Traditional
Capo step 1
Am F G Am
Black is the colour of my true love’s hair.
F G E7
Her lips are like some roses fair
F G E7
She has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands
F G Am
And I love the ground whereon she stands.
I love my love and well she knows
I love the ground whereon she goes
I wish the day it soon would come
When she and I could be as one
I go to the Clyde and I mourn and weep
For satisfied I ne’er can be
I write her a letter just a few short lines
And suffer death a thousand times
Black is the colour of my true love’s hair.
Her lips are like some roses fair
She had the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands
And I love the ground whereon she stands.
More Info
I travelled the road with Hamish Imlach in 1967. I stayed in his home and befriended his family. He taught me so much, I was almost his apprentice. At the start of his singing career he was a serious singer and player. As time went by he veered more towards the comedy aspect of his repertoire.
In my view this was to the detriment of his work. He taught many of the emerging players many things,not all of them choose to remember. Those who did not forget include Bert Jansch, Luke Kelly, Jim McCann, Archie Fisher, Rab Noakes and many others too..
This was one of Hamish’s big songs. Every time I sing it he is sitting beside me, I loved him dearly, still do…