T'was in the merry month of May The green buds were a-swellin' Sweet William on his deathbed lay For the love of Barbara Allen He sent his servant unto her To the place where she was dwellin' Sayin' you must come to his bedside now If your name be Barbara Allen So slowly, slowly she got up And slowly she drew nigh in And the only words to him she said Young man, I think you're dyin' As she walked slowly o'er the fields She heard the dark bell ne'er ring And with every stroke it seemed to say Hard-hearted Barbara Allen Oh mother, mother, make my bed Make it long and narrow Sweet William died for me today I will die for him tomorrow Instrumental They buried her in the old churchyard They buried her beside her And from his grave grew a red, red rose And from the grave a green briar They grew and grew to the steeple tower Till they could grow no higher And now they're tied in a true love's knot Red rose around green briar