D G C
It's Ho! for a brave and a gallant ship, With a fair and a favouring' breeze,
G Em Am D7
With a bully crew and a captain too To carry me over the seas;
G C
To carry me over the seas, me lads, To me true love far away,
G Em G D G
For I'm taking' a trip on a Government ship Ten thousand miles away.
D7 G C
And sing blow the winds heigh-ho! A-roving I will go.
G Em Am D7
I'll stay no more on England's shore to hear the music play
G C
I'm off on the morning train and I won't be back again.
G Em G D G
I'm taking a trip on a government ship Ten thousand miles away.
D G C
Oh me true love, she was beautiful, Me true love, she was fair,
G Em Am D7
Her eyes were like two diamonds bright And golden was her hair
G C
And golden was her hair, me boys As the big ship sailed away
G Em G D G
And she said, "Will you remember me Ten thousand miles away!"
D G C
Oh, dark and dismal was the day When last I saw me Meg
G Em Am D7
She'd a Government band around each hand And another one around her leg
G C
And another one around her leg, me boys As the big ship left the bay,
G Em G D G
And I swore I would be true to her Ten thousand miles away!
D G C
Well, I wish I was a bosun bold Or even a bombardier
G Em Am D7
I'd build a boat and away I'd float And straight for me true love's steer;
G C
And straight for me true love steer, me boys Where the dancing dolphins play,
G Em G D G
Where the whales and sharks have all their larks Ten thousand miles away.
D G C
Oh the sun may shine through the London fog Or the river run quite clear,
G Em Am D7
Or the ocean brine turn into wine Or I'll forget my beer (Oh no!)
G C
Or I'll forget my beer, me lads Or the landlord's quarter-pay
G Em G D G
But I won't forget my own true Meg Ten thousand miles away.