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Intro: Am
G Am
Bonnie Brown lay down the jack of diamonds
C Am
Young Cody took the king of clubs in trade
G Am
The queen of hearts was dealt to Simple Simon
C Am
But Cat-eye Willie drew the ace of spades
G Am
Oh, Bonnie make the bed that you were born in
C Am
Turn your daddy's picture to the wall
G Am
For you'll not marry Cody, come the morning
C Am
Tonight ol' Shuffling Willie comes to call
N.C. C G Dm Am
Bonnie Brown, you can run and hide, fly my honey lamb
C G Am
You can cry, 'Have mercy', and crawl the cane for cover
C G
But you're bound for the butcher's bride
Dm Am
The slew-foot devil won't be denied
C G Am
When Cat-eye Willie comes to claim his lover
G Am
As the hour of midnight was approaching
C Am
She heard his goblin boot-heels on the floor
G Am
The tattered rags like raven wings in motion
C Am
The hammer hand upon the bedroom door
G Am
'Have mercy on this high-born lily maiden
C Am
The fairest of the valley so they say'
G Am
''Twas you who mocked my bent back, heavy laden
C Am
No mercy had you in your heart that day'
N.C. C G Dm Am
Bonnie Brown, you can run and hide, fly my honey lamb
C G Am
You can cry, 'Have mercy', and crawl the cane for cover
C G
But you're bound for the butcher's bride
Dm Am
The slew-foot devil won't be denied
C G Am
When Cat-eye Willie comes to claim his lover
Instrumental: (Fiddle Break)
G Am
Now he has had away her coat of leather
C Am
And he has had away her daisy dress
G Am
But as he slumbers on her bed of feathers
C Am
She breaks a silver dagger in his chest
Bridge:
Dm Am G Am
'Oh, hold your pillow to my breast to stay this crimson flood
G F E7
For my darling, oh, my darling you have spilled my mortal blood'
Dm Am G Am
'No, I will not your darling be, while I have breath and spit in me'
C G E
'Then I curse your proud house down, 'til you're buried in the ground'
N.C. C G Dm Am
Bonnie Brown, you can run and hide, fly my honey lamb
C G Am
You can cry, 'Have mercy', and crawl the cane for cover
C G
But you're bound for the butcher's bride
Dm Am
The slew-foot devil won't be denied
C G Am
When Cat-eye Willie comes to claim his lover
G Am
Now twenty years her suitors have been idle
C Am
And twenty years her cat-eye boy has grown
G Am
And he has stolen a ruttled horse and bridle
C Am
And taken to the cullion road alone
G Am
'Oh, build my tomb down in some meadow lonely
C Am
Mark it with the traitor diamond knave
G Am
For I have served one master, true and only
C Am
And I will sleep beside him in the grave'
N.C. C G Dm Am
Bonnie Brown, you can run and hide, fly my honey lamb
C G Am
You can cry, 'Have mercy', and crawl the cane for cover
C G
But you're bound for the butcher's bride
Dm Am
The slew-foot devil won't be denied
C G Am
When Cat-eye Willie comes to claim his lover
F Em Am
When Cat-eye Willie comes to claim his lover