Tuning: E A D G B E

Written by Ralph McTell, chords transcribed from the Fairport Convention Songbook One v2.0 [Chorus 1]

^DRed and ^F#mGold are ^Emroyal ^Acolours ^DPe^A/C#asant ^Bmcol^D/Aours are ^Ggreen and ^Abrown ^DGreen is the ^Gcorn in the ^Dbrown earth when it's ^Bmgrowing ^GRed and ^Dgold when the ^Aharvest is cut ^Ddown ^Dsus4

[Verse 1]

Through ^DCropredy in ^EmOxfordshire the ^GCherwell takes its ^Acourse And the ^Dwillows weep in^Gto its waters ^Aclear My ^D/F#name it is Will ^GTimms and it's ^Ahere that I was ^Dborn And ^Graised in faith my ^AKing and God to ^Dfear

[Verse 2]

In ^D164^Em4 the King in ^GOxford Town did ^Adwell Though we'd ^Dheard that Cromwell's ^Garmy was nearb^Ay It did ^D/F#not occur to ^Gme that ^Alittle Cropre^Ddy Could be ^Gwitness to the ^Ameeting of both ^Dsides

[Verse 3]

On ^DJune the 2^Em9th that year I ^Gwas about my ^Awork Cutting ^Dhedges in the ^Gmeadow by the ^Astream My blade ^D/F#slipped, I cut my ^Ghand and my ^Aown dear blood did ^Dflow Up^Gon the brown earth ^Aand the corn still ^Dgreen

[Verse 4]

Now it ^Ddid distress me ^Emso to ^Gwatch my own blood ^Aflow And ^Dquickly soak in^Gto the greedy ^Aground In red and ^D/F#gold my colours ^Gswam and ^Asweat broke on my ^Dbrow And ^Gfaint I knew that ^AI must lay me ^Ddown

[Chorus 1]

[Verse 5]

At ^Dfirst I thought the ^Emthundering was ^Gjust inside my ^Ahead So I ^Draised myself ab^Gove the hedge to ^Asee And I ^D/F#watched as in a ^Gdream as the ^Aarmies fought down^Dstream The ^GBattle for the ^ABridge at Cropre^Ddy

[Verse 6]

Now the ^DKing's men fought in ^Emred and gold though ^GCromwell's men were ^Aplainer The ^Dblood they spilled was ^Gcoloured just the ^Asame Through the ^D/F#hedgerow's fragile ^Gcover I saw ^Abrother killing ^Dbrother And ^Gall of this was ^Adone in Jesus' ^Dname

[Chorus 1]

[Verse 7]

^DAll that day and ^Emall the next the ^Gbattle it was ^Araging ^DThough when darkness ^Gcame I slipped a^Away But the ^D/F#crying of the ^Gdying kept me ^Awakeful and just ^Dlying ^GIn my bed until the ^Adawning of the ^Dday

[Bridge 1]

^AAnd the dreams I had were red and ^Dgold And the ^Glittle ^Dstream became a flo^Asus4od ^A From ^Dall my ^Gbrothers ^Dkilling one a^Bmnother Till ^Gwaking I ^Drealised it was ^Aall my own dear ^Dblood

[Verse 8]

^DSome were buried ^Emin the church and ^Gsome just where they ^Afell With no ^Dmarkers to de^Gclare their place of ^Arest But the ^D/F#poppies they do ^Ggrow where ^Athey were never ^Dsown And ^Gto my mind they ^Ado declare it ^Dbest

[Verse 9]

And each ^Dyear when the green ^Emcorn once ^Gagain turns into ^Agold And the ^Dpoppies in the ^Gfield again re^Amind me Like the ^D/F#scar upon my ^Ghand and the ^Ablood spilled on this ^Dland And the ^Ghungry earth so ^Aeager to con^Dfine me

[Chorus 2]

^DRed and ^F#mGold they ^Emare the ^Acolours ^DOn^A/C#e is ^Bmblo^D/Aod and ^Gone is ^Apower ^DThough I may find my ^Grest in ^DCropredy ^Bmchurch In ^Ggolden fields for^Dever will ^Aspring the poppy ^Dflower ^Dsus4

[Verse 10]

By ^DCropredy the ^EmCherwell is still ^Gbidden to keep ^Aflowing And the ^Dwillows by its ^Gside still gently ^Aweep But ^D/F#still in restless ^Gdreams by ^Athis most peaceful ^Dstream The ^Gpoppies wake me ^Afrom my rightful ^Dsleep

[Bridge 2]

^AAnd the dreams I have are red and ^Dgold And the ^Glittle ^Dstream becomes a fl^Asus4ood ^A From ^Dall my ^Gbrothers ^Dkilling one a^Bmnother Till ^Gwaking I ^Drealise it's ^Aall my own dear ^Dblood

Fairport Convention - Red and gold