Al Stewart - Old admirals acoustic

I can ^Gwell recall the ^Dfirst time I ^Cever put to sea Was ^Gon the old Cal^Dcutta in ^Feighteen fifty-^Athree I was ^Gjust a lad of ^Dfourteen years a ^Cmidshipman to ^Abe To ^Dmake my way in ^Amsailing ships Of the ^Groyal navy ^{D A Bm A G D}

By the ^Gtime that I was ^Dtwenty-one I had ^Csailed the world around ^GWeathered storms in the ^DChina seas with the ^Fhatches battened ^Adown And ^Gmade my way by ^Dstarlight off the ^Ccoast of Newfound^Aland And ^Ddined on beer and ^Amherrings While the ^Gwaves blew all a^Dro^Aun^Bmd ^{A G D}

^BmI live in retirement now And ^Ethrough my window comes the sound of ^Emseagulls And sets my mind re^Bmmembering The evening stars like memories sail ^Efar beyond the distant trees Way ^Emout across the open seas I ^Bmhear them sing

Oh the ^Gwooden ships they ^Dturned to iron and the ^Ciron ships to steel And ^Gshed their sails like ^Dautumn leaves with the ^Fturning of the ^Awheel And ^GI was given ^Dcaptain's rank and ^Csoon took under ^Ame The ^Dproudest ship that ^Amever sailed For ^Gqueen and country^{D A Bm A G D}

Ah the ^Gold queen she ^Dpassed away with the ^Cnew born century And ^GI received my ^Dcalling ^Fup to the admiral^Aty The ^Gsands ran through the ^Dhourglass each ^Cday more rapid^Aly As we ^Dwatched the growing ^Amof the fleets Of ^GHigh German^Dy ^{A Bm A G D}

^BmSo at last the Great War blazed I waited with the passing days The ^Ecall to arms that never came ^Emwriting letters I ^Bmmay be old now in your eyes but ^Eall my years have made me wise You ^Emdon't see where the danger lies so ^Acall me back ^ACall me back

^GBut the war it ^Dran it's course they could ^Cfind no use for me And ^GI live in the ^Dcountry now grand^Cchildren on my ^Aknee And ^Gsometimes think in ^Dall this world the ^Csaddest thing to ^Abe Old ^Dadmirals who ^Amfeel the wind And ^Gnever put to s^Dea^{A Bm A G D}

Now ^Gjust like you I've ^Dsailed my dreams like ^Cships across the sea And ^Gsome of them have ^Dcome on rocks and ^Csome faced muti^Any And ^Gwhen they're sunken ^Done by one I'll ^Cjoin that compa^Any Old ^Dadmirals who ^Amfeel the wind And ^Gnever put to s^Dea^{A Bm A G Bm A A D}