Shepherd on the Hill / Shepherd on the Fell
Another evocative song by Graeme Miles depicting loneliness, a difficult emotion to cope with under any circumstances. I know that there is a discrepancy in the words we have printed and my singing of them. The printed words are the words that actually wrote and over the years my singing of it has slightly changed some of the words. Martyn
Shepherd on the Hill
I am a shepherd on the hill
By yonder burn I drink my fill
And come what may and come what will
The loneliness will always find me
I know every stone upon the fell
And every twisted route as well
And when I have a tale to tell
The loneliness will always listen
Loneliness, oh loneliness,
Never far behind me
Loneliness oh loneliness
Hand in hand, beside me
Each morning at the break of day
Just as the skies are turning grey
Up yonder ridge I make my way
Where loneliness is waiting for me
And when at night and all is still
As the mist comes creeping down the hill
Upon my cheek I feel a chill
And the loneliness taps me on my shoulder.
When comes the spring and all is new
And the first green shoots are sprouting through
And the lamb is prancing round the ewe
The loneliness will smile and beckon
Summer days are long and warm
Around my head the swallows swarm
And I lay to rest among the corn
And loneliness lies down beside me
In autumn days are drawing in
And the dying sun shines pale and thin
I feel a tingle on my skin
And the loneliness casts a long dark shadow
The winter is the worst of all
When the fell is swept by snow and squall
I huddle by a dry stone wall
And loneliness curls up beside me
When at last the time does come
And all my working days are done
I turn and find I have no-one
Loneliness my sole companion
I am a shepherd of the hills
By yonder burn I drink my fill
And come what may and come what will
Loneliness will always find me