THE BROOM O’ THE COWDENKNOWES lyrics and chords
4/4 (Traditional Scottish Love Ballad)
Male’ Version As sung by the McCalmans [ lyrics ] on their album ‚Scots Abroad’ (using capo on 1st fret) The sheet music and tin whistle notes are in the key of D Major. The mandolin / tenor banjo tab in a pdf included..
Male’ Version As sung by the McCalmans [ lyrics ] on their album ‚Scots Abroad’ (using capo on 1st fret) The sheet music and tin whistle notes are in the key of D Major. The mandolin / tenor banjo tab in a pdf included..
Intro C-Dm-Em-G C-Dm-F-G-G
How (C)blithe was (Em)I each (F)morn to (C)see
My lass come (Am)o'er the (F)hill
(C)She skipped the (Em)burn and she (Am)ran tae (C)me
(F)I met her wi’ good (G)will.
Chorus
(C)O the (Em)broom, the (F)bonnie, bonnie (C)broom
The broom o’ the (Am)Cowden(F)knowes
(C)Fain would I (Em)be in my (Am)ain coun(C)try
(F)Herding her father's (G)ewes
Repeat Intro
Hard (C)fate that (Em)I should (F)banished (C)be
Gone way o'er (Am)hill and (F)moor
Be(C)cause I (Em)loved the (Am)fairest (C)lass
(F)That ever yet was (G)born
Chorus + Intro
Fare(C)well, ye (Em)Cowden(F)knowes, fare(C)well
Farewell all (Am)pleasures (F)there
(C)To wander (Em)by her (Am)side a(C)gain
(F)Is all I crave or (G)care
Chorus 2x
Instrumental chorus + Intro 2x + final C-chord
‚Female’ Version
As sung by the McCalmans’ on their album ‚Turn Again’ (use chords as above without capo)
How blithe I was each morn to see
My love come o' er the hill
He left the burn and he blew tae me
I met him wi' good will
Chorus
O, the broom, the bonnie, bonnie broom
The broom o' the Cowdenknowes
Fain would I be with my ain true love
Wi' his pipy and my ewes
I neither wanted ewe nor lamb
When his blass lay by me
He gathered in my sheep at night
And he cheered me all the day
He tuned his pipe and reed sae sweet
The birds stood list'ning by
Even the dull cattle stood and gaz 'd
Charm 'd with his melody
Chords in the key of G.
How (G)blithe was (Bm)I each (C)morn to (G)see
My lass come (Em)o'er the (C)hill
(G)She skipped the (Bm)burn and she (Em)ran tae (G)me
(C)I met her wi’ good (D)will.
Chorus
(G)O the (Bm)broom, the (C)bonnie, bonnie (G)broom
The broom o’ the (Em)Cowden(C)knowes
(G)Fain would I (Bm)be in my (Em)ain coun(G)try
(C)Herding her father's (D)ewes
Repeat Intro
Hard (G)fate that (Bm)I should (C)banished (G)be
Gone way o'er (Em)hill and (C)moor
Be(G)cause I (Bm)loved the (Em)fairest (G)lass
(C)That ever yet was (D)born
Chorus + Intro
Fare(G)well, ye (Bm)Cowden(C)knowes, fare(G)well
Farewell all (Em)pleasures (C)there
(G)To wander (Bm)by her (Em)side a(G)gain
(C)Is all I crave or (D)care
How (G)blithe was (Bm)I each (C)morn to (G)see
My lass come (Em)o'er the (C)hill
(G)She skipped the (Bm)burn and she (Em)ran tae (G)me
(C)I met her wi’ good (D)will.
Chorus
(G)O the (Bm)broom, the (C)bonnie, bonnie (G)broom
The broom o’ the (Em)Cowden(C)knowes
(G)Fain would I (Bm)be in my (Em)ain coun(G)try
(C)Herding her father's (D)ewes
Repeat Intro
Hard (G)fate that (Bm)I should (C)banished (G)be
Gone way o'er (Em)hill and (C)moor
Be(G)cause I (Bm)loved the (Em)fairest (G)lass
(C)That ever yet was (D)born
Chorus + Intro
Fare(G)well, ye (Bm)Cowden(C)knowes, fare(G)well
Farewell all (Em)pleasures (C)there
(G)To wander (Bm)by her (Em)side a(G)gain
(C)Is all I crave or (D)care
“The Broom o’ the Cowdenknowes” is a lilting old Scottish air, and in 2/4 time it takes on a gentle pastoral march rather than a waltz.
You can play it as a soft march or flowing ballad, depending on mood.
Let’s set up both a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse (the first four lines you shared).
🎸 Strumming Pattern (2/4 Folk March Feel)
Count: 1 2 (strong–soft)
The rhythm should feel steady and simple — like walking with a shepherd’s step.
Basic Pattern:
↓ ↓
(one downstroke per beat)
Lively Folk Option:
↓ (bass) ↓↑
(count: 1 & 2 &)
On beat 1, hit the bass string of the chord.
On beat 2, strum or brush lightly across the treble strings.
It gives a rhythmic “boom–chick, boom–chick” feel.
Perfect for the storytelling flow of the song.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑
1 & 2 &
Bass alternation ideas:
G → 6th → 4th strings
C → 5th → 4th strings
D → 4th → 5th strings
Em → 6th → 4th strings
Bm → 5th → 4th strings
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
We’ll use a steady 2/4 arpeggio:
Beat 1 → thumb on bass
Beat 2 → fingers pluck treble strings together (G + B, or G + B + e)
Use:
Thumb (p) on bass (E, A, D)
Index (i) on G
Middle (m) on B
Ring (a) occasionally on high E
Verse 1 Fingerpicking Tab
G Bm C G
e|--------3-----------3---|--------2-----------2---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------3---3-------3---3-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----4-------4---4-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--4-----------4---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|-------------------------|------------------------|3-----------------------|------------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------|------------------------|------------------------|-3-----------3-----------|
How blithe was I each morn to see my lass come o’er the hill
G Bm Em G
e|--------3-----------3---|--------2-----------2---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------3---3-------3---3-|------0---0-------0---0-|------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----4-------4---4-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--4-----------4---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------|------------------------|-0-----------0----------|-3-----------3-----------|
She skipped the burn and she ran tae me, I met her wi’ good will.
🎶 Performance Tips
Keep your thumb steady — that’s your march pulse.
Let notes ring together slightly to imitate harp or fiddle drones.
Add light hammer-ons on the D or G strings occasionally (e.g. in G or Em) for ornamentation.
Keep dynamics soft — this song is tender and reflective, not martial.
You can play it as a soft march or flowing ballad, depending on mood.
Let’s set up both a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse (the first four lines you shared).
🎸 Strumming Pattern (2/4 Folk March Feel)
Count: 1 2 (strong–soft)
The rhythm should feel steady and simple — like walking with a shepherd’s step.
Basic Pattern:
↓ ↓
(one downstroke per beat)
Lively Folk Option:
↓ (bass) ↓↑
(count: 1 & 2 &)
On beat 1, hit the bass string of the chord.
On beat 2, strum or brush lightly across the treble strings.
It gives a rhythmic “boom–chick, boom–chick” feel.
Perfect for the storytelling flow of the song.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑
1 & 2 &
Bass alternation ideas:
G → 6th → 4th strings
C → 5th → 4th strings
D → 4th → 5th strings
Em → 6th → 4th strings
Bm → 5th → 4th strings
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
We’ll use a steady 2/4 arpeggio:
Beat 1 → thumb on bass
Beat 2 → fingers pluck treble strings together (G + B, or G + B + e)
Use:
Thumb (p) on bass (E, A, D)
Index (i) on G
Middle (m) on B
Ring (a) occasionally on high E
Verse 1 Fingerpicking Tab
G Bm C G
e|--------3-----------3---|--------2-----------2---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------3---3-------3---3-|------1---1-------1---1-|------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----4-------4---4-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--4-----------4---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|-------------------------|------------------------|3-----------------------|------------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------|------------------------|------------------------|-3-----------3-----------|
How blithe was I each morn to see my lass come o’er the hill
G Bm Em G
e|--------3-----------3---|--------2-----------2---|--------0-----------0---|--------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-|------3---3-------3---3-|------0---0-------0---0-|------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------|----4-------4---4-------|----0-------0---0-------|----0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0---------|--4-----------4---------|--2-----------2---------|--0-----------0---------|
A|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------|------------------------|-0-----------0----------|-3-----------3-----------|
She skipped the burn and she ran tae me, I met her wi’ good will.
🎶 Performance Tips
Keep your thumb steady — that’s your march pulse.
Let notes ring together slightly to imitate harp or fiddle drones.
Add light hammer-ons on the D or G strings occasionally (e.g. in G or Em) for ornamentation.
Keep dynamics soft — this song is tender and reflective, not martial.
Key of D
How (D)blithe was (F#m)I each (G)morn to (D)see
My lass come (Bm)o'er the (G)hill
(D)She skipped the (F#m)burn and she (Bm)ran tae (D)me
(G)I met her wi’ good (A)will.
Chorus
(D)O the (F#m)broom, the (G)bonnie, bonnie (D)broom
The broom o’ the (Bm)Cowden(G)knowes
(D)Fain would I (F#m)be in my (Bm)ain coun(D)try
(G)Herding her father's (A)ewes
Repeat Intro
Hard (D)fate that (F#m)I should (G)banished (D)be
Gone way o'er (Bm)hill and (G)moor
Be(D)cause I (F#m)loved the (Bm)fairest (D)lass
(G)That ever yet was (A)born
Chorus + Intro
Fare(D)well, ye (F#m)Cowden(G)knowes, fare(D)well
Farewell all (Bm)pleasures (G)there
(D)To wander (F#m)by her (Bm)side a(D)gain
(G)Is all I crave or (A)care
How (D)blithe was (F#m)I each (G)morn to (D)see
My lass come (Bm)o'er the (G)hill
(D)She skipped the (F#m)burn and she (Bm)ran tae (D)me
(G)I met her wi’ good (A)will.
Chorus
(D)O the (F#m)broom, the (G)bonnie, bonnie (D)broom
The broom o’ the (Bm)Cowden(G)knowes
(D)Fain would I (F#m)be in my (Bm)ain coun(D)try
(G)Herding her father's (A)ewes
Repeat Intro
Hard (D)fate that (F#m)I should (G)banished (D)be
Gone way o'er (Bm)hill and (G)moor
Be(D)cause I (F#m)loved the (Bm)fairest (D)lass
(G)That ever yet was (A)born
Chorus + Intro
Fare(D)well, ye (F#m)Cowden(G)knowes, fare(D)well
Farewell all (Bm)pleasures (G)there
(D)To wander (F#m)by her (Bm)side a(D)gain
(G)Is all I crave or (A)care
The Broom Of The Cowdenknowes Sheet Music Notes In D Major
Included below is the mandolin / tenor banjo tab in a pdf.
| broom_o_the_cowdenknowes_mandolin-tab.pdf |
