Down By the Salley Gardens
Down By the Salley Gardens is a pretty English - or perhaps Irish - song with poetic words by William Butler Yeats.
On this page you'll find the piece in seven different keys as lead sheets, two guitar tabs versions, and one for piano as well, in the key of D.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
In the video above, I played the song through twice: once in Db, and on the repeat, in the key of D (as it is written). Somehow, I think Db is more beautiful - probably because the ear wearies of familiar, often-used tonalities.
Where's the sheet music for the key of Db?
Though I did not provide sheet music for the key of Db, you can easily transpose this song down a half step by PRETENDING that there are five flats in the key signature, instead of two sharps! The only spot that might be a bit challenging is measure 14, where C natural has to move down to C flat. This is a pianist "hack" that works in almost all the keys!
Difficulties for the vocalist
This song has many slurred notes for the singer: view these as learning opportunities!
Students need to be able to interpret notes and musical symbols, and it is surprising (to me) how often young singers will be baffled by the slurs in a vocal line.
I like them to be intelligent music "map readers" against that future day when they will become part of a choir; I want them to be an asset, not a drag on the group!
Will students like such an old song?
You never know just how particular students will react to a new song, especially a song as old-fashioned as this one.
But I actually had a young singer once beg me for "Down by the Salley Gardens" after she had been introduced to it at a summer Fine Arts Camp.
It just goes to show you that good music is going to be loved, if given a chance.
Fortunately, I found an arrangement in this Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland, & Wales. There are about 100 songs in this book, including a few I have on this site, often with different melodies or lyrics.
Is this actually a folk song?
Is Down by the Sally Gardens a folk song? Perhaps the tune is, but the words by Yeats are less than 150 years old... however, it FEELS like a folk song!
Steven from Ireland is pretty sure this is NOT an English song, but an Irish tune:
Not an English song?
Perhaps I might be wrong here, but the song “The Sally Gardens” is an Irish song, not an English song. It was written in 1889, before Ireland became independent from the United Kingdom.
It could technically be described as a British song, because at the time, Ireland was being governed from London.
This would, however, completely ignore the social and cultural background of the country at the time.
Yeats was among those at the forefront of an Irish cultural revival which was taking place at the time. This was a response to 200 years or more of repression of Irish language, music, sport, poetry etc.
There may be many versions of the song recorded by English musicians. This tends to happen with most folk songs.
Irish, Scottish, American, English folk musicians borrow songs and instrumental pieces from each other. But the origins of a piece should not be lost.
Here is a beautiful violin rendition of this piece by Retaw Boyce of Australia:
A piano accompaniment
Here is my own piano arrangement of this lovely song:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Guitar tabs for Down by the Salley Gardens
Here is another lovely rendition of Salley Gardens, this time a vocal version, by Laura Wright:
What is a "salley garden"? A garden full of willows.
The links for the lead sheets:
Download lead sheet Down by the Salley Gardens in the key of A
Download Down by the Salley Gardens in the key of Bb
Download Salley Gardens in the key of C
Download Down by the Sally Gardens in Eb
Download English song in the key of F
Download lead sheet Down by the Sally Gardens in G
The link for the piano accompaniment:
Download piano accompaniment for Salley Gardens in D
The links for the guitar tabs:
Download folk song with guitar tabs in the key of C
Download Sally Gardens guitar tabs in the key of D
More Folk Songs to Sing:
Ae Fond Kiss - a love song about saying goodbye, from Scotland
All the Pretty Little Horses - a soft and repetitious lullaby, quite pretty
Ash Grove - a famous and lovely song from Wales
Auld Lang Syne - the New Year's Eve song!
Colorado Trail Song - an American tune written by a real cowboy
Come By the Hills - another popular Irish melody
Down By the Salley Gardens - a famous and pretty song, very sweet
Green Bushes - a brisk little song that is pretty while being good for breath control training
Grenadier and the Lady - my favorite folk song of all. Find out why
I Gave My Love a Cherry - the "Riddle Song" is very pretty
Loch Lomond - the famous and sad song about never meeting again
Mari's Wedding - a singable tune with bouncy chords that is fun to play or sing
Minstrel Boy - a lovely and patriotic song about a warrior-poet
Molly Bawn - a sad story of a young hunter who thought he was shooting at a swan
Morning Has Broken - a beautiful melody made famous again by Cat Stevens
Once I Had a Sweetheart - "but now I have none!" Very pretty, and little-known.
Parting Glass - a well-known Irish tune which my singers always love
Raggle-Taggle Gypsies - a story about a young bride who abandons her wealthy new husband to go off with the gypsies. A catchy melody!
Scarborough Fair - an old and famous tune of lost love
Shenandoah - a famous and lovely American tune with ambiguous lyrics
Skye Boat Song - a pretty song from Scotland about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie over the sea
Spanish Ladies - a minor key sea chanty that swings energetically along - BOYS like singing it too!
The Spanish Lady - Upbeat and energetic, this Irish song is fun to perform with a group
Star of the County Down - LOTS of fun to sing and play! An excellent ensemble piece
The Wellerman - a sea chanty that is very singable, and very fun!
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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