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- From: Barrie McCombs <bmccombs@acs.ucalgary.ca>
-
- CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES Time: 4/4 Key: E
- - John McCutcheon, 1984
- - Record: John McCutcheon, Winter Solstice / Water From Another Time
-
- INTRO: 1, 4, 57, 1
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- My name is Frances Tolliver, I come from Liver-pool
- 5 * 4 1
- Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school
- 1 6m 4 2m
- To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany, to here
- 5 * 1 *
- I fought for King and country I love dear
- 5 * 4 1
- 'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung
- 1 6m 4 5
- The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Our families back in England were toasting us that day
- 5 * 1 *
- Their brave and glorious lads so far a-way
-
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- I was lying with my messmate, on the cold and rocky ground
- 5 * 4 1
- When a-cross the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Says I, now listen up me boys, each soldier strained to hear
- 5 * 1 *
- As one young German voice sang out so clear
- 5 * 4 1
- He's singing bloody well you know, my partner says to me
- 1 6m 4 5
- Soon one by one each German voice, joined in in har-mo-ny
- 1 6m 4 2m
- The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
- 5 * 1 *
- As Christmas brought us respite from the war
-
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- As soon as they were finished, and a reverent pause was spent
- 5 * 4 1
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, struck up some lads from Kent
- 1 6m 4 2m
- The next they sang was "Stille Nacht", 'tis "Silent Night" says I
- 5 * 1 *
- And in two tongues, one song filled up that sky (SILENT NIGHT)
- 5 * 4 1
- There's someone comin' t'wards us, the frontline sentry cried
- 1 6m 4 5
- All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side
- 1 6m 4 2m
- His truce flag like a Christmas star shone on that plain so bright
- 5 * 1 *
- As he bravely strode un-armed into the night
-
- CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES (page 2)
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Then one by one, on either side, walked into No Man's Land
- 5 * 4 1
- With neither gun or bayonet, we met there hand to hand
- 1 6m 4 2m
- We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
- 5 * 1 *
- And in a flare-lit soccer game, we gave 'em hell
- 5 * 4 1
- We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home
- 1 6m 4 5
- These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a vi-o-lin
- 5 * 1 *
- This curious and un-likely band of men
-
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Soon daylight stole u-pon us, and France was France once more
- 5 * 4 1
- With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
- 1 6m 4 2m
- But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
- 5 * 1 *
- Whose family have I fixed within my sights
- 5 * 4 1
- 'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung
- 1 6m 4 5
- The frozen fields of France were warmed as Christmas songs were sung
- 1 6m 4 2m
- For the walls they kept be-tween us to ex-act the work of war
- 5 * 1 *
- Had been crumbled and are gone for ever-more
-
-
- 1 6m 4 2m
- Oh my name is Frances Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
- 5 * 4 1
- Each Christmas come since World War One, I've learned it's lessons well
- 1 6m 4 2m
- That the ones who call the shots, won't be a-mong the dead and lame
- 5 * 1 *
- And on each end of the rifle, we're the same
-
-
- Notes:
- - Break after verses 4 and 6: The Minstrel Boy
- - Break at V3L4: Silent Night
-
- SYMBOLS:
- - Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord
- - Period (.) = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure
- - Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure
-
- CHORDS (Number System):
- - Example: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- - Key of C: C D E F G A B
- - Detailed description: /pub/guitar/other_stuff/numbering_system.txt
-
- - Submitted by: Barrie McCombs (bmccombs@acs.ucalgary.ca)
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