G C G D
G C G D G

[Verse 1]
      G                  C
Last night while I lay sleeping
      G          D7     G
Last night while in a dream
                   C
I saw my dear old mother
     G    D7          G
Down by a rippling stream

[Chorus 1]
      C               G
Don't ask me why I'm weeping
      C              G
Don't ask me why I pray
                  C
For I've an aged mother
      G      D7      G
Ten thousand miles away

[Solo]
G C G D G

[Verse 2]
   G                C
A letter here from sister dear
      G          D7    G
Come home, we're all alone
                      C
Dear mother's slowly fading
     G       D7       G
She can't be with us long


[Chorus 1]
      C               G
Don't ask me why I'm weeping
      C              G
Don't ask me why I pray
                        C
I've a dear old mother dying
      G      D7
Ten thousand miles away

[Bridge]
 G          D7         G
Well, ah-le-ho, le-ho-lay
 G          D7         G
Well, ah-le-ho, le-ho-lay
C           G
Out in the cold world
D7              G
Long ways from home

[Verse 3]
      G              C
I'm drawing near the old home
      G       D7      G
Dear sister's at the gate
                              C
She's leading me through the doorway
      G             D7        G
Oh, brother, you've come too late

[Chorus 2]
     C              G
Oh, lead me to the casket
       C                 G
Throw back the linen so fine
                     C
That I may kiss her pale white lips
       G           D7          G
For I know they'll never kiss mine

[Solo]
G C G D G


[Verse 4]
   G                  C
I see the pale moon shining
    G        D7         G
On mother's white tombstone
                           C
The rosebuds 'round them twining
     G        D7   G
Are just like me alone

[Outro]
 G          D7         G
Well, ah-le-ho, le-ho-lay
 G          D7         G
Well, ah-le-ho, le-ho-lay
C           G
Out in the cold world
D7         G
Left all alone