I started learning ‘The Water is Wide’ in my singing lessons and I wanted to be able to practice at home using my guitar for accompaniment, but I couldn’t find any tabs for this song that were simple enough, so I’ve made my own arrangement. Standard tuning (lowest to highest: EADGBE) The melody starts on string (3rd from the bottom) My arrangement only uses 4 chords: The water is wide, D I cannot cross o’er And neither have I The wings to fly... Send me a boat That can carry two And both shall row, My true love and I... A ship there is And she sails the sea.. She’s laden deep As deep can be, But not so deep As the love I’m in- I know not if I sink or swim... I leaned my back Against a young oak, Thinking it was A trusty tree, But first it bent And then it broke, So did my love Prove false to me... Oh love be handsome And love be kind, Gay as a jewel When first it is new, But love grows old And waxes cold And fades away Like the morning dew... The finger picking is easy – use your thumb for low E and A strings, index finger for and ring finger for high E strings. The picking starts on the word ‘wide’, so ‘the water is’ is unaccompanied. E---------------3--------3----------3---------3------------2--------2-------2-------3----2--------- B-----------------0---------0----------0---------0-----------3--------3-------3-------3---3-------- G--------------------0---------0----------0---------0----------2--------2-------2------------------ D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A----------------------------------------------------------0--------0-------0-------0-------------- E---------------3--------3----------3---------3---------------------------------------------------- The water is wide__________________________I cannot cross o’er_________________And neither have E----0--------0----------0---------0----------2--------2-------2-------3----2------3---------3-- B-------1--------1----------1---------1----------3--------3-------3-------3---3-------0--------- G----------0--------0----------0---------0----------2--------2-------2-------------------0------ D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------0--------0-------0-------0------------------------ E----0--------0----------0---------0-----------------------------------------------3---------3-- I________________________The wings to fly_______________________Send me a boat______ E-----------3--------3---------3-----------0--------0-------0-------0-----------2-------2-------- B--0-----------0--------0---------0-----------1--------1-------1-------1-----------3-------3----- G-----0----------0---------0---------0-----------0--------0-------0-------0-----------2-------2-- D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------0-------0-------- E-----------3----------3-------3-----------0--------0-------0-------0---------------------------- _________________________That can carry two___________________And both shall row_______________ E----2-----------2----------3---------3---------3--------3--------------------------------------------- B-------3-----------3----------0---------0---------0--------0------------------------------------------ G----------2-----------2----------0---------0---------0--------0-------------------------------------- D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A----0-----------0--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------3---------3--------3--------3---------------------------------------------- ____________My true love and I_______________________ {GO BACK TO BEGINNING} Repeat for each verse then after the last word of the last verse, strum the chord slowly for a quick and easy finish like this: E-----------------3---------------------- B--------------0------------------------- G-----------0---------------------------- D--------0------------------------------- A-----2---------------------------------- E--3-------------------------------------