Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional
Played as an instrumental by Phil Lesh & Friends with Stanley Jordan in October 2015.
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
For I have loved you well and long
Delighting in your company
Chorus
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves
Alas, my love, that you should own
A heart of wanton vanity
So must I meditate alone
Upon your insincerity
[chorus]
Your vows you've broken, like my heart
Oh, why did you so enrapture me
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity
[chorus]
If you intend thus to disdain
It does the more enrapture me
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity
[chorus]
I have been ready at your hand
To grant whatever you would crave
I have both wagered life and land
Your love and good-will for to have
[chorus]
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing
But still thou hadst it readily
Thy music still to play and sing
And yet thou wouldst not love me
[chorus]
I bought thee kerchiefs for thy head
That were wrought fine and gallantly
I kept thee at both board and bed
Which cost my purse well-favoredly
[chorus]
I bought thee petticoats of the best
The cloth so fine as it might be
I gave thee jewels for thy chest
And all this cost I spent on thee
[chorus]
Thy smock of silk, both fair and white
With gold embroidered gorgeously
Thy petticoat of sendal right
And these I bought thee gladly
[chorus]
My men were clothed all in green
And they did ever wait on thee
All this was gallant to be seen
And yet thou wouldst not love me
[chorus]
They set thee up, they took thee down
They served thee with humility
Thy foot might not once touch the ground
And yet thou wouldst not love me
[chorus]
'Tis, I will pray to God on high
That thou my constancy mayst see
And that yet once before I die
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me
[chorus]
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
To God I pray to prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves