow by night and day,
Sorrowing ever I ponder;
Free from its shadowy, gloomy ray,
Ah! never again can she wander.