verse 1 
G 
Oh the snow falls soft round the old cabin door, 
       C                    G 
The baby lies sleeping so still; 
       C                             G         Em 
And she imagines she hears the faint ring of an axe 
        A                 D 
‘Way back in the Pontiac hills. 
          G 
Well, the days grind by just like a log in a jam, 
       C                       G 
In the window the candle burns low; 
          C                           G                Em 
It’s been weeks since he left to head north to the camps- 
            G             D                 G 
There’ll be months before spring brings him home. 



[Refrão]
Chorus 
          C                            G 
And in the shanty they’re dancin’ on a hard-packed dirt floor 
          C                                           D 
While the fiddler scrapes out them old tunes one time more; 
         C                                 G             Em 
And he’s wond-rin’ why he’s there far from fam’ly and friends 
       G          D            C 
In a logging camp Christmas again. 
    G                        D 
And wasn’t it this time last year that he swore 
        C                               G            D 
That he wouldn’t spend Christmas in the log camps no more? 
            G                          C             G 
But there’s too little choice when the livin’s this poor; 
                    D           G 
It’s the only way a man can survive. 



verse 2 
          G 
Well, the wood’s gettin’ low by the fire tonight 
         C                       G 
And she’ll up before dawn to cut more 
       C                   G             Em 
But it seems only right to let it burn bright 
            A                                 D 
‘cause it’s Christmas and her heart’s feelin’ sore. 
         G 
Well, it isn’t the work that she minds when he’s gone 
        C                             G 
And the neighbours help out when they can, 
         C                     G               Em 
It’s the time slipping by from life that’s too young 
      G            D           G 
To be living this far from her man. 



[Refrão]

Chorus 
          C                        G 
In the shanty they’re dancin’ on a hard-packed dirt floor 
          C                                           D 
While the fiddler scrapes out them old tunes one time more; 
         C                                 G             Em 
And he’s wond-rin’ why he’s there far from fam’ly and friends 
     G            D            C 
In a logging camp Christmas again. 
    G                        D 
And wasn’t it this time last year that he swore 
        C                               G             D 
That he wouldn’t spend Christmas in the log camps no more? 
            G                          C             G 
But there’s too little choice when the livin’s this poor; 
                    D           G 
It’s the only way a man can survive. 


Instrument Break 
C G C D C G Em G D C 



[Refrão]
Chorus 
          C                        G 
In the shanty they’re dancin’ on a hard-packed dirt floor 
          C                                           D 
While the fiddler scrapes out them old tunes one time more; 
         C                                 G             Em 
And he’s wond-rin’ why he’s there far from fam’ly and friends 
     G            D            C 
In a logging camp Christmas again. 
    G                        D 
And wasn’t it this time last year that he swore 
        C                               G             D 
That he wouldn’t spend Christmas in the log camps no more? 
            G                          C             G 
But there’s too little choice when the livin’s this poor; 
                    D           G 
It’s the only way a man can survive. 

Outro 
G 
Oh the snow falls soft round the old cabin door, 
       C                       G 
The baby lies sleeping so still; 
       C                             G         Em 
And she imagines she hears the faint ring of an axe 
        A                           D 
‘Way back in the Pontiac hills.