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