Ballad Of The Yarmouth Castle keyboard

Ballad Of The Yarmouth Castle

• Am

#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
From: Gord Broom 

		THE BALLAD OF THE YARMOUTH CASTLE
		     Gordon Lightfoot (C) 1969

    Transcribed by Gord Broom , 1994. (Version 1.0)

NOTES:

 This song appeared originally on the "Sunday Concert" live album.
 Capo at the second fret and fingerpick.  At the end of the first and
 third lines of each verse, use a G/Gsus4/G riff.  At the end of the
 second and fourth lines, use an Am/Asus4/Am/Asus2/Am riff.  I've
 transcribed it from the "Original Lightfoot" boxed set.  Thanks to
 Matthew Fifer  for sending me the lyrics
 off the "Sunday Concert Plus" CD which corrected a couple of my "hear-os."


CHORDS:

	  Am	  C	  G	 Asus2	 Asus4	 Gsus4
	xo231o	x32o1o  32ooo4	xo23oo	xo234o  32oo14
	======	======	======	======	======	======
	||||o|	||||o|	||||||	||||||	||||||	||||o|
	||oo||	||o|||	|o||||	||oo||	||oo||	|o||||
	||||||	|o||||	o||||o	||||||	||||o|	o||||o


SONG:

 Capo 2nd Fret

 Am                         C              G
 Well it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the anchors have been weighed,
      Am       G            Am
 From Miami to Nassau, she's bound across the waves.
			       C             G
 She's a-headin' south through Biscayne Bay, into the open sea,
     Am                         G               Am
 The Yarmouth Castle's, she's a-dying and don't know it!


	    Am               C                  G
 There were many years she's been to sea, she's seen the better times,
     Am               G               Am
 She gives a groan of protest as they cast away her lines.
	 Am             C               G
 And the grumble of her engines and the rust along her spine,
	   Am               G         Am
 Tells the Castle she's too old to be sailing.


         Am            C                   G
 But the sands run out within her heart, a tiny spark glows red,
 Am                    G          Am
 Smoulders through the evening as laughter overhead,
     Am                           C
 Now when dinner's served and the cards are dealt, & the
       G
       drinks are passed around,
 Am               G             Am
 Deep within, the fire starts a-burning.


          Am              C             G
 Now it's midnight on the open sea, the moon is shining bright,
      Am              G         Am
 Some people join the party and others say goodnight.
         Am           C                  G
 There's many who are sleeping now, it's been a busy day,
         Am            G          Am
 And the tiny whisp of smoke is a-risin'.


     Am                  C                G
 "Oh lord," she groans, "I'm burnin', let someone understand!"
         Am             G             Am
 But her silent plea is wasted in the playin' of the band!
      Am                    C                  G
 Everybody's dancin' on the deck and they're a-havin' such a time,
       Am           G                     Am
 And a voice says, "Shut up and deal, I'm losin'"


      Am                  C          G
 Deep within the Yarmouth Castle the fire begins to glow,
    Am             G            Am
 It leaps into the hallways and climbs and twists and grows!
         Am                C                  G
 And the paint she wore to keep her young, oh Lord, how well it burns!
     Am            G       Am
 And soon that ol' fire is ragin'.


       Am                    C                  G
 Now beneath the bridge it's climbing fast, the captain stands alone
    Am              G              Am
 He calls up to the bos'un, says, "Bos'un, we are lost!"
 Am                          C         G
 For the ragged hoses in the racks, no pressure do they hold,
     Am            G                Am
 The people down below will soon be dyin'.


     Am                     C                 G
 All amidship's, oh she's a-blazin' now, it's spreadin' fore and aft!
     Am           G                 Am
 The people are a-scramblin' as the fire blocks the path.
     Am            C                       G
 The evil smoke surrounds them and they're fallin' in their tracks,
         Am             G             Am
 And the captain in his lifeboat is a-leavin'.


 BREAK: Am / (B) / C/ G / Am / G / Am


    Am              C                G
 Oh then the ship Banana Star, comes steamin' through the night,
     Am              G                Am
 She sees the Castle blazin' and 'tis a terrible sight.
  Am                         C                     G
 "Jump down, jump down," the captain cries, "we'll save you if we can!"
         Am           G            Am
 And the paint on his funnels is a-fryin'.


     Am                C               G
 God help the ones who sleep below and cannot find the way,
       Am               G        Am
 Thank God for those we rescued upon this awful day!
         Am              C            G
 Now the heroes they are many but the times are goin' slim,
     Am                G           Am
 And now from stern to bow she's a-blazin'.


        Am                C              G
 Oh the Yarmouth Castle's moanin', she's cryin' like a child,
         Am              G         Am
 You can hear her if you listen above the roar so wild.
        Am             C            G
 Is she cryin' for the ones who lie within her molten sides,
    Am         G             Am
 Or cryin' for herself I'm a-wonderin'?


         Am               C            G
 But the living soon were rescued, the ones who lived to tell,
          Am          G                  Am
 From the Star they a-watched her as she died there in the swells.
        Am            C             G
 Like a toy ship on a mill pond she burned all through the night,
      Am                  G            Am
 Then slipped beneath the waves in the mornin'.

x

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