American folk song with many variations derived from the traditional Irish ballad “The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie”.
G
As we marched down, as we marched down
D
As we marched down to Fennario
G C
Our captain fell in love with a lady like a dove
D G
And the name that she had was pretty Peggy-O
Come a-running down your stairs, come a-running down your stairs
Come a-running down your stairs pretty Peggy-O
Come a-running down your stairs, comb back your yellow hair
And say this winter’s day that you will marry me-O
I will not marry you, I could not marry you
I will not marry you my pretty William-O
I could not marry you in your uniform of blue
And I never will marry a soldier-O
What will your mama say, what will your mama say
What will your mama say, pretty Peggy-O?
What will your mama say, you know you’re gone gone away
And you’re never ever ever comin’ back-y-O
(solos)
The lieutenant is gone, the lieutenant is gone
The lieutenant is gone pretty Peggy-O
The lieutenant is gone, he’s gone wrong
He’s a-ridin’ down to Texas with the rodeo
Our captain is dead, our captain is dead
Our captain is dead pretty Peggy-O
Our captain is dead, he died for me
He’s a-buried somewheres in Louisiana-O
Notes on the music:
We will be using the same chord progression throughout including instrumental between verses and solos.
Typical 8 bars:
G D
1xxx2xxx3xxx4xxx
G C D G
1xxx2xxx3xxx4xxx
Instrumental between every verse 8 bars, solos 16 bars, as many as needed.
Links:
More on the song and its history here.
Grateful Dead version here, with similar tribute to that by The National here.
Version of The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie by the Dubliners here and the Clancy Brothers here.
Other versions by Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel, Judy Collins and many more.