The Twa Corbies The Corries Guitar Chords And Lyrics
This Scottish song like many before it started out as a poem and music was added much later, along with the Corries it was also recorded by Ewan McColl, Steeleye Span, Hamish Imlach to name a few. The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included. Back to the list of Corries Songs .The Twa Corbies Mandolin 4 String Banjo Tab is also included.
[Am]As I was walking [G]all a[Am]lane,
[Am]I heard twa corbies [Em]makin a [Am]mane;
The [G]tane unto the [Dm]ither [Am]say,
"Whar [F]sall we gang [Dm]and [G]dine the-[Am]day
[Am]Whaur sail we gang [Dm]and [Em]dinn the [Am]day
In ahint yon auld fail dyke,
I wot there lies a new slain knight;
And nane do ken that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound an his lady fair."
His hound is tae the huntin gane,
His hawk tae fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His lady's tain anither mate,
So we may mak oor dinner swate."
Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,
And I'll pike oot his bonny blue een;
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair
We'll theek oor nest whan it grows bare."
Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken whar he is gane;
Oer his white banes, whan they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair."
[Am]I heard twa corbies [Em]makin a [Am]mane;
The [G]tane unto the [Dm]ither [Am]say,
"Whar [F]sall we gang [Dm]and [G]dine the-[Am]day
[Am]Whaur sail we gang [Dm]and [Em]dinn the [Am]day
In ahint yon auld fail dyke,
I wot there lies a new slain knight;
And nane do ken that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound an his lady fair."
His hound is tae the huntin gane,
His hawk tae fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His lady's tain anither mate,
So we may mak oor dinner swate."
Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,
And I'll pike oot his bonny blue een;
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair
We'll theek oor nest whan it grows bare."
Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken whar he is gane;
Oer his white banes, whan they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair."
It works wonderfully in A minor, using a slow, modal 6/8 time to bring out that eerie, droning feel — like wind sweeping over a moor.
Below is a full arrangement with both strumming pattern and fingerpicking tab that you can play for all verses.
🎵 Twa Corbies — in A Minor
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~65 BPM (slow, ballad)
Time Signature: 6/8 (count “ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six”)
🎸 1. Lyrics with Chords
[Am]As I was walking [G]all a[Am]lane,
[Am]I heard twa corbies [Em]makin a [Am]mane;
The [G]tane unto the [Dm]ither [Am]say,
"Whar [F]sall we gang [Dm]and [G]dine the-[Am]day?
[Am]Whaur sail we gang [Dm]and [Em]dinn the [Am]day."
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (6/8 “dark folk” feel)
Keep the rhythm slow and hypnotic — like a funeral drum or old Scottish air.
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
or think:
Bass – Down-Up – Down-Up
How to play it:
Beat 1: play the bass note (thumb or pick)
Beats 2–3: light down-up on middle strings
Beats 4–6: another gentle down-up, softer
Keep your wrist loose — let the sound breathe between beats
Example:
For Am, pluck the 5th string on beat 1, then brush strings 3–2–1 for down-ups.
For G, use 6th string bass.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (for All Verses)
This song shines with a rolling arpeggio — a steady drone that evokes bagpipes or ravens circling overhead.
Use the pattern:
T – I – M – T – I – M
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Let every note ring — don’t mute. It should sound ancient and echoing.
Verse Fingerpicking Example
Am
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|
G|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
As I was walking all a-lane
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
I heard twa corbies makin a mane
Em
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--0-------------|--0-------------|
Whar sall we gang and dine the day
F Dm G Am
e|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|
B|----1---1---1---|----3---3---3---|----0---0---0---|----1---1---1---|
G|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|
D|--3-------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|
A|--3-------------|----------------|--2-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|
The tway sat crooning by the hill, whaur sail we gang and dine the day
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Play slowly, deliberately.
Let the open strings drone — it gives that haunting “wind over the moors” sound.
🎵 Bass Alternation:
Am: alternate 5th → 4th
G: 6th → 4th
Em: 6th → 4th
F: 6th → 4th
Dm: 4th → 3rd
🎵 Optional ornaments:
Add light hammer-ons on Am (open D → 2nd fret).
For Em, alternate open and 2nd fret on D for movement.
On G, slide A-string (2→3) for a Scottish drone feel.
🎵 Ending (last “day”) — slow down & fade:
Below is a full arrangement with both strumming pattern and fingerpicking tab that you can play for all verses.
🎵 Twa Corbies — in A Minor
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~65 BPM (slow, ballad)
Time Signature: 6/8 (count “ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six”)
🎸 1. Lyrics with Chords
[Am]As I was walking [G]all a[Am]lane,
[Am]I heard twa corbies [Em]makin a [Am]mane;
The [G]tane unto the [Dm]ither [Am]say,
"Whar [F]sall we gang [Dm]and [G]dine the-[Am]day?
[Am]Whaur sail we gang [Dm]and [Em]dinn the [Am]day."
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (6/8 “dark folk” feel)
Keep the rhythm slow and hypnotic — like a funeral drum or old Scottish air.
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
or think:
Bass – Down-Up – Down-Up
How to play it:
Beat 1: play the bass note (thumb or pick)
Beats 2–3: light down-up on middle strings
Beats 4–6: another gentle down-up, softer
Keep your wrist loose — let the sound breathe between beats
Example:
For Am, pluck the 5th string on beat 1, then brush strings 3–2–1 for down-ups.
For G, use 6th string bass.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (for All Verses)
This song shines with a rolling arpeggio — a steady drone that evokes bagpipes or ravens circling overhead.
Use the pattern:
T – I – M – T – I – M
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Let every note ring — don’t mute. It should sound ancient and echoing.
Verse Fingerpicking Example
Am
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|
G|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|
A|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
As I was walking all a-lane
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
I heard twa corbies makin a mane
Em
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--2-------------|--2-------------|
A|--2-------------|--2-------------|
E|--0-------------|--0-------------|
Whar sall we gang and dine the day
F Dm G Am
e|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|
B|----1---1---1---|----3---3---3---|----0---0---0---|----1---1---1---|
G|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------2-------|
D|--3-------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|
A|--3-------------|----------------|--2-------------|--0-------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|----------------|
The tway sat crooning by the hill, whaur sail we gang and dine the day
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Play slowly, deliberately.
Let the open strings drone — it gives that haunting “wind over the moors” sound.
🎵 Bass Alternation:
Am: alternate 5th → 4th
G: 6th → 4th
Em: 6th → 4th
F: 6th → 4th
Dm: 4th → 3rd
🎵 Optional ornaments:
Add light hammer-ons on Am (open D → 2nd fret).
For Em, alternate open and 2nd fret on D for movement.
On G, slide A-string (2→3) for a Scottish drone feel.
🎵 Ending (last “day”) — slow down & fade:
The Twa Corbies Sheet music for mandolin with lyrics
Scottish folk song The twa corbies tin whistle sheet music
The Twa Corbies By The Corries
The Twa Corbies Mandolin 4 String Banjo Tab
Steeleye Span The Twa Corbies
