F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
verse 1
F Bb F C
Why I count 'em up to figgits, and figgit there's a notch,
F Bb C F
Why there's more to being a shepherd than to being on watch;
F Bb F C
For there's swedes to chop and there's lambing time and snow upon the rick,
F Bb C F
Yan, tan, tethera, and covera up to dik.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
verse 2
F Bb F C
Why from Caistor down to Spilsby from Sleaford up to Brigg,
F Bb C F
There's Lincoln sheep all on the chalk, all hung wi' wool and big.
F Bb F C
And I'm here in Langton wi' this same old flock,
F Bb C F
Just like me grandad did afore they meddled with the clock.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
verse 3
F Bb F C
For we've bred our tups and gimmers for the shape and length and girth,
F Bb C F
And sheep have bred, have gone away all o'er all the earth.
F Bb F C
Why they've bred in foreign flocks to give the wool its length and crimp,
F Bb C F
Yan, tan, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
verse 4
F Bb F C
For they're like a lot of bairns, they are, like youngsters of me own,
F Bb C F
when They fondle around about owd Shep until they're strong and grown;
F Bb F C
But they gets independent-like, an a'fore i knows, they've gone,
F Bb C F
And yet come round next lambing time some more'll carry on.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
Verse 5
F Bb F C
Why Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp,
F Bb C F
Fifteen notches up to now and one ewe with a limp.
F Bb F C
Why you reckons I should go away, but you know I'll never go,
F Bb C F
For lambing time's on top of us and it'll surely snow.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?
Verse 6
F Bb F C
For it's lambing time comes reg'lar-like, just as it's always been,
F Bb C F
And shepherds have to tend to them until they're strong an weaned
F Bb F C
Why my family did it a'fore I came, they'll have it when I sleep,
F Bb C F
And they shall count their lambing times like I am countin' sheep.
F Bb F C
Yan, tan, tethera, tethera, pethera, pimp.
F Bb C F
Yon owd ewe's far-welted, this ewe's got a limp
F Bb F C
Sethera, methera, hovera, and covera up to dik,
F Bb C F
Whose ta deal wi' 'em all, and wheer's me crook and stick?