A Great Northern River (CHORDS) by The Unthanks

              Em                          C
the big ships sail up,..!! the big ships sail down

                Am
a great northern river

           Em               C
funnels of red,..!! funnels of black

                         Am
banded with yellow and silver

            G                  C
bringing in cargos of oil and wood

                                   Em
taking home girders of steel and pig iron

             Em                       C
oh,..!! coloured faces,..!! flags from all places

                              Am
high from the sternposts are flying


             Em                   C
down on the docks,..!! down on the wharves

                 Am
lofty cranes standing

             Em                      C
stevedores working and rivermen shouting

                       Am
crews making ready for London

                G
ropes black and tarry

                 C
chains rusty and red

                                   Em
lay among timber and bollards and packing

               Em                C
seagulls wheel over wild river cats

                            Gm
down on the jetties are watching


[Interlude]~
Em    C      Am
Em    C      Am
G     C
Em
Em    C      Am


              Em                  C
nights by the docks,..!! packed smoky pubs

                       Am
plenty of shouting and swearing

            Em                 C
heavy brown ale,..!! thick muddy stout,..!!

             Am
and nobody's caring

                G                  C
a lass starts to warble a popular song

                                          Em
they're throwing her pennies and pieces of silver

             Em                   C
closing time called,..!! silence then falls

                    Am
on a great northern river