Christmas in the Trenches John McCutcheon
Christmas in the Trenches
By John McCutcheon
Winter Solstice (1984)
As interpreted by Joe G
Capo on 2
INTRO: D, G, A, D
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
My name is Frances Tolliver, I come from Liver-pool
Two [A]years ago the [Asus4]war was [A]waiting [G]for me after [D]school
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany, to here
I [A]fought for [A]King and [Asus4]country [A]I love [D]dear[D]
'Twas [A]Christmas in the [Asus4]trenche[A]s, where the [G]frost so bitter [D]hung
The [Bm]frozen fields of [Bm/A]France were still, no Ch[G]ristmas song was [Asus4]sung[A]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Our families back in England were toasting us that day
Their [A]brave and glorious [Asus4]lads so [A]far a-[D]way[D]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
I was lying with my messmate, on the cold and rocky ground
When a-[A]cross the lines of [Asus4]battle[A] came a [G]most peculiar [D]sound
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Says I, now listen up me boys, each soldier strained to hear
As [A]one young German [Asus4]voice sang [A]out so [D]clear[D]
He's [A]singing bloody [Asus4]well you [A]know, my [G]partner says to [D]me
Soon [Bm]one by one each [Bm/A]German voice, joined [G]in in har-mo-n[Asus4]y[A]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As [A]Christmas brought us [Asus4]respite from [A]the [D]war[D]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
As soon as they were finished, and a reverent pause was spent
God [A]Rest Ye Merry [Asus4]Gentlem[A]en, struck [G]up some lads from [D]Kent
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht", 'tis "Silent Night" says I
And [A]in two [Asus4]tongues, one [A]song filled [G]up that [D]sky
There's [A]someone comin' [Asus4]t'wards us[A], the [G]frontline sentry [D]cried
All [Bm]sights were fixed on [Bm/A]one lone figure [G]trudging from their [Asus4]side[A]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
His truce flag like a Christmas star shone on that plain so bright
As he [A]bravely strode un-[Asus4]armed in[A]to the [D]night[D]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Then one by one, on either side, walked into No Man's Land
With[A] neither gun or [Asus4]bayonet[A], we [G]met there hand to [D]hand
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
And [A]in a flare-lit [Asus4]soccer [A]game, we [G]gave 'em [D]hell
We [A]traded chocolates, [Asus4]cigaret[A]tes and [G]photographs from [D]home
These [Bm]sons and fathers [Bm/A]far away from [G]families of their [Asus4]own[A]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a vi-o-lin
This c[A]urious and un-[Asus4]likely [A]band of [D]men[D]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Soon daylight stole u-pon us, and France was France once more
With[A] sad farewells we [Asus4]each be[A]gan to [G]settle back to [D]war
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
Whose [A]family have I [Asus4]fixed with[G]in my [D]sights
'Twas [A]Christmas in the [Asus4]trenche[A]s where the [G]frost so bitter [D]hung
The [Bm]frozen fields of [Bm/A]France were warmed as [G]Christmas songs were [Asus4]sung[A]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
For the walls they kept be-tween us to ex-act the work of war
Had been [A]crumbled and are [Asus4]gone for [A]ever-[D]more[D]
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
Oh my name is Frances Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each [A]Christmas come since [Asus4]World W[A]ar One, I've [G]learned it's lessons [D]well
D D/C# Bm Bm/A G G/f# Em
That the ones who call the shots, won't be a-mong the dead and lame
And on [A]each end of the [Asus4]rifle, we'[A]re the[D] same
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