-Josh Ritter- -The Oak King- -------------- This song has four different voices going on. First you have the narrator, then you have the Father trying to save his dying son. Up next is the dying son. Then we hear The Oak King come in, tempting the boy away from life. Em1: x|10|9|0|0|x Gmaj13: x|9|7|0|0|x Em2: x|7|5|0|0|x Em3: x|5|4|0|0|x Cmaj7: x|3|2|0|0|x Riff: e|-----------------------| B|-----------------------| G|-----------------------| D|-----------------------| A|----------0-2-3-2-0----| E|--0--2--3-----------3--| Slide Prog.: Slide to Em1...Gmaj13...Em2...Em3...Cmaj7...Riff Who is this that rides so late Between the woods and the garden gate? A father holds a child close, Barely boy and almost ghost () Son why do you cry and hide your face? Oh Father, the Oak King is king of this place, () With a crown made of thistle and septer of reeds Son, there's no Oak King, just the wind and the trees (Slide Prog.) My prince, my love, I knew you'd come Now you must join the other ones Cast your blues upon the tide Sleep all day, play all night Oh father, Oh father, don't leave me I pray The Oak King is closer than the dawn of the day Than the dawn of the day, The edge of the woods The Oak King is bad and he'll take me for good () Oh son, with his palaces of silver and gold With a queen and his own pretty children to hold () With his own pretty children, why steal you from me? What kind of a king would ever be such a thief? (Slide Prog.) My prince, my love, I knew you'd come Now you must join the other ones Cast your blues upon the tide My daughters will hold you clear through till night Oh father, Oh father, scattered all along the path The Oak Kings own children in the dark as we pass The Oak Kings own children, they sing softley and they sigh They don't seem to care that they're blooming at night () Oh Son, who would leave a child in this place? To the wind and the dark and the rain on their faces The rain on their face, mud on their feet What kind of a King would dress his children in leaves? (Slide Prog.) My prince, my love, I knew you would come Now you must join the other ones Oh Father, Oh Father, I must go away The Oak King sings, I must obey (Slide Prog. soft) At the edge of the woods and the break of the day, The father looked down where his son used to lay, And in grief and in sorrow, in sorrow and grief, Wondered what kind of king could ever be such a thief? (Slide Prog.)