Bb      Bbm     F
Bb      Bbm     F

[Verse 1]

Am                  Bb              G               Am
Things are usually harder than they seem to need to be
Am                   Bb                   G               Am
You learn that up on these stump branches by your momma’s knee
Am                     G              Bb                 F
As she’s stooped over swearing at the cow to please hold still
     Bb           Bbm           F               Am
And gray into the pale steamed winter milk

[Verse 2]

Am                     Bb                     G              Am
And a lot of different men passed through for pickin’ or for hen
Am                   Bb                  G                  Am
And most are famous certain for going to beer parlors than saving
                       G             Bb            F
And it’s only the rare one who isn’t mainly on the make
    Bb             Bbm             F
And him, he took a job at Williams Lake

[Chorus 1]

F                               Am
Well it didn’t seem too much unless you got
        Gm                                     C
How underneath it flows the long, so full and hot
C                       F               Dm
Like a June creek, when all the snow is melt
     Bb                  Bbm                   F
That no one dreams would run as thin as winter milk

Bb      Bbm     F

{Verse 3]

Am               Bb             G               Am
We didn’t go out often, or even fool around too much
Am                  Bb           G                   Am
This giddy milk cow never kicked about his finger’s touch
                        G                   Bb          F
His cheek read from her flank, as he looked up to smile hello
   Bb             Bbm              F
He never sang but kept time to the radio

[Chorus 2]

F                                    Am
Well it wasn’t like a real love at a show
             Gm                       C
With Deborah Kerr or anything I still don’t know
                      F                      Dm
How something flowing smooth as store bought silk
       Bb            Bbm            F
Could just dry up or run as thin as winter milk
Bb                   Bbm            F
Could just dry up or run as thin as winter milk