Intro.: Dm / F / C / Dm / Bb / C / Dm  

Dm                              C  
When in the springtime of the year  
               Am                            Dm  
When the trees are crowned with leaves  
                                              C  
When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew  
       Am                      Dm  
Are dressed in ribbons fair  
                             C  
When owls call the breathless moon  
         Am                  Dm  
In the blue veil of the night  
                             C  
The shadows of the trees appear  
   Am                   Dm  
Amidst the lantern light  


Dm                          C  
We've been rambling all the night  
       G                       Dm  
And some time of this day  
                     C  
Now returning back again  
      G                    Dm       Dm / Bb / C / Dm   
We bring a garland gay    


Dm                                  C  
Who will go down to those shady groves  
       Am                           Dm  
And summon the shadows there  
                                     C  
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms  
         Am                    Dm  
In the springtime of the year  
                                        C  
The songs of birds seem to fill the wood  
       Am                   Dm  
That when the fiddler plays  
                      C  
All their voices can be heard  
         Am                        Dm  
Long past their woodland days  


Dm                          C  
We've been rambling all the night  
       G                       Dm  
And some time of this day  
                     C  
Now returning back again  
      G                    Dm       Dm / Bb / C / Dm (2x)  
We bring a garland gay   


       Dm                       C  
And so they linked their hands and danced  
               Am              Dm  
Round in circles and in rows  
                                     C  
And so the journey of the night descends  
          Am                      Dm  
When all the shades are gone  
                            C  
"A garland gay we bring you here  
       Am                  Dm  
And at your door we stand  
                         C  
It is a sprout well budded out  
       Am                     Dm  
The work of Our Lord's hand"  


Dm                          C  
We've been rambling all the night  
       G                       Dm  
And some time of this day  
                     C  
Now returning back again  
      G                    Dm       Dm / B / C / Dm (2x)  
We bring a garland gay