The Crow on the Cradle
Sydney Carter


[capo on 3]


[intro]
Em     C  G  D  Em D     Em


    Em
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn
C          G          D           Em
Now is the time for a child to be born
      Em                                      Bm
He'll laugh at the moon and he'll cry for the sun
    C         G           D       Em
And if he's a boy he will carry a gun
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle


    Em
And if it should be that this baby's a girl
  C         G           D            Em
O never you mind if her hair doesn't curl
     Em                                    Bm
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
      C        G           D        Em
And a bomber above her wherever she goes
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle

    Em
The crow on the cradle, the black and the white
  C          G       D          Em
O somebody's baby is born for a fight
    Em                                    Bm
The crow on the cradle, the white and the black
  C          G       D          Em
O somebody's baby is not coming back
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle


     Em
Your mother and father, they'll sweat and they'll save
   C           G          D         Em
To build you a coffin and dig you a grave
Em                              Bm
Hushabye, little one, never you weep
    C           G             D          Em
For we've got a toy that will put you to sleep
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle


Em
Bring me a gun and I'll shoot that bird dead
C                G          D           Em
That's what your mother and father once said
    Em                                Bm
The crow on the cradle, what shall we do?
C           G            D           Em
This is the thing that I leave up to you
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle
         D           Em
Sang the crow on the cradle