verse 1 

 F                  C   F 
What do the simple folk do 
    F          F7                 Bb 
To help them escape when they're blue 
     Gm7             Am 
The shepherd who is ailing 
     Dm               C 
The milkmaid who is glum 
      Gm7           Am 
The cobbler who is wailing 
     Gm  Dm6      C   
From nailing his thumb 
   
 F                     C   F 
When they're beset and be-sieged 
     F            F7       Bb 
The folk not noblessely obliged 
   Dm            Am 
However do they manage 
   Gm7              F  A  Bbm6 
To shed their weary l-o-t 
    F Am Cm  Gm7  F     C   F            
Oh, w-h-a-t  do simple folk do 
Gm7    F 
We do not 

Bb             F7 
I have been informed 
    Bb        C7        F 
By those who know them well 
      Bb    Gm7       F       F7    Bb F7 Bb  
They find relief in quite a clever way 
Dm                    A7 
When they're sorely pressed 
      Dm            A7 
They whistle for a spell 
       F                 Dm7   Gm7        A  Bbm6 
And whistling seems to brighten up their day 
     F C Cdim7  Gm7    F     C7  F  
And t-h-a-t-'-s what simple folk do 
Gm7      F    Gm7 
So they say 

        F 
They whistle? 
Gm7      F  
So they say 
    

verse 2 

      G                  D   G 
What else do the simple folk do 
     G           G7             C 
To perk up the heart and get through 
     Am7               Bm 
The wee folk and the grown folk 
      Em           D 
Who wander to and fro 
       Am7               Bm        G7           
Have ways known to their own folk 
     Am     Em6        D     
We throne folk don't know 

 G                    D   G 
When all the doldrums be-gin 
     G               G7         C 
What keeps each of them in his skin 
       Em             Bm  
What ancient native custom 
    Am7              B    Cm6 
Provides the needed glow 
     G Gaug Dm   Am7  G     D7   G  
Oh,  w - h-a-t   do simple folk do 
Am      G 
Do you know 

C     Am7     Dm7  G7         
Once along a road 
   C     D7    G 
I came upon a lad 
C       Am7    G7                    C G7 C      
Singing in a voice three times his size 
Em               Am B7 
When I asked him why 
    Em    Em6     B7  
He told me he was sad 
       G      G7   Em7       Am7     B   Cm6 
And singing always made his spirits rise 
    G  D  Ddim7 Am7    G     D7  G  Am7 
So  t-h-a-t-'-s what simple folk do 
       G   Am7 
I surmise 
      G    Am7 
They sing? 
       G 
I surmise 


Bridge: 
Bb               F 
Arise, my love! Arise, my love! 
Bb          C7         F 
Apollo's lighting the skies, my love 
Bb            Eb        Bb  
The meadows shine with columbine 
      C                F 
And daffodils blossom away 


verse 3 

      G                  D   G 
What else do the simple folk do 
      G           G7        C 
They must have a system or two 
       Am7         Bm 
They obviously outshine us 
      Em             D 
At turning tears to mirth 
       Am7             Bm     G7           
Have tricks a royal highness 
    Am   Em6    D 
Is minus from birth 

 G            D         G 
What then I wonder do they 
    G               G7    C 
To chase all the goblins away 
      Em                Bm  
They have some tribal sorc'ry 
      Am7              B   Cm6 
You haven't mentioned yet 
     G Gaug Dm  Am7 G      D7   G  
Oh,  w - h-a-t  do simple folk do 
Am     G 
To forget 

C    Am7   Dm7  G7         
Often I am told 
        C     D7    G 
They dance a fiery dance 
     C          Am7        G7           C   G7 C    
And whirl 'til they're completely uncontrolled 
Em               Am B7 
Soon the mind is blank 
    Em    Em6     B7  
And all are in a trance 
       G      G7   Em7      Am7   B  Cm6 
A vi'lent trance astounding to behold 
    G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G      D7  G  Am7 
And t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do 
        G   Am7 
So I'm told 


verse 4 

      G                  D   G 
What else do the simple folk do 
     G         G7                 F6    E 
To help them escape when they're blue 
     Am7               Bm 
They sit around and wonder 
      Am7             B7 Cm6 
What royal folk would do 
    G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G     D7   G  Am7 
And t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do 
      G    Am7 
   Really? 
    G                    Am7    Cm6 
I have it on the best authority 
     G  D  Ddim7  Am7   G     D7   G  Am7 
Yes, t-h-a-t-'-s  what simple folk do 


Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe