"The Water Lily" 
by Ralph Stanley from "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" 
Transcribed by Jason Hannan 
Capo 2 
 
Intro: D 
 
A [D]lonely young wife in her [G]dreaming dis[D]cerns 
A lily decked pool with a border of [A]ferns  
And a [D]beautiful child with [G]butterfly [D]wings 
Drifts down to the edge of the [A]water and [D]sings 
 
[D]Come mama, come, [G]quick follow [D]me 
Step out on the leaves of the [A]water li[D]ly 
 
And the [D]lonely young wife, her [G]heart beating [D]wild 
Cries wait till I come, till I reach you my [A]child 
But the [D]beautiful child with [G]butterfly [D]wings 
Steps out on the leaves of the [A]lily and [D]sings 
 
[D]Come mama, come, [G]quick follow [D]me 
Step out on the leaves of the [A]water li[D]ly 
 
Instrumental (chords same as verse) 
 
And the [D]wife in her dreaming steps [G]out on the [D]stream 
But the lily leaves sink and she wakes from her [A]dream 
Oh the [D]waking is sad, for the [G]tears that it [D]brings 
And she knows its her dead baby’s [A]spirit that [D]sings 
 
[D]Come mama, come, [G]quick follow [D]me 
Step out on the leaves of the [A]water li[D]ly 
 
[D]Come mama, come, [G]quick follow [D]me 
Step out on the leaves of the [A]water li[D]ly 
 
End 
 
This is officially the saddest song in the world. 
Jason