The Lonely Goatherd

by Rodgers & Hammerstein
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Lyrics

(F)High on a hill was a lone ly goat herd, (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

Loud was the voice of the lone ly goat herd, (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

Folks in a town that was quite re mote, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

Lust y and clear from the goat herd’s throat heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o, (C)o ho, (F)lay dee o dl ay!

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o, (C)hod l o dl (G7)lee o (C)ay!

A (F)prince on the bridge of a cas tle moat, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

Men on a road with a load to tote, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

Men in the midst of a ta ble d’hΓ΄te heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

Men, drink ing beer with the foam a float, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o, (C)o ho, (F)lay dee o dl ay!

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o, (C)hod l o dl (G7)lee o (C)ay!

A (C)ay!

(F)One lit tle girl, in a pale pink coat, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

She yo deled back to the lone ly goat herd: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

(F)Soon her ma ma with a gleam ing gloat, heard: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)lay ee o.

What a du et for a girl and goat herd: (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o, (C)o ho, (F)lay dee o dl ay!

(C)O ho, (F)lay dee o dl lee o (C)hod l o dl (G7)lee o (C)ay!

(F)Hap py are they, lay ee o lay ee lee o!

(C)O lay lee o lay lee (F)lay ee o.

Soon the du et will be come a tri o, (C)lay ee o dl, lay ee o dl (F)o.

Ho di (C)lay ee

Ho di (F6)lay ee

Ho di (C7)lay ee

O de (F)lay ee o dl lee e o dl lay.

The Lonely Goatherd β€” Visual Piano Sheet Music

23 people have learned this song

"The Lonely Goatherd" in visual bar notation β€” see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of F, 188 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About β€œThe Lonely Goatherd”

Why does "The Lonely Goatherd" show as colored bars instead of notation?
Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff β€” each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "The Lonely Goatherd".
What key is "The Lonely Goatherd" by Rodgers & Hammerstein played in?
The Lonely Goatherd is arranged in the key of F on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Lonely Goatherd"?
The arrangement plays at 188 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Lonely Goatherd" easy to play on piano?
Yes β€” this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "The Lonely Goatherd"?
Yes β€” registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Lonely Goatherd"?
"The Lonely Goatherd" was originally performed by Rodgers & Hammerstein. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein can I play here?
Try "All At Once You Love Her", "An Ordinary Couple", "A Puzzlement". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "The Lonely Goatherd"?
It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration β€” much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "The Lonely Goatherd".
Can I see all the notes in "The Lonely Goatherd"?
Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of F at 188 BPM.