What Do the Simple Folk Do - Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (Lyrics and Chords)

ARTIST: Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
TITLE: What Do the Simple Folk Do
Lyrics and Chords


[Camelot]

[ G+ =  ; Cdim7 =  ; Ddim7 =  ]

What do the simple folk do
To help them escape when they're blue
The shepherd who is ailing
The milkmaid who is glum
The cobbler who is wailing
From nailing his thumb

/ F - C F - - - - / - - C F7 Bb - - - / Gm7 - Am - /
   / Dm - C - / Gm7 - Am F7 / Gm7 Dm6 C - /

When they're beset and besieged
The folk not noblessely obliged
However do they manage
To shed their weary lot
Oh, what do simple folk do
We do not

/ " / " / Dm - Am - / Gm7 - A Bbm / 
   / F Am/maj7 Cm Gm7 F - Gm7 C7 F - - Gm7 / F - - - /

I have been informed
By those who know them well
They find relief in quite a clever way
When they're sorely pressed
They whistle for a spell
And whistling seems to brighten up their day
And that's what simple folk do
So they say

/ Bb - F7 - / Bb C7 F - / BbF BbGm7 F7 - Bb F7 Bb - / 
   / Dm - A7 - / Dm Dm6 A7 - / F F7 Dm7 Gm7 A Gm A Bbm / 
   / F C Cdim7 Gm7 F - C7 - F - - Gm7 / F - - C7 /

   They whistle?
So they say
   [Whistling]

/ F - - Gm7 / F - - - /

What else do the simple folk do
To perk up the heart and get through
The wee folk and the grown folk
Who wander to and fro
Have ways known to their own folk
We throne folk don't know

/ G - D G - - - - / - - D G7 C - - - / Am7 - Bm - /
   / Em - D - / Am7 - Bm G7 / Am7 Em6 D - /

When all the doldrums begin
What keeps each of them in his skin
What ancient native custom
Provides the needed glow
Oh, what do simple folk do
Do you know

/ " / " / Em - Bm - / Am7 - B Cm / 
   / G G+ Dm Am7 G - D7 - G - - Am7 / G - - - /

Once along a road
I came upon a lad
Singing in a voice three times his size
When I asked him why
He told me he was sad
And singing always made his spirits rise
So that's what simple folk do
I surmise

/ C Am7 Dm7 G7 / C D7 G - / CG CAm7 G7 - C G7 C - / 
   / Em - Am B7 / Em Em6 B7 - / G G7 Em7 Am7 B Am B Cm / 
   / G D Ddim7 Am7 G - D7 - G - - Am7 / G - - D7 /

   They sing?
I surmise

/ G - - Am7 / G - - - /

Arise, my love! Arise, my love!
Apollo's lighting the skies, my love
The meadows shine with columbine
And daffodils blossom away

/ Bb - F - / Bb C7 F - / Bb Eb BbC7 FBb / Bb C F - / 

Hear Venus call to one and all
Come taste delight while you may
The world is bright and all is right
And life is merry and gay

/ Bb Eb F7 / Bb C FGm7 F / Bb - Eb F7 / Bb C7 F - /

What else do the simple folk do
They must have a system or two
They obviously outshine us
At turning tears to mirth
Have tricks a royal highness
Is minus from birth

What then I wonder do they
To chase all the goblins away
They have some tribal sorc'ry
You haven't mentioned yet
Oh, what do simple folk do
To forget

Often I am told
They dance a fiery dance
And whirl 'til they're completely uncontrolled
Soon the mind is blank
And all are in a trance
A vi'lent trance astounding to behold
And that's what simple folk do
So I'm told

[Dancing]

What else do the simple folk do
To help them escape when they're blue
They sit around and wonder
What royal folk would do
And that's what simple folk do
   Really?
I have it on the best authority
Yes, that's what simple folk do

/ G - D G - - - - / - - D G7 F6 - - - / Am7 - Bm - /
   / Am7 - B7 Cm / G G+ Dm Am7 G - D7 - G - - - /
   / B7 - - - / G - - - Em6 A7 Bm D7 G - - - /
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