Lyrics and Chords

Down by the Salley Gardens

The lyrics to the Salley Gardens are among the simplest you will find in Irish music.

They tell the story of a young man who falls in love with a girl but loses her because he tries to push the relationship on too quickly.

Down by the Salley Gardens main page

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The lyrics were originally written by W B Yeats as a poem. The music was added later.

Salley means willow so the salley gardens are simply an area where willows were grown for use in making thatched roofs.

Salley Gardens lyrics and chords

C 

Down by the  

G7 

Salley 

 

 

F 

Gar

C 

dens,

 

My  

F 

love and  

G7 

I did  

C 

meet.

 

She crossed the  

G7 

Salley 

 

 

F 

Gar

C 

dens

 

With  

F 

little 

 

 

G7 

snow-white 

 

 

C 

feet.

 

She  

Am 

bid me  

F 

take love  

Em 

easy,

 

As the  

F 

leaves grow  

G7 

on the  

C 

tree,

 

But I was  

G7 

young and  

F 

fool

C 

ish,

 

And with  

F 

her did  

G7 

not 

 

a

C 

gree.

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

In a field down by the river,

My love and I did stand

And on my leaning shoulder,

She laid her snow-white hand.

She bid me take life easy,

As the grass grows on the weirs

But I was young and foolish,

And now am full of tears.

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

Down by the Salley Gardens,

My love and I did meet.

She crossed the Salley Gardens

With little snow-white feet.

She bid me take love easy,

As the leaves grow on the tree,

But I was young and foolish,

And with her did not agree.

Information on Down by the Salley Gardens