Learn Buck Curran’s Slow, Stately DADGAD Arrangement of “Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair”

“Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair” is a traditional lament with mysterious origins. Believed to have originated in Scotland, as the River Clyde is referenced in the lyrics, the song made its way to America in the late 19th or early 20th century with Scottish and Irish immigrants. In 1916, English folklorist Cecil Sharp collected it from Lizzie Roberts in North Carolina and published it in the
book English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. John Jacob Niles, a ballad singer and collector, composed the melody widely used today.

I first heard “Black Is the Colour” through singer Jessica Ruby Radcliffe’s version, featuring Martin Simpson on guitar. Radcliffe learned the song from her family, influenced by Burl Ives’ 1944 recording. I recorded it with Shanti Deschaine and the band Arborea on our 2011 album, Red Planet, and again for my solo album One Evening and Other Folk Songs (2024), featuring my wife, Adele, inspired by Nina Simone’s 1959 rendition.

This solo guitar arrangement closely follows the vocal melody as heard on Red Planet and Radcliffe’s version. I recommend committing the melody to memory before working through the transcription. The song is a lament, performed in the style of an Irish slow air, so take it slowly, making every note count to convey the song’s brooding mood.

In the accompanying video, notice how I pace and sustain many of the notes, using slow, subtle vibrato, as if I were singing. The guitar is tuned to DADGAD with a capo at the fourth fret, causing it to sound in the key of F# minor, though the song can easily be played without the capo. The goal is to highlight the haunting beauty and timeless quality that has allowed this song to endure for generations.