[Intro]GGGGGGDDGGEmEmDCEmEmDDGG[Verse 1]G
One fair girl with fine
yellow hair
GD
Wild flower of the west country
GEm
Left one night for a stormy ride
DC
On a winding road to
EmDG
the east
[Verse 2]G
One fair girl at the
Birmingham Mill
G
For a dollar and a half
D
times three
G
See the spinning wheels turn,
Em
she is young but she'll learn
DC
With her slender white hands
EmDG
to weave
[Verse 3]G
Twelve small stacks in a row
row row
GD
And a girl of five times three
G
See the mill boss patrol, hear
Em
the factory bells toll
DCEm
And the girls look as sad as can be
DG
And she cried for her home country
[Interlude]GGGGGGDDGGEmEmDCEmEmDDGG[Verse 4]G
One little spark set a light
to a flame
G
And the fire climbed through
D
to the east
G
And the roof it crashed and the
Em
girls all dashed
DCEm
And they all cried "oh god please"
D
And she crawled on her hands
G
and her knees
FEATURED: The Best Exercises for Improving Your Guitar Skills.
[Interlude]GGGGGGDDGGEmEmDCEmEmDDGG[Verse 5]G
At the Birmingham Mill where
the wild flowers grow
GD
Round the grave of the girl so fair
G
See the lilly bells bloom round
Em
her cold marble tomb
DC
And they come in the spring
EmDG
of the year
How to play Birmingham Mill: key, chords and progression
This is the chords of Birmingham Mill by Willie Watson on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.
Birmingham Mill by Willie Watson is built around G major (one sharp: F♯), with 4 chords in all: G, D, Em and C.
The backbone of the song is G – D – G – Em (I – V – I – vi in G major). In solfa, that is doh – soh – doh – lah. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.
Beginner-friendly: every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.