Shady Grove

(words collected by Peter Budd)

?from Mudcat?

Shady grove my little love
Shady grove I say
Shady grove my little love
Bound for shady grove

Wish I was in shady grove
Sittin in a rockin chair
And if those blues would bother me
I'd rock away from there

Had a banjo made of gold
Every string would shine
The only song that it would play
Wish that girl was mine

When I was in shady grove
Heard them pretty birds sing
The next time I go to shady grove
Take along a diamond ring

When you go to catch a fish
Fish with a hook and line
When you go to court a girl
Never look behind

When I was a little boy
All I wanted was a knife
Now I am a great big boy
I'm lookin for a wife


Shady Grove 
From Volo Bogtrotters. Volo Bogtrotters. Marimac 9024. 
Key A major
Structure. Both verse and chorus are sung on the low B part.
Go straight from verse into chorus without any break

Last time I saw Shady Grove, 
she was standing in the door
Shoes and stockings in her hand, 
little bare feet on the floor 

Straight into Chorus: 
Shady Grove my true love, 
Shady Grove I say 
Shady Grove, my true love, 
I’m bound to go away


When I was a little bitty boy, 
I bought me a Barlow knife
Now I am an old grey man, 
I want me a little wife

Chorus and break

Wished I was an apple, 
hanging on a tree
Every time Shady Grove walked by, 
she’d take a little bite of me

Wish I had a needle and thread, 
as fine as I could sew
I’d stitch that girl to my coat tails, 
and down the road I’d go

Higher up the cherry tree, 
the sweeter grow the cherries
The more you kiss and hug the girls, 
the sooner they will marry