The Ways of Man | Bok, Muir, and Trickett (cover)

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The Ways of Man
Written by Gordon Bok

Verse 1
The ways of man are passing strange
He buys his freedom and he counts his change
Then he lets the wind his days arrange
And he calls the tide his master

Repeat Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Verse 2
But the days grow short and the year gets old
And the fish won’t stay where the water’s cold
And if they’re going to fill the hold
They’ve got to go off shore to find them

Repeat Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Verse 3
So they go outside on the raven deep
And they pray the Lord their soul to keep
But the waves will roll them all to sleep
And the tide will be their keeper

Repeat Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Secondary Chorus
Ah the the tide, ah the tide
Ah ye dark and ye bitter tide
If I can’t have him by my side
I guess I have to leave him

Repeat Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Verse 4
I gave you 1, I gave ya 2
The best that rotten ole boat could do
You won’t be happy till I give ya 3
Well, you must not care a lot for me (lyrical edit)

Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Secondary Chorus
Ah the the tide, ah the tide
Ah ye dark and ye bitter tide
If I can’t have him by my side
The water’s welcome to him

Repeat Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Verse 5
Ah, Lord, I know that the day will come
When one less boat comes sloggin’ home
I don’t mind knowing that he’ll be the one
But I can’t spend my whole life praying

Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Verse 6
I gave you 1, I gave ya 2
The best that poor ole boat could do
You’d have it all before you’re through
Well, I’ve got no more to give you

Primary Chorus
Ah the days, ah the days,
Ah the fine long summer days
The fish come rolling in the bays
And he swore he’d never leave me

Wrap-around Verse
The ways of man are passing strange
He buys his freedom and he counts his change
Then he lets the wind his days arrange
And he calls the tide his master

#bokmuirtrickett #smithsonianfolkways #folksong