Willow Tree
View chords used in this chart
[Intro ]
Ab A A7
A A7
A7 A
[Verso 1]
A A7
There's bones in my garden,
A A7 A
I hear them crying from the dirt,
A A7 D
Their sordid little story,
A7 A
Unholy kind of hurt.
[Verso 2]
E
Well I'm a sitting in my kitchen,
D D7
Hear them howlin at the moon,
Ab A
Just may lose my mind,
A
They don't quiet down soon.
Interlude:
A A
[Verso 3]
A
Pretty Polly's William,
A A
Wasn't much a mate,
D7
Polly followed till the end,
A A
And suffered such a fate.
[Verso 4]
E
When I saw the bloody knife,
D D7
I knew that we must part,
D7
He wouldn't let me go,
A
So I stabbed him in the heart.
Instrumental:
A A
A A
D D
A A
E D
A A
[Verso 5]
A A
The shadows dance and flicker,
A A
I'm guided by the moon,
D
Beneath the willow tree,
D7 A A
He'll be sleeping soon.
[Verso 6]
E
Well the bones say not a word,
D
As I place them in the ground,
A
Whiskey burns my throat,
A
As I slowly drink it down.
Interlude:
A A7
[Verso 7]
A7 A7
The reaper man come calling,
A7 A7
Come calling in the night,
D
Calling to collect,
D7 A
Before the morning light.
[Verso 8]
E7
Well I opened up the door,
D
And let the man right in,
A
He greets me with a smile,
A
And a knowing kinda grin.
Interlude:
A A
[Verso 9]
A A
Now there's bones in my garden,
A A
I hear them crying from the dirt,
A A
Their sordid little story,
A A
I just may lose my mind.
Outro:
A A
A A
A
How to play Willow Tree
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is Ab. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.