The Cocky Farmer / Now I'm Easy lyrics and chords
This is a beauty from Eric Bogle who now lives in Australia,but who hales from Scotland, Eric's songs have been recorded by Joan Baez,The Pogues,Mary Black, P.J. Murrihy and Donovan.Now I'm Easy - The Cocky Farmer Mandolin Banjo Tab now included. The video is by myself to teach the chords, which are fairly easy, on guitar. Now I'm easy / the cocky farmer violin sheet music for beginners added.
For[D] nearly sixty years I've been a[G] farmer,
Through[D] drought, fire and flood I've lived through [A]plenty,
But this[D] country's dust and[G] mud, has[D] seen my tears and blood,
And its nearly over[A] now, and now i'm[D] easy.
[2]
I married a fine young girl when I was twenty,
But she died in giving birth when she was thirty,
No flying doctors then, just a gentle old black gin,
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy,
[3]
She left me with two sons and a daughter,
And a bone dry farm that cries for water,
Though my cares were rough and ready,
And they grew up fine and steady,
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy.
[3]
My daughter married young and went her own way,
My sons lay buried by the Burma railway
In this land I've called my home, though I've carried on alone,
And its nearly over now, and now i'm easy.
[4]
City folks these days despise the farmer,
Saying with dole and subsidies we have it easy,
But there's no drought or starving stock on your sured suburban blocks.
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy
[Repeat first verse]
Through[D] drought, fire and flood I've lived through [A]plenty,
But this[D] country's dust and[G] mud, has[D] seen my tears and blood,
And its nearly over[A] now, and now i'm[D] easy.
[2]
I married a fine young girl when I was twenty,
But she died in giving birth when she was thirty,
No flying doctors then, just a gentle old black gin,
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy,
[3]
She left me with two sons and a daughter,
And a bone dry farm that cries for water,
Though my cares were rough and ready,
And they grew up fine and steady,
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy.
[3]
My daughter married young and went her own way,
My sons lay buried by the Burma railway
In this land I've called my home, though I've carried on alone,
And its nearly over now, and now i'm easy.
[4]
City folks these days despise the farmer,
Saying with dole and subsidies we have it easy,
But there's no drought or starving stock on your sured suburban blocks.
And its nearly over now, and now I'm easy
[Repeat first verse]
Here’s a complete arrangement in G Major, with:
✅ Correct chords transposed from D → G
✅ A suitable slow folk strumming pattern
✅ A fingerpicking tab for all verses (steady and melodic)
🎵 Now I’m Easy — in G Major
Original key: D
Transposed to: G Major
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~70 BPM
Time Signature: 3/4 (folk waltz feel)
🎸 1. Full Lyrics with Chords (G Major)
Verse 1
For [G]nearly sixty years I’ve been a [C]farmer,
Through [G]drought, fire and flood I’ve lived through [D]plenty,
But this [G]country’s dust and [C]mud, has [G]seen my tears and blood,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 2
I [G]married a fine young girl when I was [C]twenty,
But she [G]died in giving birth when she was [D]thirty,
No flying [G]doctors then, just a [C]gentle old black gin,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 3
She [G]left me with two sons and a [C]daughter,
And a [G]bone-dry farm that cries for [D]water,
Though my [G]cares were rough and [C]ready,
They [G]grew up fine and steady,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 4
My [G]daughter married young and went her [C]own way,
My [G]sons lay buried by the Burma [D]Railway,
In this [G]land I’ve called my [C]home, though I’ve [G]carried on alone,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 5
City [G]folks these days despise the [C]farmer,
Saying [G]with dole and subsidies we have it [D]easy,
But there’s [G]no drought or starving [C]stock,
On your [G]sure suburban block,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (Gentle Waltz)
Time Signature: 3/4
Pattern:
🎵 Bass – Down – Up
Count:
1 2 3
Play the bass note (root) of each chord on beat 1, then a soft down-up strum on beats 2 and 3.
Example:
G chord
| 6 ↓ ↑ |
| 1 2 3 |
Keep it steady and light, with your wrist relaxed — think of a gentle sway.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (For All Verses)
We’ll use a rolling waltz arpeggio pattern common in folk songs:
T – I – M – I – M – I
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Verse Fingerpicking Pattern
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
For nearly sixty years I’ve been a farmer,
C G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Through drought, fire and flood I’ve lived through plenty,
G D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------3---3-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
But this country’s dust and mud has seen my tears and blood,
G D G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
And it’s nearly over now, and now I’m easy.
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Tempo & Feel:
Keep the rhythm steady but flowing.
Think of it as a reflective story — each verse should feel like turning a page.
🎵 Bass alternation:
For G → alternate 6th & 4th strings
For C → alternate 5th & 4th
For D → alternate 4th & 5th
🎵 Dynamics:
Verse 1: soft and gentle
Verse 3–4: build with more confident picking
Final verse: slow down slightly and fade
🎵 Optional ornaments:
On C, hammer-on D string (0→2)
On G, hammer-on A string (0→2)
On D, hammer-on G string (0→2)
✅ Correct chords transposed from D → G
✅ A suitable slow folk strumming pattern
✅ A fingerpicking tab for all verses (steady and melodic)
🎵 Now I’m Easy — in G Major
Original key: D
Transposed to: G Major
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ~70 BPM
Time Signature: 3/4 (folk waltz feel)
🎸 1. Full Lyrics with Chords (G Major)
Verse 1
For [G]nearly sixty years I’ve been a [C]farmer,
Through [G]drought, fire and flood I’ve lived through [D]plenty,
But this [G]country’s dust and [C]mud, has [G]seen my tears and blood,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 2
I [G]married a fine young girl when I was [C]twenty,
But she [G]died in giving birth when she was [D]thirty,
No flying [G]doctors then, just a [C]gentle old black gin,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 3
She [G]left me with two sons and a [C]daughter,
And a [G]bone-dry farm that cries for [D]water,
Though my [G]cares were rough and [C]ready,
They [G]grew up fine and steady,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 4
My [G]daughter married young and went her [C]own way,
My [G]sons lay buried by the Burma [D]Railway,
In this [G]land I’ve called my [C]home, though I’ve [G]carried on alone,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
Verse 5
City [G]folks these days despise the [C]farmer,
Saying [G]with dole and subsidies we have it [D]easy,
But there’s [G]no drought or starving [C]stock,
On your [G]sure suburban block,
And it’s nearly over [D]now, and now I’m [G]easy.
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (Gentle Waltz)
Time Signature: 3/4
Pattern:
🎵 Bass – Down – Up
Count:
1 2 3
Play the bass note (root) of each chord on beat 1, then a soft down-up strum on beats 2 and 3.
Example:
G chord
| 6 ↓ ↑ |
| 1 2 3 |
Keep it steady and light, with your wrist relaxed — think of a gentle sway.
🎶 3. Fingerpicking Tab (For All Verses)
We’ll use a rolling waltz arpeggio pattern common in folk songs:
T – I – M – I – M – I
(Thumb = bass, Index = G string, Middle = B string)
Verse Fingerpicking Pattern
G
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|
For nearly sixty years I’ve been a farmer,
C G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---1-----|------1---1-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------2-------|--------2-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
Through drought, fire and flood I’ve lived through plenty,
G D
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------3---3-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----2---2---2---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|--0-------------|--0-------------|
E|--3-------------|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|
But this country’s dust and mud has seen my tears and blood,
G D G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---0-----|------3---3-----|------0---0-----|------0---0-----|
G|----0---0---0---|----2---2---2---|----0---0---0---|----0---0---0---|
D|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|
A|----------------|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
E|--3-------------|----------------|--3-------------|--3-------------|
And it’s nearly over now, and now I’m easy.
💡 Performance Tips
🎵 Tempo & Feel:
Keep the rhythm steady but flowing.
Think of it as a reflective story — each verse should feel like turning a page.
🎵 Bass alternation:
For G → alternate 6th & 4th strings
For C → alternate 5th & 4th
For D → alternate 4th & 5th
🎵 Dynamics:
Verse 1: soft and gentle
Verse 3–4: build with more confident picking
Final verse: slow down slightly and fade
🎵 Optional ornaments:
On C, hammer-on D string (0→2)
On G, hammer-on A string (0→2)
On D, hammer-on G string (0→2)
Now I'm easy / the cocky farmer violin sheet music for beginners
Now I'm Easy - The Cocky Farmer Mandolin Banjo Tab
Now I'm Easy - The Cocky Farmer Mandolin Banjo Tab
Eric Bogle writer of The Cocky Farmer
