Christmas in the Trenches   John McCutcheon

Christmas in the Trenches  John McCutcheon






 


 CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES Time: 4/4 Key: E


 - John McCutcheon, 1984


 - Record: John McCutcheon, Winter Solstice / Water From Another Time


 


 INTRO: 1, 4, 57, 1


 


 My [1]name is Frances [6m]Tolliver, I [4]come from Liver-[2m]pool


 5 * 4 1


 Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school


 To [1]Belgium and to [6m]Flanders, to [4]Germany, to [2m]here


 5 * 1 *


 I fought for King and country I love dear


 5 * 4 1


 'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung


 The [1]frozen fields of [6m]France were still, no [4]Christmas song was [5]sung


 Our [1]families back in [6m]England were [4]toasting us that [2m]day


 5 * 1 *


 Their brave and glorious lads so far a-way


 


 I was [1]lying with my [6m]messmate, on the [4]cold and rocky [2m]ground


 5 * 4 1


 When a-cross the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound


 Says [1]I, now listen [6m]up me boys, each [4]soldier strained to [2m]hear


 5 * 1 *


 As one young German voice sang out so clear


 5 * 4 1


 He's singing bloody well you know, my partner says to me


 Soon [1]one by one each [6m]German voice, joined [4]in in har-mo-[5]ny


 The [1]cannons rested [6m]silent, the [4]gas clouds rolled no [2m]more


 5 * 1 *


 As Christmas brought us respite from the war


 


 As [1]soon as they were [6m]finished, and a [4]reverent pause was [2m]spent


 5 * 4 1


 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, struck up some lads from Kent


 The [1]next they sang was "[6m]Stille Nacht", 'tis "[4]Silent Night" says [2m]I


 5 * 1 *


 And in two tongues, one song filled up that sky (SILENT NIGHT)


 5 * 4 1


 There's someone comin' t'wards us, the frontline sentry cried


 All [1]sights were fixed on [6m]one lone figure [4]trudging from their [5]side


 His [1]truce flag like a [6m]Christmas star shone [4]on that plain so [2m]bright


 5 * 1 *


 As he bravely strode un-armed into the night


 


 CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES (page 2)


 


 Then [1]one by one, on [6m]either side, walked [4]into No Man's [2m]Land


 5 * 4 1


 With neither gun or bayonet, we met there hand to hand


 We [1]shared some secret [6m]brandy and [4]wished each other [2m]well


 5 * 1 *


 And in a flare-lit soccer game, we gave 'em hell


 5 * 4 1


 We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home


 These [1]sons and fathers [6m]far away from [4]families of their [5]own


 Young [1]Sanders played his [6m]squeezebox and [4]they had a vi-o-[2m]lin


 5 * 1 *


 This curious and un-likely band of men


 


 Soon [1]daylight stole u-[6m]pon us, and [4]France was France once [2m]more


 5 * 4 1


 With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war


 But the [1]question haunted [6m]every heart that [4]lived that wondrous [2m]night


 5 * 1 *


 Whose family have I fixed within my sights


 5 * 4 1


 'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung


 The [1]frozen fields of [6m]France were warmed as [4]Christmas songs were [5]sung


 For the [1]walls they kept be-[6m]tween us to ex-[4]act the work of [2m]war


 5 * 1 *


 Had been crumbled and are gone for ever-more


 


 Oh my [1]name is Frances [6m]Tolliver, in [4]Liverpool I [2m]dwell


 5 * 4 1


 Each Christmas come since World War One, I've learned it's lessons well


 That the [1]ones who call the [6m]shots, won't be a-[4]mong the dead and [2m]lame


 5 * 1 *


 And on each end of the rifle, we're the same


 


 Notes:


 - Break after verses 4 and 6: The Minstrel Boy


 - Break at V3L4: Silent Night


 


 SYMBOLS:


 - Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord


 - Period (.) = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure


 - Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure


 


 CHORDS (Number System):


 - Example: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


 - Key of C: C D E F G A B


 - Detailed description: /pub/guitar/other_stuff/numbering_system.txt


 


 - Submitted by: Barrie McCombs (bmccombs@acs.ucalgary.ca)







    
    
    

        
            
            
            
        
    
    

    

    

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