Chords:
{t: Matty Groves}
{key: Am}
{artist: Fairport Convention}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1it7BP5PckI
{c: Thanks to Dave Walsh}
[Am] A holiday, a holiday and the first one of the year
[C] Lord Donald's wife [G] came into the church,
The [Am] gospel [Em] for to [Am] hear
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her eyes about
[C] And there she saw little [G] Matty Groves [Am] walking[Em] in the [Am] crowd
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight
[C] Come home with me, little Matty Groves and [Am] sleep with [Em] me 'til [Am] light"
"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home and sleep with you tonight
[C] By the rings on your fingers [G] I can tell [Am] you are Lord [Em] Donald's [Am] wife"
"What if I am Lord Donald's wife? Lord Donald's not at home
[C] He is out in the [G] far cornfields [Am] bringing the [Em] yearlings [Am] home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said
[C] He swore Lord Donald [G] he would know
[Am] before the [Em] sun would [Am] set
And in his hurry to carry the news he bent his breast and ran
[C] And when he came to the [G] broad millstream
he [Am] took off his [Em] shoes and [Am] swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep
[C] When he awoke, [G] Lord Donald was [Am] standing [Em] at his [Am] feet
Saying "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets?
[C] How do you like [G] my lady who [Am] lies in your [Em] arms [Am] asleep?"
"Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets
[C] But better I like your [G] lady gay who [Am] lies in my [Em] arms [Am] asleep"
"Well, get up, get up," Lord Donald cried "Get up as quick as you can
[C] It'll never be said in [G] fair England,I [Am] slew a [Em] naked [Am] man"
"Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up I can't get up for my life
[C] For you have two long [G] beaten swords and [Am] I not a [Em] pocket [Am] knife"
"Well it's true I have two beaten swords and they cost me deep in the purse
[C] But you will have the [G] better of them and [Am] I will [Em] have the [Am] worse
And you will strike the very first blow and strike it like a man
[C] I will strike the very next blow and [Am] I'll kill [Em] you if I [Am] can"
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Donald sore
[C] Lord Donald struck the [G] very next blow and [Am] Matty [Em] struck no [Am] more
And then Lord Donald he took his wife and he sat her on his knee
[C] Saying "Who do you like the [G] best of us [Am] Matty [Em] Groves or [Am] me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free
[C] "I'd rather a kiss from [G] dead Matty's lips than [Am] you or [Em] your [Am] finery".
Lord Donald he jumped up and loudly he did bawl
[C] He struck his wife right [G] through the heart
and [Am] pinned her [Em] against the [Am] wall
"A grave, a grave," Lord Donald cried "To put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the [G] top for [Am] she was of [Em7] noble [Am] kin"
