Chord Charts

[RustyNell]

I wanted to start a thread where we can all share the songs we've collected and help expand each others repertoires - this way we can more easily join in at events. I've added a few in the keys we do them in to get us started I hope this is a useful thread. As you can see we've taken some lyrical license, we claim pyrate!!

Rusty Nell Riley

Bone Island Buccaneers

I'll share my homework if you share yours

Edited December 13, 2008 by RustyNell

[RustyNell]

AWAY RIO

C G C

I'll tell you a tale bout plunderin the sea

C F C

Away Rio

F C F C

I'll sing you's a song if you'll plunder with me.

C G C

And we're bound for the Rio Grande

C G C C F C

And it’s away haul away, away Rio

F C F C

Fare thee well me bonnie young lass

C G C

And we’re bound for the Rio Grande

Remember the last time in old Rio Grande

We'll hang by the neck if they catch us again

Our ship goes a-sailin’ out over the bar

We’ll plunder these islands both near and both far

So it’s goodbye to Sally and goodbye to Sue

And to all who are listenin’ we're coming for you

Our anchor is weighed and our sails they are set

And them Bone Island Judies, we'll never forget

Cheer up, there Rusty, now don’t look so glum

We'll be bustin they're hulls, while we're drinkin’ yer rum.

[RustyNell]

BILLY O'SHEA

C F C

Well I’ll sing ya song about the black ball line Boys

C G C

Haul Down Me Billies

C F C

Now that’s a line where I wasted Me prime boys

C G C

Haul Down Billy O Shea

C F C G C

Haul Down Haul Down Haul Down Me Billies

C F C

Haul Down Haul Down in Dublin City,

C G C F C

Haul down Billy O’Shea

We were tinkers and tailors and fakers all boys

then we signed as AB’s on the blackball

St Patrick he was a Roman sailor

He had a Potter and a Major

Well he sailed around by the Gloucester Diamond

And he drove the snakes all out of Ireland.

Well we all got drunk in Dublin City

then we signed as AB’s on the blackball

Well I’ll sing ya song about the black ball line Boys

Now that’s a line where I wasted Me prime boys

[RustyNell]

BOLD FIGHTING PIRATES

Am C E7

We'll rant and we'll roar like bold fighting pirates

Am C E7

We'll rant and we'll roar from top mast to hold

Am G F E7

For we take our prizes where er' we can find em

Am G E7 Am

The straight to our island with chests full of gold.

I've been a sea cook and I've been a clipper man

I can sing I can dance i can walk the jib boom

I can handle a rapier (cutlass) and cut a fine figure

You better stand clear and give me my room

I went to a dance one night in Tortuga

There were lost of fine girls there as nice as you wish

There was one pretty maid a chewin tobaccer

Just like a young kitten chewin fresh fish

I yearn for to fight but I yearn to love better

To curl with the lady is my favorite sport

and when she gets dizzy its on to another

For I for me a woman in every damn port

Some gets drunk on liquor some gets drunk on action

Well me as you see i gets drunk on em all

Just give me your gold and yer silver and jewels

Or give me yer life and i'll still take my haul.

[RustyNell]

FIDDLERS GREEN

C F C Am

As I roved by the dockside one evening so fair

C F C G

To view the salt waters and take in the salt air

F G Em Am

I heard an old fisherman singing a song

F Dm G

Oh, take me away boys me time is not long

C G C

Wrap me up in me oilskin and jumpers

F C G

No more on the docks I'll be seen

F G Em Am

Just tell me old shipmates, I'm taking a trip mates

Dm G C

And I'll see you someday on Fiddlers Green

Now Fiddler's Green is a place I've heard tell

Where the fishermen go if they don't go to hell

Where the weather is fair and the dolphins do play

And the cold coast of Greenland is far, far away

Now when you're in dock and the long trip is through

There's pubs and there's clubs and there's lassies there too

And the girls are all pretty and the beer is all free

And there's bottles of rum growing on every tree.

Where the skies are all clear and there's never a gail

And the fish jump on board with one swish on their tail

Where you lie at your leisure, there's no work to do

And the skipper's below making tea for the crew

Now I don't want a harp nor a halo, not me

Just give me a breeze and a good rolling sea

I'll play me old squeeze-box as we sail along

With the wind in the riggin to sing me a song

[RustyNell]

HOIST THE COLORS

Am

Yo Ho Haul Together

Em

Hoist the Colors High

Am

Heave Ho, Thieves and Beggars

Em

Never shall we die

The king and his men stole the queen from her bed

and bound her in her bones

the seas be ours and by the powers

where we will we roam

Some men have died some are alive

and others sail the sea

With the keys to the cage and the devil to pay

We lay for Fiddler's Green

The bell has been raised from it's water grave

Do you hear it sepuluchral tone?

We are a call to all pay heed to the squall

and turn you sails towards home

The brethern all called and assembled in the hall

Hoist the Jolly Rouge

with a warning to all who oppose our call,

that the Devil collects what is due

[RustyNell]

LIFE OF A PIRATE

CHORUS:

Am G

It's wonderful living the life of a pirate,

Am G Am

With the freedom to take what we can.

Am G

And we'll sail the world over, searchin' for plunder,

Am G Am Am G Am

Not fearin' to face any man, not fearin' to face any man.

VERSE: (same progression as Chorus):

We call no man our master, no lord and no king.

Not long in one place do we stay.

And this world is for those who can grab it,

and hold it. Possession's the law of the day.

BRIDGE:

G Am

So we take what we want, we don't bother with buyin'.

G Am

We say what we mean, there ain't no point to lyin'.

Am G Am

Don't like what we say, you might find yourself dyin',

Am G Am

In a manner too gruesome to say.

V:

When we come into town to spend all our spoils,

A good time will be had by all.

We'll all head to some pub to get drunk off our arses,

When we're there, there ain't no last call.

B:

I'll get rum for meself and strong ale for me friends,

And a great deal of loot on the wenches I'll spend.

When the money's all gone it's off to sea again,

To trade cargo for cannonball.

CHORUS

V:

There's not one of us left who has not yet been blooded,

For killing's a part of our trade.

And the only thing standing between us and death,

Is strength of arm, and speed of blade.

B:

So we live every day like it might be our last,

For all of us know that life is hard and fast,

We live for the moment, don't care 'bout the past,

From this is our comradeship made.

CHORUS

[RustyNell]

MINGULAY BOAT SONG

A

What care we how light the spray is? 

E D E

What care we for wind or weather? 

A

Let her go, boys, every inch is 

E A

Sailin' homeward to Mingulay. 

CHORUS:


Heel ya ho, boys, let her go boys 


Heave her head 'round into the weather 


Heel ya ho, boys, let her go boys 


Sailin' homeward to Mingulay 

Clap your eyes on the sun arisin' 


Gulls and doves fill the sky with feather 


Cut her loose, boys, for the horizon 


We'll be home soon in Mingulay 



Wives are waitin' on the bank or 


Lookin' seaward, from the heather 


Pull her round boys, and you'll anchor 


'Ere the sun sets on Mingulay 



Wives are waiting by the harbor, 


We've been waiting since break of day. 


We're pumped dry and walking larboard, 


To our wives on Mingulay 

Edited December 11, 2008 by RustyNell

[RustyNell]

No Purchase, No Pay

G C D

I was down on me luck on the isle of Tortuga

G C D

Starvin’ to death when I heard a man say

G C D

I got the fastest square rigger in all the West Indies

G C D G

And I need forty men who can help me away

When I asked the old salt of the work he was meanin’

He said takin’ the fat Spanish ships on the sea

When I asked of the wages of all me hard labor

He threw back his head and he bellered at me:

G G C D

No purchase, no pay is the rule of the day

G G C D

If we don’t take a prize, then you go empty handed

G G C D

You’ll fight like a dog to pluck a fine jewel

G G C D G

If anyone stands against us, you’ll help them to die

We shipped out on a Friday to ply the sweet trade

Weren’t gone but a week when we spied our fair prey

Three fat Spanish ladies a stalled out to windward

But we had the surprise and we seized the day

We engaged them full on and we fought like the devil

One of us, three of them, but we won’t let them flee

And I had but one question for our rugged sea captain

Why did you never say they’d be firing at me?

(CHORUS)

We fired our big guns and we captured those galleons

They was as full of gold as three galleons could be

I made a small fortune from my one adventure

And retired from a short career in piracy

Now I sit here in this fine London tavern

Drinkin’ the best that my money will buy

I’ll work and I’ll fight and I’m still a fine sailor

But there ain’t enough money to pay me to die

[RustyNell]

FATHOM THE BOWL

G

Come all ye bold heros give an ear to me song

D C G

we'll sing in the praise of good brandy and rum

G C D

its a clear crystal fountain through Ireland doth roll.

G D C D G

Give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl.

G D

I'll fathom the bowl.

G D

I'll fathom the bowl.

D G D C D G

give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl

From France we do get Brandy, from Jamaica comes rum

sweet oranges and apples from Portugal come

but Stout and Strong Cider are Irelands control

give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl.

Me husband do disturb me when I'm lying at my ease

He says as he likes, he does as he please

Me husband he's the devil, his hearts black as coals

give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl

Me father he do lie in the depths of the sea

With no stone for his head but what matters for he

Is the clear crystal fountain through Ireland doth roll

give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl

Edited December 12, 2008 by RustyNell

[Animal]

Did you write those Nell? I'm relearning the mandolin and will give those a try.

Thank you

Animal

[Cannibal Chrispy]

no she did not write the songs here. it' a collection of old sea songs. pirate "standards as it were.

[LordWilson]

Spanish Ladies

Em..........................C..............D

Fairwell and Adieu to you Spanish Ladies,

Em..........................C.................D

Farewell and adieu to you Ladies of Spain

.....G...................D................Em...........G

For we've recieved orders for to sail for old England

..........Am7........D.................C..........D.Em

But we hope in a short while to see you again

Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish Ladies,

Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;

For we've received orders for to sail for ol' England,

But we hope in a short while to see you again.

Chorus

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,

We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.

Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;

From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

We hove our ship to with the wind from sou'west, boys

We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;

'Twas forty-five fathoms, with a white sandy bottom,

So we squared our main yard and up channel did make.

The first land we sighted was called the Dodman,

Next Rame Head off Plymouth, off Portsmouth the Wight;

We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover,

And then we bore up for the South Foreland light.

Repeat Chorus

Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor,

And all in the Downs that night for to lie;

Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper!

Haul up your clewgarnets, let tacks and sheets fly!

Now let ev'ry man drink off his full bumper,

And let ev'ry man drink off his full glass;

We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,

And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass.

Repeat Chorus

Edited January 10, 2009 by LordWilson