Basement Tapes version
[...] But he's young and he's daily growin'
G D G C G C/g G
Daughter, dearest daughter, I have done you no wrong
Em G D
I've wed you to non other than a wealthy man's son
G C G Em C G C/g G
And he will be a man to you when I am dead and gone
G D G C/g G
He's young but he's daily growin'
Ah, one day as I was walking all alone down by the schoolwall I saw the boys, they were playing at the ball And my own true love was the fairest of them all He was young, but he was daily growin'.
At the age of sixteen years he was a married man at the age of seventeen he was the father of a son At the age of eighteen years, 'round his grave the grass grew long Cruel death had put an end to his growin'
Oh, the springtime is leavin' now, and summer's comin' on With ornaments and fans the ladies all pass on Oh yes, once I had a true love, but now I have none. But I'll watch his bonnie son, while he's growin.
Heard Liam [Clancy] sing this in the White Horse bar, Irish bar.
G C D G C G
Oh the trees they do grow tall and the leaves are green.
G C G/b D
And there's many a day that you and I have seen.
G C G Em C G
But once I had a true love, but now I walk alone.
G D G
He's a bonny lad, he's daily growing.
C . . |C/b . /a |G . . |. . . |D . . |. . . |. . . |. . .
Oh father, dearest father, you've done me great wrong. You've married me to a boy who is much too young. Oh I am twice twelve, and he is but fourteen He's a bonnie lad, he's young but he's growing.
Oh father, dearest father, oh and if it pleases you. I'll send my man on to a school for a year or two. And on top of his college cap, he'll wear a ribbon bow so that the other girls might know that he's married.
One day when I was walking all alone down by the schoolwall, Em C G D I saw the boys were playing at the bouncing of the ball. And my own true love was the fairest of them all. He's a bonny lad but he's daily growing.
At the age of fourteen he was a married man. At the age of fifteen the father of a son. At the age of sixteen on his grave the grass grew green. Cruel death had put an end to his growing.
I'll buy my love a shroud of ornamental ground and place it on his grave. Oh the tears come trippling down. For once I had a true love but now I have not. But I'll watch his bonny son while he's a-growing.
Minnesota Pary Tape II in May 1961
Lyrics transcribed by Bob T. Guevara
G C G Em C G
Oh the trees they grow tall and the leaves they are green.
Em C D
And many a-time my true love I've seen.
G C G Em C G
And many a-night how I walked all alone.
G Em D G
When my Johnny was a long time a-growin'.
C /b /a G
I remember so well over my father's wall I heard the boys were singing, I can hear them dancin'-call. And my own true love was the fairest of them all. He's young, but he's daily a-growin'.
Oh father, dear father, you've done me great wrong. You've married me of to a boy that's much too young. Oh I am twice twelve, and he is but fourteen He's young, but he's daily a-growin'.
Oh daughter, dear daughter, I've done you no wrong. I've married you to a rich man's son. Oh he will be a lord for you to wait upon. Yes he's young, but he's daily a-growin'.
At the age of fourteen he was a married man. At the age of fifteen the father of a son. At the age of sixteen has a grave, it was green. And death put a stop to his growin'.
But he've born me one son, so I can pass the time Wachin' my boy rised a great a-year. And I will wachin' rise, 'til he becomes a man. He's young now, but he's daily a-growin'.