When You and I Were Young, Maggie Music by James Austin Butterfield (1837-1891) Lyrics derived from the poem "When You and I Were Young" by George Washington Johnson (1846-1914) This song has been performed by many people in many different styles from the lyrical beauty of the Irish tenor John McCormack who recorded it in 1925 (available on YouTube)to all manner of Bluegrass, Dixieland, Country and Folk styles. I like to play and sing it in a slightly Dylanesque fashion hence the Dsus and the A7addG chords in this version. The lyrics vary from version to version and often verse 2 is omitted but here I have used the words from the original score published by J A Butterfield and Co, Indianapolis in 1866 so you may mix and match as you please. The published score differs slightly from Johnson's original poem and I have marked associated lines with * and annotated these at the end for information. The chorus was not part of the original poem. Intro: D (xx0232@1) G (320003@1) D (xx0232@1)A7D ( D (xx0232@1) ) ////?////?// //?/// (I wandered...) Alternative Intro: D (xx0232@1)Dsus4D Dsus2D ( D (xx0232@1) ) // // ?/ / / (I wandered...) Verse 1 D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GI (320003@1)wandered today to the hill, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7To (x02020@1)watch the scene below D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GThe (320003@1)creek and the creaking old mill, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1)D7Where (xx0212@1)we sat in the long, long ago. G (320003@1) DThe (xx0232@1)green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie A (x02220@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) A7Where (x02020@1)first the daisies sprung D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GThe (320003@1)creaking old mill is still, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DSince (xx0232@1)you and I were young. // ?/// Chorus: D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GAnd (320003@1)now we are aged and grey, Maggie, D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7And (x02020@1)the trials of life nearly done, D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GLet (320003@1)us sing of the days that are gone Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DWhen (xx0232@1)you and I were young. // ?/// Verse 2 D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GA (320003@1)city so silent and lone, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7Where (x02020@1)the young and the gay and the best* D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GIn (320003@1)polished white mansions of stone, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) D7Have (xx0212@1)each found a place of rest,* G (320003@1) DIs (xx0232@1)built where the birds used to play, Maggie A (x02220@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) A7And (x02020@1)join in the songs that were sung D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GFor (320003@1)we sang just as gay as they, Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DWhen (xx0232@1)you and I were young. // ?/// Chorus: D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GAnd (320003@1)now we are aged and grey, Maggie, D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7And (x02020@1)the trials of life nearly done, D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GLet (320003@1)us sing of the days that are gone Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DWhen (xx0232@1)you and I were young. // ?/// Verse 3 D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GThey (320003@1)say I am feeble with age, Maggie, D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7My (x02020@1)steps are less sprightly than then, D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GMy (320003@1)face is a well-written page, Maggie,* D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) D7But (xx0212@1)time alone was the pen. G (320003@1) DThey (xx0232@1)say we are aged and grey, Maggie,* A (x02220@1) E7 (020130@1) A (x02220@1) A7As (x02020@1)sprays by the white breakers flung,* D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GBut (320003@1)to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie, D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DWhen (xx0232@1)you and I were young. // ?/// Chorus D (xx0232@1) D7 (xx0212@1) GAnd (320003@1)now we are aged and grey, Maggie, D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1) A7And (x02020@1)the trials of life nearly done, D (xx0232@1) GLet (320003@1)us sing of the days that are gone Maggie D (xx0232@1) A7addG D (xx0232@1) Dsus4 (xx0233@1)DDsus2 DWhen (xx0232@1)you and I were young. ? // / & / *Words which vary from original poem: 1 Where the young, the gay and the best 1 Have each found a palace of rest 2 My face is a full written page, Maggie 3 But Time's alone was the pen 4 Our heads they say are as gray, Maggie 5 As the spray by the white breakers flung Chords A7 A7addG Dsus4 Dsus2 E--0----3------3-----0-----------| B--2----2------3-----3-----------| G--0----2------2-----2-----------| D--2----2------0-----0-----------| A--0----0------------------------| E--0----0------------------------|