For some reason my mother always sang this in Bb minor (capoed up 1), but put it
wherever your range is. Chords repeat from verse to verse.
C G Am
Three sisters walked out one fine day,
Am C Dm
All the lee and the lonely-o,
Am (G Am)
They met a robber on the way,
C G E7 Am
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
He took the first one by the hand,
All the lee and the lonely-o,
He whipped her 'round and he made her stand,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
Oh, will you be a robber's wife?
All the lee and the lonely-o,
Or will you die by my pen-knife,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
Oh, I'll not be a robber's wife,
All the lee and the lonely-o.
I'd rather die by your pen-knife,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
And so he took his wee pen-knife,
All the lee and the lonely-o,
And there he took her own dear life,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
(- Repeat for the second sister. -)
(- Then, repeat for the third, until her answer, which is below. -)
Oh, I'll not be a robber's wife,
All the lee and the lonely-o,
And I'll not die by your pen-knife.
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
Oh if my brothers had been here
All the lee and the lonely-o,
You wouldna' killed my sisters dear,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
Where are your brothers pray do tell
All the lee and the lonely-o,
One of them's a minister
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
And where is the other one pray do tell
All the lee and the lonely-o,
He's out a robbing like yourself
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
Oh, my God, what have I done,
All the lee and the lonely-o,
I've killed my sisters, all but one,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.
And so he took his wee pen-knife,
All the lee and the lonely-o,
And there he took his own dear life,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the Virgio.