The Water Lily Chords
The Water Lily by Ralph Stanley is a beginner-friendly guitar song played in the key of E with a capo on the 2st fret. It uses the chords D, G and A. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
by Ralph Stanley from "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning"
Transcribed by Jason Hannan
Intro: D
A {D}lonely young wife in her {G}dreaming dis{D}cerns
A lily decked pool with a border of {A}ferns
And a {D}beautiful child with {G}butterfly {D}wings
Drifts down to the edge of the {A}water and {D}sings
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly
And the {D}lonely young wife, her {G}heart beating {D}wild
Cries wait till I come, till I reach you my {A}child
But the {D}beautiful child with {G}butterfly {D}wings
Steps out on the leaves of the {A}lily and {D}sings
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly
Instrumental (chords same as verse)
And the {D}wife in her dreaming steps {G}out on the {D}stream
But the lily leaves sink and she wakes from her {A}dream
Oh the {D}waking is sad, for the {G}tears that it {D}brings
And she knows its her dead baby?s {A}spirit that {D}sings
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly
End
This is officially the saddest song in the world.
Jason