Fairport Convention – Matty Groves (Guitar)

Dm
A holiday, A holiday

                        C
Lord Darnell's wife came into the church

    Dm     C      Dm     
The gospel for to hear

Dm
And when the meeting it was done

                         C
And there she saw little Matty Groves

Dm      C      Dm     
Walking in the crowd

Dm
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves

                          C
Come home with me, little Matty Groves

    Dm         C       Dm
And sleep with me 'til light"

Dm
"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home

                             C
By the rings on your fingers I can tell

    Dm       C        Dm
You are Lord Darnell's wife"

Dm
"But if I am Lord Darnell's wife

                 C
He is out in the far cornfields

Dm           C         Dm
Bringing the yearlings home"

Dm
And a servant who was standing by

                     C
He swore Lord Darnell he would know

  Dm       C         Dm
Before the sun would set

Dm
And in his hurry to carry the news

                        C
And when he came to the broad mill stream

    Dm          C         Dm
He took off his shoes and swam

Dm
Little Matty Groves, he lay down

                   C
When he awoke Lord Darnell

    Dm       C      Dm
Was standing at his feet

Dm
Saying "How do you like my feather bed

                   C
How do you like my lady

    Dm           C    Dm
Who lies in your arms asleep?"

Dm
"Oh well, I like your feather bed

                       C
But better I like your lady gay

    Dm         C     Dm
Who lies in my arms asleep"

Dm
"Well, get up, get up", Lord Darnell cried

                       C
It'll never be said in fair England

    Dm   C     Dm
I slew a naked man"

Dm
"Oh I can't get up, I won't get up

                      C
For you have two long beaten swords

    Dm      C      Dm
And I not a pocket knife"

Dm
"Well it's true I have two beaten swords

                      C
But you will have the better of them

    Dm     C        Dm
And I will have the worse"

Dm
"And you will strike the very first blow

                    C
I will strike the very next blow

         Dm        C   Dm
And I'll kill you if I can"

Dm
So Matty struck the very first blow

                         C
Lord Darnell struck the very next blow

    Dm     C        Dm
And Matty struck no more

Dm
And then Lord Darnell he took his wife

                         C
Saying, "Who do like the best of us

Dm     C        Dm
Matty Groves or me?"

Dm
And then up spoke his own dear wife

                             C
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips

    Dm            C    Dm
Than you and your finery"

Dm
Lord Darnell he jumped up

                        C
He stuck his wife right through the heart

    Dm            C        Dm
And pinned her against the wall

Dm
"A grave, a grave", Lord Darnell cried

                 C
But bury my lady at the top

    Dm         C     Dm
For she was of noble kin"