Lyrics and Chords

A Bunch of Thyme

The lyrics to A Bunch of Thyme tell the story of a young woman who loses her virginity to a sailor who then abandons her.

A Bunch of Thyme
Lyrics and Chords
Lyrics and Chords Print version

The song is traditional and dates back at least to the 17th century. It was a big hit for Irish duo Foster and Allen in the 1980s.

Chord Converter
Our chord converter enables you to play this song in any key.

The chords are presented here in the key of C Major. Foster and Allen usually play the song in E Major. Place a capo on the fourth fret and play the chord shapes shown below to play the A Bunch of Thyme in E Major.

Use our key converter to play the chords in other keys.

A Bunch of Thyme Lyrics and Chords

C 

Come all ye  

G7 

maidens young and  

C 

fair

 

All you that are  

Em 

blooming in your  

G7 

prime,

 

Al

C 

ways 

 

be

C7 

ware and  

F 

keep your garden  

C 

fa

G7 

ir

 

Let  

C 

no man  

G7 

steal away your  

C 

thyme.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For thyme it is a precious thing

And thyme brings all things to my mind.

Thyme with all its flavours, along with all its joys

Thyme, brings all things to my mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once I and a bunch of thyme

I thought it never would decay.

Then came a lusty sailor who chanced to pass my way

He stole my bunch of thyme away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sailor gave to me a rose

A rose that never would decay,

He gave it to me to keep me reminded

Of when he stole my thyme away.

A Bunch of Thyme
Lyrics and Chords
Lyrics and Chords Print version