From: Gord Broom
THE BALLAD OF THE YARMOUTH CASTLE
Gordon Lightfoot (C) 1969
Transcribed by Gord Broom , 1994. (Version 1.0)
NOTES:
This song appeared originally on the «Sunday Concert» live album.
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. I’ve
transcribed it from the «Original Lightfoot» boxed set. Thanks to
Matthew Fifer for sending me the lyrics
off the «Sunday Concert Plus» CD which corrected a couple of my «hear-os.»
CHORDS:
Am C G Asus2 Asus4 Gsus4
xo231o x32o1o 32ooo4 xo23oo xo234o 32oo14
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
||||o| ||||o| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||||o|
||oo|| ||o||| |o|||| ||oo|| ||oo|| |o||||
|||||| |o|||| o||||o |||||| ||||o| o||||o
SONG:
[Capo 2nd Fret]
Am C G
Well it’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the anchors have been weighed,
Am G Am
From Miami to Nassau, she’s bound across the waves.
C G
She’s a-headin’ south through Biscayne Bay, into the open sea,
Am G Am
The Yarmouth Castle’s, she’s a-dying and don’t know it!
Am C G
There were many years she’s been to sea, she’s seen the better times,
Am G Am
She gives a groan of protest as they cast away her lines.
Am C G
And the grumble of her engines and the rust along her spine,
Am G Am
Tells the Castle she’s too old to be sailing.
Am C G
But the sands run out within her heart, a tiny spark glows red,
Am G Am
Smoulders through the evening as laughter overhead,
Am C
Now when dinner’s served and the cards are dealt, & the
G
drinks are passed around,
Am G Am
Deep within, the fire starts a-burning.
Am C G
Now it’s midnight on the open sea, the moon is shining bright,
Am G Am
Some people join the party and others say goodnight.
Am C G
There’s many who are sleeping now, it’s been a busy day,
Am G Am
And the tiny whisp of smoke is a-risin’.
Am C G
«Oh lord,» she groans, «I’m burnin’, let someone understand!»
Am G Am
But her silent plea is wasted in the playin’ of the band!
Am C G
Everybody’s dancin’ on the deck and they’re a-havin’ such a time,
Am G Am
And a voice says, «Shut up and deal, I’m losin'»
Am C G
Deep within the Yarmouth Castle the fire begins to glow,
Am G Am
It leaps into the hallways and climbs and twists and grows!
Am C G
And the paint she wore to keep her young, oh Lord, how well it burns!
Am G Am
And soon that ol’ fire is ragin’.
Am C G
Now beneath the bridge it’s climbing fast, the captain stands alone
Am G Am
He calls up to the bos’un, says, «Bos’un, we are lost!»
Am C G
For the ragged hoses in the racks, no pressure do they hold,
Am G Am
The people down below will soon be dyin’.
Am C G
All amidship’s, oh she’s a-blazin’ now, it’s spreadin’ fore and aft!
Am G Am
The people are a-scramblin’ as the fire blocks the path.
Am C G
The evil smoke surrounds them and they’re fallin’ in their tracks,
Am G Am
And the captain in his lifeboat is a-leavin’.
BREAK: Am / (B) / C/ G / Am / G / Am
Am C G
Oh then the ship Banana Star, comes steamin’ through the night,
Am G Am
She sees the Castle blazin’ and ’tis a terrible sight.
Am C G
«Jump down, jump down,» the captain cries, «we’ll save you if we can!»
Am G Am
And the paint on his funnels is a-fryin’.
Am C G
God help the ones who sleep below and cannot find the way,
Am G Am
Thank God for those we rescued upon this awful day!
Am C G
Now the heroes they are many but the times are goin’ slim,
Am G Am
And now from stern to bow she’s a-blazin’.
Am C G
Oh the Yarmouth Castle’s moanin’, she’s cryin’ like a child,
Am G Am
You can hear her if you listen above the roar so wild.
Am C G
Is she cryin’ for the ones who lie within her molten sides,
Am G Am
Or cryin’ for herself I’m a-wonderin’?
Am C G
But the living soon were rescued, the ones who lived to tell,
Am G Am
From the Star they a-watched her as she died there in the swells.
Am C G
Like a toy ship on a mill pond she burned all through the night,
Am G Am
Then slipped beneath the waves in the mornin’.
