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Christmas in the Trenches

artist:John McCutcheon

, writer:John McCutcheon



   Chords:
 {t:Christmas in the Trenches}
{artist: John McCutcheon}
{key: D}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJi41RWaTCs
{c: Thanks to Frank de Lathouder}

My [D] name is Francis [Bm] Tolliver.
I [G] come from Liver-[Em]pool.
Two [A7] years ago the war was waiting 
[G] for me after [D] school.
To Belgium and to [Bm] Flanders, 
to [G] Germany, to [Em] here,
I [A7] fought for King and country I love [D] dear.
Twas [A7] Christmas in the trenches 
where the [G] frost so bitter [D] hung.
The [Bm] frozen fields of [F#m] France were still, 
no [G] Christmas song was [A7] sung.
Our [D] families back in [Bm] England 
were [G] toasting us that [Em] day,
Their [A7] brave and glorious lads so far a-[D]way.
 
I was [D] lyin' with my [Bm] mess-mate 
on the [G] cold and rocky [Em] ground
When a-[A7]cross the lines of battle 
came a [G] most peculiar [D] sound.
Says I "Now listen [Bm] up me boys", 
each [G] soldier strained to [Em] hear
As [A7] one young German voice sang out so [D] clear.
"He's [A7] singin' bloody well you know", 
my [G] partner says to [D] me.
Soon [Bm] one by one each [F#m] German voice 
[G] joined in in harmo-[A7]ny.
The [D] cannons rested [Bm] silent. 
The [G] gas cloud rolled no [Em] more
As [A7] Christmas brought us respite from the [D] war.
 
As [D] soon as they were [Bm] finished 
a [G] reverent pause was [Em] spent.
“God [A7] Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” 
struck [G] up some lads from [D] Kent.
The next they sang was [Bm] 'Stille Nacht" 
"Tis [G] 'Silent Night'" says [Em] I
And [A7] in two tongues one song filled up that [D] sky.
{np}

"There's [A7] someone commin’ towards us" 
the [G] front-line sentry [D] cried.
All [Bm] sights were fixed on [F#m] one lone figure 
[G] trudging from their [A7] side.
His [D] truce flag, like a [Bm] Christmas star, 
shone [G] on that plain so [Em] bright
As he [A7] bravely strode, unarmed, into the [D] night.
 
Soon [D] one by one on [Bm] either side 
walked [G] into no-mans-[Em]land
With [A7] neither gun nor bayonet 
we [G] met there hand to [D] hand.
We shared some secret [Bm] brandy 
and [G] wished each other [Em] well
And in a [A7] flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em [D] hell.
We [A7] traded chocolates, cigarettes 
and [G] photographs from [D] home
These [Bm] sons and fathers [F#m] far away 
from [G] families of their [A7] own.
Young [D] Sanders played his [Bm] squeeze box 
They [G] had a vio-[Em]lin
This [A7] curious and unlikely band of [D] men.
 
Instrumental Bridge (Air of ‘The Minstrel Boy’):
[D](8)   [G](2)   [D](2)   [A7](2)   [D](2)
 
Soon [D] daylight stole u-[Bm]pon us 
and [G] France was France once [Em] more.
With [A7] sad farewells we each began 
to [G] settle back to [D] war.
But the question haunted [Bm] every heart 
that [G] beat that wonderous [Em] night
"Whose [A7] family have I fixed within my [D] sights?"
Twas [A7] Christmas in the trenches 
where the [G] frost so bitter [D] hung.
The [Bm] frozen fields of [F#m] France were warmed 
as [G] songs of peace were [A7] sung.
For the [D] walls they'd kept be-[Bm]tween us 
to e-[G]xact the work of [Em] war
Had been [A7] crumbled and were gone forever [D] more.
 
My [D] name is Francis [Bm] Tolliver. 
In [G] Liverpool I [Em] dwell.
Each [A7] Christmas come since World War One I've 
[G] learned its lessons [D] well.
That the ones who call the [Bm] shots won't be 
a-[G]mong the dead and [Em] lame
And on [A7] each end of the rifle we're the [D] same.
 
Outro (repeat bridge): [D](8)   [G](2)   [D](2)   [A7](2)   [D](hold)				




Note: Standard GCEA Usual Ukulele Tuning.

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