Girl From The Hiring Fair chords

Ralph McTell

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Em                 C            G              D 
I went down to the hiring fair, for to sell my labour,  
      Em                    C                  Bm                             
and I noticed a maid in the very next row and I hoped that she’d be my  
C 
neighbour. 
  G             D                  Em                C        D 
Imagine then o my delight when the farmer picked us both. 
     G                    C            Em               D           Em      C 
I spoke not a word in the cart to the farm but my heart beat in my throat. 


   Em                     C               G                D 
My lodging was dry and my master fair and I gave him full measure, 
       Em                 C                     Bm                   C 
But my envy grew like the corn in the field for in his house was my treasure. 
       G                D        Em                   C        D 
And I’d watch her carry water or drive cows from the byre, 
        G                          C         Em                 D   Em   
And the heat from the sun made the corn grow strong and with it my desire 

C     Em     C 


     Em           C            G            D 
I’d see her in my dreaming and in my dreams caress. 
    Em                    C                   Bm                 C 
Her eyes her lips and her dark brown hair the curves beneath her dress. 
     G               D               Em            C         D 
When harvest time it came at last so heavy was the task  
         G                        C       Em                 D       Em  
That the women and the men worked side by side and I had her near at last. 
C     Em     C     Em     C 


   Em             C                  G                D 
So I swung harder with my scythe few words between us passed, 
      Em                    C                  Bm             
And I cursed my tongue tied youthfulness and I hoped that she’d hear my  
C 
heart. 
     G              D               Em             C         D 
When all was safely gathered in and we sat down to rest 
   G                 C           Em                      D      Em       C      
My trembling fingers touched her arm and she placed them on her breast. 
        Em                  C                 G             D 
And she turned to me as the sun went down and all my senses reeled, 
      Em               C                      Bm                 C 
As we lay there on the scented ground and the moon rose over the field. 


G / D / Em / C  D / G / C  Em / C / Em / C / Em / C 


Em             C              G                  D 
She was safely gathered in my arms when from the barn 
Em                       C             Bm                  C 
Drifted the sound of the violin and we hurried back to the farm. 
    G                       D                 Em               C       D 
And all were dancing in the lantern light and music filled the air 
      G                        C       Em                         D         
And I thanked my stars for the harvest moon and the girl from the hiring 
Em      C      Em      C 
fair. 

    G                       D                 Em               C     D 
And all were dancing in the lantern light and music filled the air, 
      G                        C       Em                          D          
And I thanked my stars for the harvest moon, and the girl from the hiring  
Em     C     Em     C     Em     C 
fair.