When You And I Were Young Maggie

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 johnsons 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 . // /// 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 times 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |