The Yew Tree (Battlefield Band)
Keyboard
Dm
A mile frae Pentcaitland, on the road to the sea
Stands a yew tree a thousand years old
And the old women swear by the grey o' their hair
That it knows what the future will hold
G C Dm
For the shadows of Scotland stand round it
C G
'Mid the kail and the corn and the kye
F C
All the hopes and the fears of a thousand long years
Dm C Bb
Under the Lothian sky
C
My bonnie yew tree
Dm
Tell me what did you see
Guitar
Em D C Em
Did you look through the haze o' the lang summer days
C D Em
Tae the South and the far English border
Em D C Em
A' the bonnets o' steel on Flodden's far field
C D Em
Did they march by your side in good order
A D Em
Did you ask them the price o' their glory
D A
When you heard the great slaughter begin
G D Bm
For the dust o' their bones would rise up from the stones
Em D Em
To bring tears to the eyes o' the wind
D
My bonnie yew tree
Em C Em
Tell me what did you see
Em D C Em
Not once did you speak for the poor and the weak
C D Em
When the moss-troopers lay in your shade
Em D C Em
To count out the plunder and hide frae the thunder
C D Em
And share out the spoils o' their raid
A D Em
But you saw the smiles o' the gentry
D A
And the laughter of lords at their gains
G D
When the poor hunt the poor across mountain and moor
Em D Em
The rich man can keep them in chains
D
My bonnie yew tree
Em C Em
Tell me what did you see
Em D C Em
Did you no' think tae tell when John Knox himsel'
C D Em
Preached under your branches sae black
Em D C Em
To the poor common folk who would lift up the yoke
C D Em
O' the bishops and priests frae their backs
A D Em
But you knew the bargain he sold them
D A
And freedom was only one part
G D Bm
For the price o' their souls was a gospel sae cold
N.C.
It would freeze up the joy in their hearts
D
My bonnie yew tree
Em C Em
Tell me what did you see
Solo
Am D G Em
Am D G Em
F Em F Em
F G A
Em
And I thought as I stood and laid hands on your wood
That it might be a kindness to fell you
One kiss o' the axe and you're freed frae the racks
C D Em
O' the sad bloody tales that men tell you
Slowed down
A D Em
But a wee bird flew out from your branches
D A
And sang out as never before
G D Bm
And the words o' the song were a thousand years long
Em D Em
And to learn them's a long thousand more
D
My bonnie yew tree
Em
Tell me what CAN you see
Hope you enjoy the Music.
Peace
