Alasdair Clayre's song as he did and as done by Gordon Bok have a few variations. What follows is the way I play it, The chords are based on Clayre's melody and not Boks bass heavy notation. I think how ever you choose to sing it really OK. The little lyric variables are folk process and just fine.



A Gentle Easy Flowing River    capo at 4 sounds in “B”

  
  (G)  (D)   G                 C         G
  When you come afloat In the morning light      
              C         D         C       D
  And you're towing through the summer weather        
           C      D            C          D
  And you use no clock but the ebb and flood-line                                       
          Em                  C             D       G
  It's a gentle easy flowing river
  
  
  But when you're out on deck in the big spring gales GCG
  And you hunch aboard your barge and shiver CDCD
  You go creeping slow against the weight of water CDCD
  With the ebb tide pushing down the river Em C DG
  
  And it's cold on board in the winter dark GCG
  And you think the night will last for ever CDCD
  And you crouch and wait there below in your cabin CDCD
  As the dawn tide takes you own the river Em C DG
  
  And you've stood out there in the lightning storm GCG
  As the big wave punch the boats together CDCD
  And the thunder shakes the steel below you CDCD
  As you're working on the open river Em C DG
  
  Well it ebbs and flows with its rain and oil GCG
  When London's gone it will flow on forever CDCD
  To the sea and its grime and its black salt water CDCD
  It's a gentle easy flowing river. Em C DG