Redgum - Gladstone pier

^CHe was a sailor^{G D}Swarthy lean and proud ^Em He could take ^Ca schooner through a big sea swell ^{G Am}Aloof in the mainland crowd ^D

^CShe loved his quiet laughter ^G Like a boy ^Dhe'd shrug and grin ^{Em C}Beach stretched wide at Port Mackay ^G With dr^Ameams upon the wind ^D

^CHe wore her name in ^Ga rose tattoo ^{D Em} Long wee^Ckends of gins and lime^{G Am}

^CShe lived in Cairns^G made plans to move ^{D Em C}Checkout girl pa^Grt-time ^{Am C}And rumour said ther^Ge's a boom ahead ^{D Em} You can make y^Cour futur^Ge here ^Am By the Gladstone pier ^Em

^CA two roomed five row shelter ^G Empty hopes^D, the damp, the flies ^{Em C}Prices hiked her face grew ^Gtight And con^Amversation died ^D

And the foreman^C at the smelter said ^Gyou're much too old ^{D Em} Try the can^Ce fields furthers ^Gnorth ^Am And the clerk ^Cat the mar^Gket said we don't buy t^Drouble ^Em There's a stri^Cke down at^G the port ^Am

Then a six-d^Cay shift in ^Ga filthy pit ^{D Em} The dr^Cag lines^G gouging coal ^Am The bla^Cck dust gnaws at^G your lungs and pores ^{D Em} And anger^C rots you^Gr soul ^Am And the queue r^Cound the block waits for^G you to drop ^{D Em} Can you take i^Ct for an^Gother year ^Am By the Gladstone Pier ^Em

Every Sun^Cday he'd walk alone ^G Casting pebbl^Des at the passing waves ^{Em C}Plunge in brine cleanse h^Gis pride A s^Amtronger man rem^Dains

^CThe crunch of shale and distant sails ^{G D}Ached within his bones ^Em And ship^Cs upon the tide ^{G Am}Bound for ports unknown ^D

^CSoon he drank for comfort ^G She grew bitter ^Din the weeks between ^Em The nig^Chts of beer and hollow cheer ^G And lov^Ame became routine ^D

T^Chey fought, she left him crying ^G Angry word^Ds in a last café ^Em In de^Csperation on a lonely night^G She took the bus to ^AmCairns next day ^D

And Gla^Cdstone couples br^Geak that way ^{D Em} Mutual blam^Ce and no regrets ^{G Am} And boo^Cmtown blues just ^Gfade to grey ^{D Em} And all t^Chat's left are ^Gdebts she cried^Am: &^Cquot;I've got to ^Gleave this dirt^Dy old town ^Em The ratt^Cle of broken me^Gn ^Am And bre^Cak these chains and w^Gash the pain ^{D Em} And put ^Cto sea a^Ggain ^{Am C}Drained all my passion ^Gmy anger and my fe^Dars ^Em And sank ^Cthem in a flagon ^{G Am} Under Gladstone pier" ^Em

^CShe saw him through the Greyhound window ^G As the dawn^D glowed on the chrome ^{E C}Standing by the pier under sullen skies ^{G Am}Sea winds calling home ^D

^CFrom surfers up to Townsville ^G Past the high-r^Dise colonies ^{Em C}Fast food, cheap hotels ^G Two more boom-to^Amwn refugees ^D