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Cruel Sister: Pentangle (1970)
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Tabbed by: James McKinnon
Email:
http://www.pentangle.info/
Tuning: Standard: Capo 3rd Fret.
This is a really nice traditional Scottish tune (Originally called 'Twa Sisters of Bonnorie'),
converted to 4/4 time by Pentangle from the original 3/4.
The part here transcribed is Bert Jansch's deceptively simple rhythm
guitar arrangement. It is of a sufficiently full sound in itself to
be all the accompaniment that the song needs.
Intro and verses:
1 2 3
e|---------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|
B|---------------------|------0---1------------|---0-------1---3---1-------|
G|--2-------2----------|--2-----------2--------|---------------------------|
D|-----2-------2-------|------------------2----|---------------0-----------|
A|--0----0--------0----|--0-------0------------|-------0---------------0---|
E|---------------------|------3----------------|---------------------------|
There lived a lady by the North Sea
4 5 6
e|-0------------------|--------0--------------|-0----------0-------3-------|
B|------------0-------|-1--3-------1------1---|----3-----------------------|
G|--------0-------0---|---------------2-------|--------2-------2-------2---|
D|----0---------------|--------------(2)------|----------------------------|
A|--------------------|-0------0--------------|-0--------------------------|
E|-3------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
shore. (Lay the bent to the bonny
7 8 9
e|-0-----------0---3-------|--0------------------|-------------------------|
B|-----0-------------------|------3-------3------|-----1-------3---1-------|
G|---------0-----------0---|----------0----------|-0-------0---------------|
D|(2)----------------------|------------------0--|---------------------0---|
A|-2-----------------------|--2------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|--------------3------|-------------3-----------|
broom.) Two daughters were the babes she
10 11 12
e|-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------------|
B|---0-----------0-------|---1---0h2---3---1---|---0-----------------------|
G|-----------0-------0---|---2-----------------|-------0---2---------------|
D|-------2---------------|---2-----------------|---------------2-------0---|
A|---2-------------------|---0---0-----0---0---|---0-------0-------0-------|
E|-----------------------|(Strum)--------------|-------3-------------------|
bore. (Fa la la la la la la la la
13
e|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---2-----------2-----------|
D|-------2-----------2-------|
A|---0-------0-----------0---|
E|---------------------------| (Repeat from Bar 2)
la
Instrumental Break:
e|-----------------|-0-----------0-------------|--------------------------|
B|-----0---1---3---|-----0-----------0---------|-----0-------------0------|
G|-----------------|---------5-----------------|-----0---------0------0---|
D|-}---------------|-7-------------------7\5---|-4-------4h5--------------|
A|-----0---0---0---|---------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-----------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
e|---------------------------|--------------------|---------|
B|-------------0-------------|-----------------0------------|
G|-------------0-------------|---0------------(0)-----------|
D|----5\4---2------------0---|-------0--------------0-------|
A|-----------------3h5-------|-----------0h2----------------|
E|---------------------------|--------------------------3---|
(Resume from Bar 1 to return to verses' riff)
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
Rest of Lyrics:
Repeat 'Lay the bent....,' etc. after each line.
As one grew bright as is the Sun
So coal-black grew the other one
A knight came riding to the lady's door
He travelled far to be their wooer
He courted one with gloves and rings
But he loved the other above all things
'Oh, Sister, won't you walk with me
To watch the ships sail on the sea?'
She took her sister by the hand
And led her down to the North Sea strand
But as they stood upon the windy shore
The dark girl threw her sister o'er
At times she sank and at times she swam
Crying 'Sister, reach to me your hand.
Oh, Sister! Sister! let me live
And all that's mine I'll freely give!'
'Your own true love, that I'll have and more
But thou shalt never come ashore!'
And there she floated like a swan
The salt sea bore her body on
Two minstrels walked along the sand
And watched her body float to land
They made a harp of her breastbone
whose song would melt a heart of stone
They took three strands of her yellow hair
With which to string the harp so rare.
And then they went to the lady's hall
To play the harp before them all
But as they laid it upon the stone
The harp began to play alone
The first string sang with a doleful sound
'The bride her younger sister drown'd'
The second string as that they tried
In terror sits the black haired bride
The third string sang beneath their bow
And surely now her tears will flow.
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