When You Were Sweet Sixteen chords

by The Fureys

Writer: James Thornton - American songwriter and vaudeville performer.
Published: 1898
Featured Artists: The Fureys from the album When You Were Sweet Sixteen (1982)
Music: G Major in 4/4 time at 110 bpm (𝅘𝅥)
Chords: G, G/F#, A, Am, Bm, C, C/B, D, D7, D/C, D/B, Em
Beginners: Easier if you don't play the bass notes, so instead of G/F#, C/B, D/C, D/B etc., you can simple play G, C and D.

Chart Legend

Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open X: Don't play string B: Bass Note

When You Were Sweet Sixteen

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key

               G   G/F#  Em   C  C/B   Am    D           G     D
Intro: 4/4 ||:   -     |    |   -    |    |     |  𝄎  |     |     :||
 
           G       G/F#    Em                   C    C/B   Am
      When first I saw the love-light in your | eyes     |     |
        D                      D7                   G    D7
      I thought the world held nought but joy for | me |    |
          G     G/F#      Em               C    C/B    Am
      And e-ven though we drif-ted far a-| part      |     |
        A                 A7                D  D/C    D/B    D
      I nev-er dream, but what I dream of | thee -  |     -  𝄑  |
      
        G        G/F#     Em                  C      C/B    Am
      I love you     as I nev-er loved be - | fore -     |      |
              D             D7                G        D7
      Since first I saw you on the vil-lage | green |      |
           G     G/F#        Em                        C      C/B    Am
      Come to me     e'er my dreams of love that are | o'er -     |      |
        C                G         Em                 Bm
      I love you    as I loved you      When you were sweet |     |
                    Am    D7     G
      When you were sweet    six-teen |  𝄎  |
 
           G   G/F#  Em   C  C/B   Am    D           G     D
Instr: ||:   -     |    |   -    |    |     |  𝄎  |     |     :|| 
 
        G        G/F#     Em                  C      C/B    Am
      I love you     as I nev-er loved be - | fore -     |      |
            D               D7                G        D7
      Since first I saw you on the vil-lage | green |      |
           G     G/F#        Em                        C      C/B    Am
      Come to me     e'er my dreams of love that are | o'er -     |      |
        C                G         Em                 Bm
      I love you    as I loved you      When you were sweet |     |
                    Am    D7     G
      When you were sweet    six-teen |  𝄎  |
 
           G   G/F#  Em   C  C/B   Am    D           G     D
Outro: ||:   -     |    |   -    |    |     |  𝄎  |     |     :||...repeat to fade

Please Note: You don't have to play chords with bass notes. They are more suited to a fingerpicking style of playing.

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