If I Was a Blackbird
Traditional


I [Am]am a young [Em]sailor, my [G]story is [F]sad
For [C]once I was [Em]carefree and a [Am]bold sailor [Em]lad
I [C]courted a [Em]lassie by [Am]night and by [Em]day
Oh, but [Am]now she has [Em]left me and [G]sailed far a[F]way


[chorus]
Oh, if [Am]I was a [Em]blackbird, could [G]whistle and [F]sing
I'd [C]follow the [Em]vessel my [Am]true love sails [Em]in
And [C]in the top [Em]rigging I would [Am]there build my [Em]nest
And I'd [Am]flutter my [Em]wings o'er her [G]lily-white [F]breast
[]


Or if [Am]I was a [Em]scholar and could [G]handle a [F]pen
One [C]secret love [Em]letter to my [Am]true love I'd [Em]send
And I'd [C]tell of my [Em]sorrow, my [Am]grief and my [Em]pain
Since [Am]she's gone and [Em]left me in [G]yon flowery [F]glen


I [Am]offered to [Em]take her to [G]Donnybrook [F]Fair
And to [C]buy her fine [Em]ribbons to [Am]tie up her [Em]hair
I [C]offered to [Em]marry and to [Am]stay by her [Em]side
But she [Am]says in the [Em]morning she [G]sails with the [F]tide


[chorus]
Oh, if [Am]I was a [Em]blackbird, could [G]whistle and [F]sing
I'd [C]follow the [Em]vessel my [Am]true love sails [Em]in
And [C]in the top [Em]rigging I would [Am]there build my [Em]nest
And I'd [Am]flutter my [Em]wings o'er her [G]lily-white [F]breast
[]


[instrumental]


I [Am]sailed o'er the [Em]ocean my [G]fortune to [F]seek
Though I [C]missed her [Em]caress and her [Am]kiss on my [Em]cheek
I re[C]turned and I [Em]told her my [Am]love was still [Em]warm
But she [Am]turned away [Em]lightly and [G]great was her [F]scorn


My [Am]parents they [Em]chide me, oh, they [G]will not a[F]gree
Saying [C]me and my [Em]false love married [Am]should never [Em]be
Oh, but [C]let them de[Em]prive me, let them [Am]do what they [Em]will
While there's [Am]breath in my [Em]body she's the [G]one that I love [F]still


[chorus]
Oh, if [Am]I was a [Em]blackbird, could [G]whistle and [F]sing
I'd [C]follow the [Em]vessel my [Am]true love sails [Em]in
And [C]in the top [Em]rigging I would [Am]there build my [Em]nest
And I'd [Am]flutter my [Em]wings o'er her [G]lily-white [F]breast
[]