Capo: 2 Tuning: E A D G B E

The Ballad of The Yarmouth Castle Gordon Lightfoot 1969 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. CHORDS: Asus2 002200 Asus4 002230 Gsus4 320013

^AmWell it's 4 o'clock in the ^Cafternoon, the ^Ganchors have been weighed, From ^AmMiami to ^GNassau, she's^Am bound across the waves. She's a-headin' south through ^CBiscayne Bay, ^Ginto the open sea, The ^AmYarmouth Castle's, she's a-^Gdying and don't ^Amknow it!

There were ^Ammany years she's ^Cbeen to sea, she's ^Gseen the better times, She ^Amgives a groan of ^Gprotest as they ^Amcast away her lines. And the ^Amgrumble of her ^Cengines and the ^Grust along her spine, Tells the ^AmCastle she's too ^Gold to be ^Amsailing.

But the ^Amsands run out ^Cwithin her heart, a ^Gtiny spark glows red, ^AmSmoulders through the ^Gevening as ^Amlaughter overhead, Now ^Amwhen dinner's served and the ^Ccards are dealt, & the ^Gdrinks are passed around, ^AmDeep within, the ^Gfire starts a-^Amburning.

Now it's ^Ammidnight on the ^Copen sea, the ^Gmoon is shining bright, Some ^Ampeople join the ^Gparty and ^Amothers say goodnight. There's ^Ammany who are ^Csleeping now, it's ^Gbeen a busy day, And the ^Amtiny whisp of ^Gsmoke is a-^Amrisin'.

"Oh ^Amlord," she groans, "^CI'm burnin', let ^Gsomeone understand!" But her ^Amsilent plea is ^Gwasted in the ^Amplayin' of the band! Every^Ambody's dancin' on the ^Cdeck and they're a-^Ghavin' such a time, And a ^Amvoice says, "^GShut up and deal, I'm ^Amlosin'"

Deep ^Amwithin the Yarmouth ^CCastle the ^Gfire begins to glow, It ^Amleaps into the ^Ghallways and ^Amclimbs and twists and grows! And the ^Ampaint she wore to ^Ckeep her young, oh ^GLord, how well it burns! And ^Amsoon that ol' ^Gfire is ^Amragin'.

Now be^Amneath the bridge it's ^Cclimbing fast, the ^Gcaptain stands aloft He ^Amcalls up to the ^Gbos'un, says, "^AmBos'un, we are lost!" ^AmFor the ragged hoses in the ^Cracks, no ^Gpressure do they hold, The ^Ampeople down be^Glow will soon be ^Amdyin'.

All ^Amamidship's, oh she's a-^Cblazin' now, it's ^Gspreadin' fore and aft! The ^Ampeople are a-^Gscramblin' as the ^Amfire blocks the path. The ^Amevil smoke sur^Crounds them and they're ^Gfallin' in their tracks, And the ^Amcaptain in his ^Glifeboat is a-^Amleavin'.

BREAK: Am B C G Am G Am

Oh ^Amthen the ship Ba^Chama Star, comes ^Gsteamin' through the night, She ^Amsees the Castle ^Gblazin' and 'tis ^Ama terrible sight. "^AmJump down, jump down," the ^Ccaptain cries, "we'll ^Gsave you if we can!" And the ^Ampaint on his ^Gfunnels is a-^Amfryin'.

God ^Amhelp the ones who ^Csleep below and ^Gcannot find the way, Thank ^AmGod for those we ^Grescued u^Ampon this awful day! Now the ^Amheroes they are ^Cmany but the ^Gtimes are goin' slim, And ^Amnow from stern to ^Gbow she's a-^Amblazin'.

Oh the ^AmYarmouth Castle's ^Cmoanin', she's ^Gcryin' like a child, You can ^Amhear her if you ^Glisten abo^Amve the roar so wild. Is she ^Amcryin' for the ^Cones who lie ^Gwithin her molten sides, Or ^Amcryin' for ^Gherself I'm a-^Amwonderin'?

But the ^Amliving soon were ^Crescued, the ^Gones who lived to tell, From the ^AmStar they a-^Gwatched her as she ^Amdied there in the swells. Like a ^Amtoy ship on a ^Cmill pond she ^Gburned all through the night, Then ^Amslipped beneath the ^Gwaves in the ^Ammornin'.

Gordon Lightfoot - Ballad of the yarmouth castle