Sweet Baby James

Words & Music:

James Taylor

 

G    G/F#    G/E    G/D    A7  [first vox note = A]

 

      D         A           G            F#m

There is a young cowboy who lives on the range.

    Bm            G              D        F#m

His horse and his cattle are his only companion.

   Bm           G             D             F#m

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyon.

G           D           A           Em    A

Waiting for summer, his pastures to change.

    G           A         D

And as the moon rises, he sits by his fire

Bm             G         D          A

Thinkin' about women and glasses of beer.

G           A           D

Closing his eyes as the dogies retire,

   Bm          G             D

He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear,

   Bm       E             A

As if maybe someone could hear.

 

CHORUS:

D              G         A  D     Bm         G           D

Goodnight, you moonlight ladies.  Rock-a-bye, sweet baby James.

Bm              G             D

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.

          Bm        E          Asus4  A     G          A           D

Won't you let me go down in my dreams?  And rock-a-bye sweet baby James.

 

Now, the first of December was covered with snow.

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston.

Lord, the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting.

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go.

There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway,

A song that they sing when they take to the sea,

A song that they sing of they're home in the sky.

Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep.

But, singing works just fine for me.

 

CHORUS: