Aura Lee

Words & Music by W.W. Fosdick & George R. Poulton, ca 1861
Recorded by The Cumberland Three, 1960



G      Gdim      A7               Am7      D7      G      D
As the blackbird in the spring, 'neath the willow tree,

G       Gdim      A7             Am7     D7    G
Sat and piped, I heard him sing, sing of Aura Lee.


Refrain:
G    G/F#  B7        C   C/B  Am7  Am7/G  B7
Aura Lee, Aura Lee, maid with gol - den  hair,

 E7    Bm7-5   A7                   Am7     D7      G
Sunshine came along with thee, and swallows in the air.


On her cheek the rose was born, 'twas music when she spoke;
In her eyes the light of morn with glorious splendor broke.

Repeat Refrain:

Take my heart and take my ring, I give by all to thee;
Take me for eternity, Dearest Aura Lee.

Repeat Refrain:

Aura Lee, the birds may flee the willow's golden hair;
Then the wintry winds may be blowing ev'rywhere.

Final Refrain:

Yet if they blue eyes I see, gloom will soon depart;
For to me, sweet Aura Lee, is sunshine to the heart.

If you think the chord progression sounds familiar, that's probably because the melody was adapted from Public Domain for "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley.

The lyric and guitar chord transcriptions on this site are the work of The Guitarguy and are intended for private study, research, or educational purposes only. Individual transcriptions are inspired by and and based upon the recorded versions cited, but are not necessarily exact replications of those recorded versions.