Annie Laurie Lyrics and Chords by the Corries
(Scottish Love Song by Lady John Scott) For the Corries’ version use capo on 1st fret. Also recorded by Deanna Durbin, St Paul's Cathedral Choir, James Dunne, Jo Stafford and Irish tenor singer John McCormack. The guitar chords are by Marc Fahrbach. This is one of the most beautiful Scottish songs I ever heard. Go to The Corries Song Lyrics And Chords . The sheet music and tin whistle tabs are included. [ Annie Laurie sheet music for violin beginners now added ]A very easy song to play on guitar. For more songs on tin whistle check out my Tin Whistle Song Book with letter notes .Scottish folk song Annie Laurie mandolin sheet music tab with chords in D Major included.
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Max(G)welton's braes are (C)bonnie
Where (G)early fa's the (D)dew And 'twas (G)there that Annie (C)Laurie Gave (G)me her (D)promise (G)true. Gave me her (D7)promise (G)true Which ne'er for(D7)got will (G)be And for (Em)bonnie (C)Annie (G)Laurie I'd lay me (D)doon and (G)dee. Her (G)brow is like the (C)snowdrift Her (G)neck is like the (D)swan Her (G)face it is the (C)fairest That (G)e'er the (D)sun shone (G)on. That e'er the (D7)sun shone (G)on And dark blue (D7)is her (G)e'e And for (Em)bonnie (C)Annie (G)Laurie I'd lay me (D)doon and (G)dee. Max(G)welton's braes are (C)bonnie Where (G)early fa's the (D)dew And it’s (G)there that Annie (C)Laurie Gave (G)me her (D)promise (G)true. Like (G)dew on the gowan (C)lying Is the (G)fa' o' her fairy (D)feet And like (G)wind in summer (C)sighing Her (G)voice is (D)low and (G)sweet. Her voice is (D7)low and (G)sweet She's a' the (D7)world to (G)me And for (Em)bonnie (C)Annie (G)Laurie I'd lay me (D)doon and (G)dee. |
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🎵 Annie Laurie — in G Major
(Traditional Scottish Air)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: 70–75 BPM (slow and gentle)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 1. Chords
You’ve got them right — here they are cleanly formatted for performance:
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (4/4 — Gentle Folk)
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
(Count: 1 2& &3&4&)
How to play it:
Beat 1: light downstroke on the bass strings
Beat 2: soft down-up
Beat 3–4: rolling up-down-up, flowing naturally
Keep your wrist loose — this is a lilt, not a march.
For verses, you can simplify to a slow pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
to create more air and feeling between phrases.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (for all verses)
Use a Travis picking pattern for a lilting 4/4 flow:
T – I – M – I – T – M – I – M
(Thumb plays bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Example Pattern in G:
G
e|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|
A|----------------|
E|--3-------------|
(Bass alternates between 6th and 4th strings on G.)
Full Fingerpicking Verse Example
Verse 1:
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Maxwelton’s braes are bonnie,
C G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Where early fa's the dew,
G D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------3---3-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
And 'twas there that Annie Laurie gave me her promise true,
G D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Gave me her promise true, which ne’er forgot will be.
Em C G D G
e|------0---0-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|
B|----0---0---0---|----1---1---1---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|
G|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|--------0-------|--0-------------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|
And for bonnie Annie Laurie, I’d lay me doon and dee.
(Traditional Scottish Air)
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: 70–75 BPM (slow and gentle)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 1. Chords
You’ve got them right — here they are cleanly formatted for performance:
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (4/4 — Gentle Folk)
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
(Count: 1 2& &3&4&)
How to play it:
Beat 1: light downstroke on the bass strings
Beat 2: soft down-up
Beat 3–4: rolling up-down-up, flowing naturally
Keep your wrist loose — this is a lilt, not a march.
For verses, you can simplify to a slow pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
to create more air and feeling between phrases.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (for all verses)
Use a Travis picking pattern for a lilting 4/4 flow:
T – I – M – I – T – M – I – M
(Thumb plays bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Example Pattern in G:
G
e|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|
A|----------------|
E|--3-------------|
(Bass alternates between 6th and 4th strings on G.)
Full Fingerpicking Verse Example
Verse 1:
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Maxwelton’s braes are bonnie,
C G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Where early fa's the dew,
G D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------3---3-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
And 'twas there that Annie Laurie gave me her promise true,
G D7 G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Gave me her promise true, which ne’er forgot will be.
Em C G D G
e|------0---0-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|
B|----0---0---0---|----1---1---1---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|
G|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|--------0-------|--0-------------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|
And for bonnie Annie Laurie, I’d lay me doon and dee.
Scottish folk song Annie Laurie mandolin sheet music tab with chords in D Major
Annie Laurie Tin Whistle Sheet Music
Annie Laurie singers The Corries
Annie Laurie sheet music for violin
