When You and I Were Young, Maggie
Music by James Austin Butterfield (1837-1891)
Lyrics derived from the poem "When You and I Were Young" by George Washington Johnson (1846-1914)
This song has been performed by many people in many different styles from the lyrical
beauty of the Irish tenor John McCormack who recorded it in 1925 (available on YouTube)to
all manner of Bluegrass, Dixieland, Country and Folk styles. I like to play and sing it
in a slightly Dylanesque fashion hence the Dsus and the A7addG chords in this version.
The lyrics vary from version to version and often verse 2 is omitted but here I have
used the words from the original score published by J A Butterfield and Co, Indianapolis in
1866 so you may mix and match as you please. The published score differs slightly from
Johnson’s original poem and I have marked associated lines with * and annotated these at
the end for information. The chorus was not part of the original poem.
Intro:
D G D A7 D ( D )
////¦////¦// //¦/// (I wandered...)
Alternative Intro:
D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D ( D )
// // ¦/ / / (I wandered...)
Verse 1
D D7 G
I wandered today to the hill, Maggie
D A A7
To watch the scene below
D D7 G
The creek and the creaking old mill, Maggie
D A7addG D D7
Where we sat in the long, long ago.
G D
The green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie
A E7 A A7
Where first the daisies sprung
D D7 G
The creaking old mill is still, Maggie
D A7addG D Dsus4 D
Since you and I were young. // ¦///
Chorus:
D D7 G
And now we are aged and grey, Maggie,
D A A7
And the trials of life nearly done,
D D7 G
Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie
D A7addG D Dsus4 D
When you and I were young. // ¦///
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/misc_traditional/when_you_and_i_were_young_maggie_crd.html ]
Verse 2
D D7 G
A city so silent and lone, Maggie
D A A7
Where the young and the gay and the best*
D D7 G
In polished white mansions of stone, Maggie
D A7addG D D7
Have each found a place of rest,*
G D
Is built where the birds used to play, Maggie
A E7 A A7
And join in the songs that were sung
D D7 G
For we sang just as gay as they, Maggie
D A7addG D Dsus4 D
When you and I were young. // ¦///
Chorus:
D D7 G
And now we are aged and grey, Maggie,
D A A7
And the trials of life nearly done,
D D7 G
Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie
D A7addG D Dsus4 D
When you and I were young. // ¦///
Verse 3
D D7 G
They say I am feeble with age, Maggie,
D A A7
My steps are less sprightly than then,
D D7 G
My face is a well-written page, Maggie,*
D A7addG D D7
But time alone was the pen.
G D
They say we are aged and grey, Maggie,*
A E7 A A7
As sprays by the white breakers flung,*
D D7 G
But to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie,
D A7addG D Dsus4 D
When you and I were young. // ¦///
Chorus
D D7 G
And now we are aged and grey, Maggie,
D A A7
And the trials of life nearly done,
D G
Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie
D A7addG D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D
When you and I were young. ¦ // / & /
*Words which vary from original poem:
1 Where the young, the gay and the best
1 Have each found a palace of rest
2 My face is a full written page, Maggie
3 But Time’s alone was the pen
4 Our heads they say are as gray, Maggie
5 As the spray by the white breakers flung
Chords
A7 A7addG Dsus4 Dsus2
E--0----3------3-----0-----------|
B--2----2------3-----3-----------|
G--0----2------2-----2-----------|
D--2----2------0-----0-----------|
A--0----0------------------------|
E--0----0------------------------|
