The Preacher and the Bear

Billy Strings

Key of G · Chords: I II IV V VI

Verse 1

         G                                   C             G
Well the preacher went out a huntin', it was on one Sunday morn'
                                  A            D7
Although against his religion, he took his gun along
   G                                       C               G
He shot himself some mighty fine quail and one old measley hare
    C          G         E7             A     D7          G
But on his way returning home, he met a great big grizzly bear

Interlude

G C G C G

Verse 2

         G                      G7                       C                      G
Well the bear dashed out to the middle of the road right up to the preacher and seen
    G                               A                   D
The preacher got so excited that he climbed up a big ol tree
    G                G7                      C                         G
The bear stayed down upon the ground and the preacher climbed out on a limb
   C                    G           E7        A              D          G
He cast his eyes to the Lord in the skies and these words he said to him

Chorus

    G                                              D      G
"Oh Lord, you delivered Daniel, saved him from the lion's den
    G                              A                      D
You also delivered Jonah, from the belly of the whale and then
         G                        G7
Cast the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace
    C             G
The good books do declare
C                 G          E7
Now Lordy, if you don't help me,
A          D         G
Just don't help that bear"

Interlude

G C G
G A D
G C G
C E7 A D G

Verse 3

          G                     G7             C                G
Well, the preacher stayed up in that tree oh I think it was all night
   G                                                A                 D
He said "Oh Lord if you don't help me, you're gonna see one hell of a fight"
G                    G7                   C                        G
About that time, the limb let go, and the preacher come-a tumblin' down
    C                            G     E7  A         D       G
You should have seen him get his razor out before he hit the ground

Verse 4

       G                                      C                    G
He hit the ground shakin right to left and he put up a pretty good fight
         G                                A                         D
Then the bear hugged the preacher, and he squeezed him a little too tight
G                    G7                 C                   G
Preacher dropped his razor, man but the bear held on with a grin
   C                    G           E7        A              D       G
He cast his eyes to the Lord in the skies and these words he said to him

Chorus

    G                                              D      G
"Oh Lord, you delivered Daniel, saved him from the lion's den
    G                              A                      D
You also delivered Jonah, from the belly of the whale and then
         G                        G7
Cast the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace
    C             G
The good books do declare
C                 G          E7
Now Lordy, if you don't help me,
A          D         G
Just don't help that bear
C                 G          E7
Now Lordy, if you don't help me
A              D         G
Just don't you help that bear"