Shepherd

                          G
Said the shepherd to his wife,
                            C
The crop of hay is cut and dried.
      Dsus2                  C
I’ll bail it up and bring it in,
                         C
Before the coming storm begins.
                           G
Go, she said, and beat the storm,
                           C
And then there is another chore.
Dsus2                   C
Today the baby will be born,
                         C
You’ll take me to the hospital.
                           G
Said the shepherd, if it’s true,
                               C
'Twere better if I stayed with you.
Dsus2                      C
I’d rather let the harvest go,
                    C
And hasten to the hospital.
                           G
Nay, she told him, I’ll be fine,
                         C
We both have laboring to do.
Dsus2                      C
You do yours and I’ll do mine,
                                         C
And the babe will wait 'til the work is through.
Instrumental (*same riff)
G C Dsus2 C C G
                           G
The shepherd rode the yellow rows,
                                C
The clouds above and the field below.
Dsus2                          C
Until the bails had all been tied,
                                C
Then home returned to find his wife.
                           G
The sweat was wet upon her brown,
                        C
Her breath it cameth labouredly.
    Dsus2                    C
And then the rain was coming down,
                         C
Upon the field of yellow hay.
                           G
Said the shepherd, it’s no use,
                             C
The rain will surely win the race.
        Dsus2              C
‘Twere better if we let it fall,
                      C
And hurry to the hospital.
                             G
Go, she said, and work with haste,
                             C
And bring the bails into the barn.
Dsus2                    C
Else the crop will go to waste,
                                         C
And the babe will wait ‘til the work is done.
Instrumental (*same riff)
G C Dsus2 C C G
                                 G
The shepherd drove into the storm,
                             C
And to and from the yellow barn.
       Dsus2             C
'Til half the bails were safely in,
                             C
Then went to find his wife again.
                             G
How many times her name he called,
                             C
And no replying would she make.
    Dsus2                   C
Her breath it cameth not at all,
                                   C
She would not rise from where she lay.
Instrumental (*same riff)
G C Dsus2 C C G
                             G
The storm was o’er within the hour,
                               C
The shepherd saw the sun come out.
    Dsus2                      C
The shepherd’s wife saw ne’er again,
                             C
He buried her and the babe within.
                             G
He turned the seed into the ground,
                               C
He brought the flock to feed thereon.
   Dsus2                    C
He held the cleaver and the plow,
                             C
And the shepherd’s work was never done.