What So The Simple Folk Do chords by Richard Harris

Verse 1

 F                  C   F
What do the simple folk do
    F          F7                 Bb
To help them escape when they're blue
     Gm7             Am
The shepherd who is ailing
     Dm               C
The milkmaid who is glum
      Gm7           Am
The cobbler who is wailing
     Gm  Dm6      C
From nailing his thumb

 F                     C   F
When they're beset and be-sieged
     F            F7       Bb
The folk not noblessely obliged
   Dm            Am
However do they manage
   Gm7              F  A  Bbm6
To shed their weary l-o-t
    F Am Cm  Gm7  F     C   F
Oh, w-h-a-t  do simple folk do
Gm7    F
We do not

Bb             F7
I have been informed
    Bb        C7        F
By those who know them well
      Bb    Gm7       F       F7    Bb F7 Bb
They find relief in quite a clever way
Dm                    A7
When they're sorely pressed
      Dm            A7
They whistle for a spell
       F                 Dm7   Gm7        A  Bbm6
And whistling seems to brighten up their day
     F C Cdim7  Gm7    F     C7  F
And t-h-a-t-'-s what simple folk do
Gm7      F    Gm7
So they say

        F
They whistle?
Gm7      F
So they say


Verse 2

      G                  D   G
What else do the simple folk do
     G           G7             C
To perk up the heart and get through
     Am7               Bm
The wee folk and the grown folk
      Em           D
Who wander to and fro
       Am7               Bm        G7
Have ways known to their own folk
     Am     Em6        D
We throne folk don't know

 G                    D   G
When all the doldrums be-gin
     G               G7         C
What keeps each of them in his skin
       Em             Bm
What ancient native custom
    Am7              B    Cm6
Provides the needed glow
     G Gaug Dm   Am7  G     D7   G
Oh,  w - h-a-t   do simple folk do
Am      G
Do you know

C     Am7     Dm7  G7
Once along a road
   C     D7    G
I came upon a lad
C       Am7    G7                    C G7 C
Singing in a voice three times his size
Em               Am B7
When I asked him why
    Em    Em6     B7
He told me he was sad
       G      G7   Em7       Am7     B   Cm6
And singing always made his spirits rise
    G  D  Ddim7 Am7    G     D7  G  Am7
So  t-h-a-t-'-s what simple folk do
       G   Am7
I surmise
      G    Am7
They sing?
       G
I surmise


Bridge:
Bb               F
Arise, my love! Arise, my love!
Bb          C7         F
Apollo's lighting the skies, my love
Bb            Eb        Bb
The meadows shine with columbine
      C                F
And daffodils blossom away


Verse 3

      G                  D   G
What else do the simple folk do
      G           G7        C
They must have a system or two
       Am7         Bm
They obviously outshine us
      Em             D
At turning tears to mirth
       Am7             Bm     G7
Have tricks a royal highness
    Am   Em6    D
Is minus from birth

 G            D         G
What then I wonder do they
    G               G7    C
To chase all the goblins away
      Em                Bm
They have some tribal sorc'ry
      Am7              B   Cm6
You haven't mentioned yet
     G Gaug Dm  Am7 G      D7   G
Oh,  w - h-a-t  do simple folk do
Am     G
To forget

C    Am7   Dm7  G7
Often I am told
        C     D7    G
They dance a fiery dance
     C          Am7        G7           C   G7 C
And whirl 'til they're completely uncontrolled
Em               Am B7
Soon the mind is blank
    Em    Em6     B7
And all are in a trance
       G      G7   Em7      Am7   B  Cm6
A vi'lent trance astounding to behold
    G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G      D7  G  Am7
And t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do
        G   Am7
So I'm told


Verse 4

      G                  D   G
What else do the simple folk do
     G         G7                 F6    E
To help them escape when they're blue
     Am7               Bm
They sit around and wonder
      Am7             B7 Cm6
What royal folk would do
    G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G     D7   G  Am7
And t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do
      G    Am7
   Really?
    G                    Am7    Cm6
I have it on the best authority
     G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G     D7   G  Am7
Yes, t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do


Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe