Come Away Bonnie Lad Lyrics And guitar Chords
This old folk song is part of the Scottish folk song lyrics and chords on this site. Recorded by Ella Roberts and Sons Of Erin.
The ukulele chord shames are included.
Intro: D-D-G-D D-A-D-D
Come a(D)way bonnie lad, it’s (G)making me (D)sad
I’ve loved you these twenty long (A)years
You’re as (D)pure as the heather my (G)bonnie wee (D)lad
Come away it is the (A)fifes that I (D)hear.
You’re the (D)lightness, my son of your (G)father who’s (D)gone
From the earth and I well do re(A)call
T’was a (D)morning like this when he (G)chanced for to (D)hear
The fifes calling (A)out one and (D)all.
If you (D)follow the fifes you will (G)ne’er see a(D)gain
The sweet purple heather in (A)bloom
I (D)once said the same to your (G)father in (D)vain
As the fife was lure (A)playing their (D)tune.
Play one verse instrumentally
Come a(D)way it is the fifes, they’re (G)playing a (D)tune
For the likes of you to be (A)ready
They’re (D)playing a tune I re(G)member so (D)well
When I last saw your (A)father, dear (D)laddie.
Come away bonnie lad, tis [G]fearful, tis sad
When I hear of a yonder blue (A)heather
T’is the (D)pipers again calling (G)out the young (D)men
To die in the (A)fields of en(D)deavour.
Repeat 1st verse
D-A-D-D
The ukulele chord shames are included.
Intro: D-D-G-D D-A-D-D
Come a(D)way bonnie lad, it’s (G)making me (D)sad
I’ve loved you these twenty long (A)years
You’re as (D)pure as the heather my (G)bonnie wee (D)lad
Come away it is the (A)fifes that I (D)hear.
You’re the (D)lightness, my son of your (G)father who’s (D)gone
From the earth and I well do re(A)call
T’was a (D)morning like this when he (G)chanced for to (D)hear
The fifes calling (A)out one and (D)all.
If you (D)follow the fifes you will (G)ne’er see a(D)gain
The sweet purple heather in (A)bloom
I (D)once said the same to your (G)father in (D)vain
As the fife was lure (A)playing their (D)tune.
Play one verse instrumentally
Come a(D)way it is the fifes, they’re (G)playing a (D)tune
For the likes of you to be (A)ready
They’re (D)playing a tune I re(G)member so (D)well
When I last saw your (A)father, dear (D)laddie.
Come away bonnie lad, tis [G]fearful, tis sad
When I hear of a yonder blue (A)heather
T’is the (D)pipers again calling (G)out the young (D)men
To die in the (A)fields of en(D)deavour.
Repeat 1st verse
D-A-D-D
Above are the chord shames for the Ukulele.
“Come Away Bonnie Lad” is a tender Scottish-style ballad, perfect for gentle folk guitar.
Let’s set you up with a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, in G major.
🎵 Come Away Bonnie Lad
Key: G major
Tempo: ~80 bpm (slow and heartfelt)
Time: 3/4 (waltz time — think “boom-chuck-chuck”)
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 Waltz)
For a soft, swaying rhythm:
👉 Bass ↓ ↓
(Bass – Down – Down)
or as a flowing strum:
👉 ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
Tip:
Hit the bass note (lowest string of the chord) on beat 1
Strum gently on beats 2 & 3
Keep your wrist loose for a rolling, circular feel
🎶 CHORDS (Verse)
Come a-[G]way bonnie lad, it’s [C]making me [G]sad,
I’ve loved you these twenty long [D]years.
You’re as [G]pure as the heather, my [C]bonnie wee [G]lad,
Come away, it is the [D]fifes that I [G]hear.
🪕 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (3/4 Feel)
Gentle folk waltz fingerpicking works best here.
Right-hand pattern per bar:
T I M
(bass - G string - B string)
For a fuller feel, alternate the bass every bar:
T I M T I M
🎸 FINGERPICKING TAB — First Verse
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
Come a-way bonnie lad, it’s...
[C]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|
making me sad...
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
I’ve loved you these twenty long...
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|
years...
Continue the same gentle 3/4 picking through:
You’re as [G]pure as the heather, my [C]bonnie wee [G]lad,
Come away, it is the [D]fifes that I [G]hear.
✅ Playing Tips
Keep your thumb steady on beats 1 & 3 — that’s your “heartbeat.”
Let open strings ring; don’t mute between chords.
For extra color, add a light hammer-on on the A string (2→3) on G chords occasionally.
Let’s set you up with a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, in G major.
🎵 Come Away Bonnie Lad
Key: G major
Tempo: ~80 bpm (slow and heartfelt)
Time: 3/4 (waltz time — think “boom-chuck-chuck”)
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 Waltz)
For a soft, swaying rhythm:
👉 Bass ↓ ↓
(Bass – Down – Down)
or as a flowing strum:
👉 ↓ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
Tip:
Hit the bass note (lowest string of the chord) on beat 1
Strum gently on beats 2 & 3
Keep your wrist loose for a rolling, circular feel
🎶 CHORDS (Verse)
Come a-[G]way bonnie lad, it’s [C]making me [G]sad,
I’ve loved you these twenty long [D]years.
You’re as [G]pure as the heather, my [C]bonnie wee [G]lad,
Come away, it is the [D]fifes that I [G]hear.
🪕 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (3/4 Feel)
Gentle folk waltz fingerpicking works best here.
Right-hand pattern per bar:
T I M
(bass - G string - B string)
For a fuller feel, alternate the bass every bar:
T I M T I M
🎸 FINGERPICKING TAB — First Verse
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
Come a-way bonnie lad, it’s...
[C]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
A|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|
making me sad...
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|--2-------2-----|
E|3---------------|3---------------|3---------------|
I’ve loved you these twenty long...
[D]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------3---------|------3---------|------3---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|
years...
Continue the same gentle 3/4 picking through:
You’re as [G]pure as the heather, my [C]bonnie wee [G]lad,
Come away, it is the [D]fifes that I [G]hear.
✅ Playing Tips
Keep your thumb steady on beats 1 & 3 — that’s your “heartbeat.”
Let open strings ring; don’t mute between chords.
For extra color, add a light hammer-on on the A string (2→3) on G chords occasionally.
Alternative chords in the key of G.
Come a(G)way bonnie lad, it’s (C)making me (G)sad
I’ve loved you these twenty long (D)years
You’re as (G)pure as the heather my (C)bonnie wee (G)lad
Come away it is the (D)fifes that I (G)hear.
You’re the (G)lightness, my son of your (C)father who’s (G)gone
From the earth and I well do re(D)call
T’was a (G)morning like this when he (C)chanced for to (G)hear
The fifes calling (D)out one and (G)all.
If you (G)follow the fifes you will (C)ne’er see a(G)gain
The sweet purple heather in (D)bloom
I (G)once said the same to your (C)father in (G)vain
As the fife was lure (D)playing their (G)tune.
Play one verse instrumentally
Come a(G)way it is the fifes, they’re (C)playing a (G)tune
For the likes of you to be (D)ready
They’re (G)playing a tune I re(C)member so (G)well
When I last saw your (D)father, dear (G)laddie.
Come away bonnie lad, tis [G]fearful, tis sad
When I hear of a yonder blue (D)heather
T’is the (G)pipers again calling (C)out the young (G)men
To die in the (D)fields of en(G)deavour.
Come a(G)way bonnie lad, it’s (C)making me (G)sad
I’ve loved you these twenty long (D)years
You’re as (G)pure as the heather my (C)bonnie wee (G)lad
Come away it is the (D)fifes that I (G)hear.
You’re the (G)lightness, my son of your (C)father who’s (G)gone
From the earth and I well do re(D)call
T’was a (G)morning like this when he (C)chanced for to (G)hear
The fifes calling (D)out one and (G)all.
If you (G)follow the fifes you will (C)ne’er see a(G)gain
The sweet purple heather in (D)bloom
I (G)once said the same to your (C)father in (G)vain
As the fife was lure (D)playing their (G)tune.
Play one verse instrumentally
Come a(G)way it is the fifes, they’re (C)playing a (G)tune
For the likes of you to be (D)ready
They’re (G)playing a tune I re(C)member so (G)well
When I last saw your (D)father, dear (G)laddie.
Come away bonnie lad, tis [G]fearful, tis sad
When I hear of a yonder blue (D)heather
T’is the (G)pipers again calling (C)out the young (G)men
To die in the (D)fields of en(G)deavour.
