When You Were Sweet Sixteen Lyrics and guitar chords

Written by James Thornton Made famous by The Fureys [ lyrics ],. The 5 string banjo chords are included in G Major. Also recorded by Tommy Flemming, Glen Campbell, Nathan Carter and by Val Doonican, to name a few. The tin whistle sheet music notes are included. The youtube video is of the Irish folk group The Furey Brothers And Davey Arthur. In 2019 the song was recorded by the County Tyrone folk group The Whistlin' Donkeys. I have now added the beginner piano / keyboard letter notes. These can be played using you flute or recorder.

When[G] first I saw the love light in your[C] eyes,,[Am
I[D] thought the world held nought but joy for[G] me
And[G] even though we[Em] drifted far a[C]part
I[A] never dream but what I dream of[D] you
[Chorus]
IG] love you as I never loved be[C]fore
Since[D] first I saw you on the village[G] green
Come[G] to me e'er my dreams of love is[C] o're,,[Am]
I[C] love you as I[G] loved you,when you were[D] sweet
When you were[Am] sweet six[G]teen
 
Last night I dreamen I held you in my arms
And once again you were my happy bride
I kissed you as I did on 'Auld Lang Syne',
As to the church we wandered side by side 

Sweet Sixteen Sheet Music Notes

The song was recorded in the key of G major. The intro was played on a 5 string framus banjo. The intro is played in the very high octave of G major. Below are the notes. Of course the notes are only the bare bones of the intro and that  its the little triplets and hammer ons that must be mastered to get the most from the intro. Anyhow here are the basic notes

G D CCBC AC CCCB CA GAB CCB AB CBAGA
GD CCBC AC CCCB CA GAB CCB AG GF#GA

Thats the basic notes ,in order to play it in the same octave as finbar ALL the notes must be played on the E string only!
Below is the frets on the E string that must be played to correspond with the notes above

3 10 8878 58 8887 85 357 887 57 8735
3 10 8878 58 8887 85 357 887 53 3235
The above information is by Damien O'Sullivan

Sweet Sixteen In The Key Of C Major
 
When[C] first I [CMaj7]saw the[Am] love light in your[F] eyes
I[G] thought the world held[G7] nought but joy for[C] me...[G7]
And[C] even thou[CMaj7]gh we[Am] drifted [Am7]far a[F]part...[Dm]
I[D] never dream but [D7]what I dream of[G] you...[G7]
[Chorus]
I[C] love you as I [Am]never loved be[F]fore...[Dm]
Since[G] first I saw you on the village[C] green....[G7]
Come[C] to me[CMaj7] 'ere my [Am]dreams of love is[F] o're...[Dm]
I[D] love you as I[C] loved [CMaj7]you, [Am7]when you were[Em] sweet
When you were[Dm] sweet[G7] six[C]teen

The Furey Brothers And Davie Arthur Version.
The intro chords.
G D Em C Bm Am D G D G F#m Em C Bm Am D G D
When[G] first I [Bm]saw the [Em]love light [G]in your[C] eyes[Bm],,[Am
I[D] thought the world held nought but joy for[G] me,[D]
And[G] even though we[Em] drifted far a[C]part[Bm][Am]
I[Am] never dream but [F#m]what I dream of[D] you[Bm[Am]
[Chorus]
[D]IG] love you as I [Em]never loved be[C]fore[G][Am]
Since[D] first I saw you on the village[G] green[D]
Come[G] to me e'er my dreams [Am]of love is[C] o're[Em],,[Am]
I[C] love you as I[G] loved you,[Em]when you were[Bm] sweet
[D]When you were[Am] sweet[D] six[G]teen

Music break chords
G F#m Em C Bm Am D  G  D  G  F#m Em C G Am D G D
Repeat chorus

Included below are the 5 string banjo chords for When You Were Sweet Sixteen in the key of G Major.

When you were sweet sixteen sheet music notes in D Major in solfege format for beginners.