Frankie On The Sheepscot

Intro: Verse Frankie braids the purse-string, Cleon sets the tow Frankie goes to pick them over in the well He's never got a hat on, and the snow is all about him And it packs around his head like his own skin Verse "Don't I hate this foolish river!", Frankie cries "Up and down her like a yo-yo on a string Go out in the morning and tear up Mend all your afternoon And all this dirty river staving by" Verse Ah, but boys, you should have seen him Wearing the snow as you would wear your hair Singing, "It's a hard life for a boy on the gut" He's got the words wrong, but he doesn't seem to care And the seagulls working easy out behind him Verse Cleon slides the hatch back, and he shouts down "Boys, we're anchored" And you set your coffee down and you go on deck But the river's humping by so fast, the snow's so flying thick You can't tell if she's moving or lying still Verse "Don't I hate this foolish river!", Frankie cries "Up and down her like a yo-yo on a string Go out in the morning and tear up Mend all your afternoon And all this poor old river going by" Verse Cleon winds the wheel and he cracks the power to her And she pokes her head around, but she doesn't turn And he takes her out of gear While Frankie goes to try to haul back He says, "I guess we've hooked the dear old State of Maine" Verse Ah, but boys, you should have seen him Hour after hour, Cleon on that old wheel There's nothing out there but hard times Time and the flying snow And all that pretty river rolling by Verse Oh, but boys it makes me wonder Hour after hour, Cleon on that old wheel There's nothing to see but hard times Time and the flying snow But Cleon watches day and night and day