Am              Dm      
Hi ho hi ho holiday 
    Am              E
The best day of the year
       Am                         Dm 
Little Matty Groves to church did go
     Am            E          Am   E        Am         
some holy words to hear, some holy words to hear

[Verse 2]
   Am                            Dm  
He spied three ladies dressed in black
    Am            E
As they came into view
     Am                    Dm 
Lord Arlens wife was gaily clad
  Am               E      Am      E        Am       
a flower among the few, a flower among the few.

[Verse 3]
Am                      Dm  
She tripped up to Matty Groves
    Am               E
Her eyes so low cast down
       Am                           Dm 
Saying "Pray, oh, pray come with me stay
   Am                   E        Am       E           Am       
As you pass through the town, as you pass through the town

[Verse 4]
Am                      Dm  
I cannot go, I dare not go
  Am                   E
I fear 'twould cost my life
      Am                         Dm 
For I see by the little ring you wear
    Am              E         Am         E      Am       
You are Lord Arlens wife, the great Lord Arlens wife

[Verse 5]
Am                             Dm  
This may be false, this may be true
  Am            E
I can't deny it all
     Am                    Dm 
Lord Arlens gone to consecrate
     Am            E          Am    E       Am       
King Henry at Whitehall, King Henry at Whitehall

[Verse 6]
Am                            Dm  
Oh pray, oh pray come with me stay
     Am               E
I'll hide thee out of sight
     Am                        Dm 
I'll serve you there beyond compare
    Am                 E          Am         E       Am       
And sleep with you the night, and sleep with you the night

[Verse 7]
Am                         Dm  
Her little page did listen well
   Am                E
to all that they did say
    Am                      Dm 
and ere the sun could rise again 
   Am            E       Am       E    Am       
He quickly sped away, he quickly sped away

[Verse 8]
    Am                       Dm
And he did run the Kings highway
   Am              E
He swam across the tide
   Am                      Dm
He ne'er did stop until he came
       Am                E            Am         E      Dm Dsus2 Dm    
To the great Lord Arlens side, to the great Lord Arlens side

[Instrumental]
Am Asus2  Am  E  E7 E Am

[Verse 9]
     Am                      Dm
What news what news my bully boy
     Am                 E 
what news brings you to me 
   Am                        Dm 
My castle burned, my tenants robbed 
   Am           E      Am   E      Am 
My lady  with baby, my lady with baby

[Verse 10]
   Am                           Dm
No harm has come your house and land 
    Am              E
The little page did say
     Am                     Dm
"But Matty Groves is bedded up 
     Am             E         Am        E    Am
With your fair lady gay, With your fair lady gay

[Verse 11]
     Am                     Dm
Lord Arlen called his merry men
   Am                 E
He bade them with him go
   Am                         Dm
He bade them ne'er a word to speak
    Am              E         Am      E       Am
And ne'er a horn to blow, and ne'er a horn to blow

[Verse 12]
    Am                      Dm
But among Lord Arlens merry men 
     Am               E
Was one who wished no ill
        Am                     Dm     
And the bravest lad in all the crew 
         Am               E                Am      E        Dm Dsus2 Dm
Blew his horn so loud and shrill, blew his horn so loud and shrill

[Instrumental]
Am Asus2  Am  E  E7 E Am

[Verse 13]
      Am                          Dm
Whats this whats this cried Matty Groves
      Am             E
Whats this that I do hear
   Am                        Dm
It must be Lord Arlens merry men
    Am             E         A         E    Am
The ones that I do fear, the ones that I do fear

[Verse 14]
    Am                   Dm 
Lie down lie down little Matty Groves
    Am                E
And keep my back from cold
    Am                     Dm 
Its only Lord Arlens merry men
  Am                  E       Am         E        Am
a'callin the sheep to fold, a'callin the sheep to fold.

[Verse 15]
            Am                 Dm
Little Matty Groves he did lie down
   Am           E
He took a nap asleep
    Am                      Dm
And when he woke Lord Arlen was
  Am              E       A        E      Dm Dsus2 Dm
A'standing at his feet, a'standing at his feet.

[Instrumental]
Am Asus2  Am  E  E7 E Am

[Verse 16]
    Am                   Dm
How now how now my bully boy 
Am                    E
Oh how do you like my sheets
    Am                            Dm
And how do you like my fair young bride
    Am                  E         Am           E      Am  
Who lies in your arms asleep, who lies in your arms asleep.

[Verse 17]
       Am                    Dm
Ah its very well I like your bed
        Am               E
And its fine I like your sheets
        A                           Dm
But its best I like your fair young bride
    Am                E         Am         E      Am
Who lies in my arms asleep, Who lies in my arms asleep.

[Verse 18]
Am                           Dm
Rise up rise up little Matty Groves
   Am               E
As fast as e'er you can
   Am                        Dm
In England it shall ne'er be said
  Am              E      Am     E        Am
I slew a sleepin' man, I slew a sleepin' man

[Verse 19]
        Am                           Dm
And the firstest stroke little Matty struck
   Am              E
He hurt Lord Arlen sore
        Am                         Dm
But the nextest stroke  Lord Arlen struck
       Am              E            Am    E         Am
Little Matty struck no more, Little Matty struck no more.

[Verse 20]
A                            Dm
Rise up rise up my gay young bride
     Am             E
Draw on your pretty clothes
    Am                     Dm
Now tell me do you like me best
    Am            E              Am    E     Am
Or like you Matty Groves, or the dying Matty Groves.

[Verse 21]
    Am                      Dm
She picked up Matty's dying head
    Am                   E
she kissed from cheek to chin
          Am                      E          
Said "Its Matty Groves I'd rather have
     Am                E         Am        E       Am
Than Arlen and all his kin, than Arlen and all his kin.

[Verse 22]
    Am                   Dm
Ah, woe is me and woe is thee
    Am                  E
Why stayed you not your hand
    Am                          Dm
For you have killed the fairest lad
   Am        E        Dm        A
In all of England, in all of England