Lyr Req: Sweet Baby James (James Taylor)

02 Jul 97 - 02:52 PM (#7960)
Subject: vaguely remembered cowboy song-help!
From: [e-mail]

I have a piece of a song going round and round in my head and I can't get a hold of it. Can anyone help me? The piece I remember goes something like:

"there was (is?) a young (old) cowboy that rode (rides?) on the range. His horse and his saddle (?) his only companions.

That's all. Thanks! Barbara

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02 Jul 97 - 03:12 PM (#7963)
Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: SWEET BABY JAMES (James Taylor)
From: LaMarca

Hi, Barbara- That sounds like the opening lines of "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor (one of the first record albums I bought in my youthful days). I pulled the lyrics off some random JT fan site, so I can't vouch for their accuracy, but they sound right to my memory; hope it's what you're looking for!

There [D]is a young cowb[A]oy, he l[G]ives on the r[F#m]ange,
His h[Bm]orse and his c[G]attle are his o[D]nly comp[F#m]anions,
He w[Bm]orks in the s[G]addle and he sl[D]eeps in the c[F#m]anyons,
W[G]aiting for su[D]mmer, his p[A]astures to c[Em7]hange.[A7]

And [G]as the moon rises [A7sus]he sits by his f[D]ire,
Th[Bm]inking about wo[G]men and gl[D]asses of b[A]eer,
And cl[G]osing his eyes as the [A7sus]doggies ret[D]ire,
He s[Bm]ings out a s[G]ong which is s[D]oft but it's clear,
A[E7sus]s if maybe s[E7]omeone could[Asus] hear. [A]

{c:Chorus:}

He says g[D]oodnight you m[G]oonlight [A7sus]ladies,
[D] R[Bm]ock-a-bye sw[G]eet baby Ja[D]mes,
D[Bm]eep greens and bl[G]ues are the co[D]lors I choose,
Won't you [E7sus]let me go down in my d[Asus]reams,
And r[G]ock-a-by [A7sus]sweet baby J[D]ames.

Well the first of December was covered with snow,
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston,
The Birkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frostin',
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 their home in the sky,
Maybe you can believe it, if it helps you to sleep,
But singing works just fine for me.

{c:Chorus.}

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