Written by Jimmy McPeake
As performed by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez during the Rolling Thunder
Revues (1975-6), and in the version from the Isle of Wight concert,
released on Bootleg Series 10: Another Self Portrait (2013)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem
Intro and basic strumming pattern:
C Csus4 C > > > > : . . . |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| |-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-| |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| repeat |-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-2-| |-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-| |-----------------|
C Oh the summertime is coming F C And the leaves are sweetly blooming F C And the wild mountain thyme Dm F Blooms around the purple heather. C F C Will you go, lassie, go? If my true love she won't go, I will surely find another To pull wild mountain thyme From all around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?
F C And we'll all go together F C To pull wild mountain thyme Dm F From all around the purple heather. C F C Will you go, lassie, go.
I will build my love a tower *) At the foot of yonder mountain *) And then on it I will put All the flowers of the mountain Will you go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together To pull wild mountain thyme From all around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?
*) Several other versions have “bower” and “fountain” here, but this seems to be what they sing.
The strumming pattern is fairly regular throughout, something like this, whenever there's a G chord:
: . . . : . . . |-----3---3---3---|-----3-3-3---3---| |-----0---1---3---|-----0-0-1---3---| |-----0---0---0---|-----0-0-0---0---| |-----0---2---2---|-----0-0-2---2---| |-----------------|-----------------| |-3---------------|-3---------------|
And the recurring bass figure:
C /b /a /g C /b /a : . . . : . . . : . . . : . . . |-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---| |-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---| |-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---| |-----2-----------|-----------------|-----2-----------|-----------------| |-3-------2-------|-0---------------|-3-------2-------|-0-------0-------| |-----------------|---------3-------|-----------------|-----------------| ...around____________ the purple heather_______ Will you go...
G Oh the summertime is a-coming C /b /a G And the leaves are sweetly blooming C /b /a G And the wild mountain thyme C /b /a /g C /b /a Blooms around the purple heather. G C /b /a G Will you go, lassie, go?
C /b /a G And we'll all go together C /b /a G To pull wild mountain thyme C /b /a /g C /b /a From all around the purple heather. G C /b /a G Will you go, lassie, go?
If my true love she won't go, You know, I'll surely find another To pull wild mountain thyme From all around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?
I will build my love a tower At the foot of the fountain And then on it I will put All the flowers of the mountain Will you go, lassie, go?
Oh, the springtime is a-coming and the wee birds are sweetly singing And the wild mountain thyme blooms around the purple heather will you go, lassie, go?