Chords for Eric Bogle : SInging The Spirit Home (live 1994)
Tempo:
96.35 bpm
Chords used:
D
Bm
G
A
F#
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[G#] Okay, this is a song called Singing Spirit Home.
True story, it's about a young [F#m] black [G#] man in a South [G] African prison [F#] being executed.
[G] I'm talking about [F#] the bad old South Africa, not the new democratic one.
[G#]
And when they came to get him and take [F#] him to be executed, when they were leading him along the [F] corridor to be [Dm] executed,
[G] all the other black men and themselves [F#] started to sing to him.
They started to sing him a freedom song.
[E] True story.
And the last sound [F] he must have heard as he [F#m] died was the [D] sound of his [F#] brothers and themselves singing to him.
So I wrote this song [F] called [D] Singing the Spirit Home.
[Bm] [D]
[Bm] [D] They came [Bm] for him in the morning, [G] an hour [D] before the dawning.
The [Bm] pale white moon was waning [G] in the [A] African sky.
The cell door [Bm] flew wide open [G] and they stood [D] looking at him.
He saw [Bm] no mercy in their hearts, no [D] pity in their eyes.
[Bm]
[D] As he took them [Bm] and they bound him, [G] tied the trembling [D] hands behind him.
He felt [Bm] his courage leaving, [G] his [A] manhood disappear.
His legs did [B] not support him, [G] so from the cell they [Bm] dragged him.
He sobbed and screamed and cursed [G] them in his [D] long and innocent fear.
[Bm]
[A] Chains, chains, [D] chains.
[G] How many souls have died in [D] freedom's name?
[G] To some it [A] is a way of life, to [Bm] others just a word.
To [A] some it is a snow [F#m]-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But [A] until the last [D] chains [Bm] fall, freedom [A] will make [D] slaves of us all.
[Bm] [E]
[A] [D] With faces [Bm] closed and hidden, [G] the white guards walked [D] beside him.
Indifferent [Bm] to his pleading, [G] they went down this [A] path before.
But other [Bm] eyes were watching [G] and other ears were [D] listening.
Other [Bm] hearts beat with him in his [D] final desperate hour.
[Bm]
[D] And from the darkness [Bm] of that prison [D] came the sound of his brothers singing.
Courage the [Bm] voices [G] told him, you do [A] not walk alone.
From the [Bm] cells beyond the shadow, he heard the voices [D] echo.
Eyes of love and [B] pride and sorrow, [G] they sang [D] his spirit home.
[Bm]
[D] Chains, chains, chains.
[G] How many [A] souls have died in [D] freedom's name?
[G] To some [A] it is a way of life, to others [Bm] just a word.
To some [A] it is a snow-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But until the last [D] chains fall,
[G] freedom will make [D] slaves of us all.
[Bm] [E]
[A] And the song of [Bm] hope and freedom, [G] it rang inside [D] that prison.
It beat against the iron [G] bars and crashed [A] against the stone.
[D] As in the fear and [Bm] hate they hung him, [G] the last sound that filled his [D] being.
Watched his brothers [Bm] singing, singing, [G] singing his [D] spirit home.
[Bm] And [D] courage brothers, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
We shall walk with [A] you and sing [D] your spirit home.
And courage brothers, [A] you do [D] not walk alone.
We shall walk with you and [A] sing your spirit [D] home.
And courage sisters, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
We shall walk with you and [A] sing your [D] spirit home.
Sholosa, sho [G]-sholosa, klezo-ntava, [A] si-temele, si [D]-pomeze, zimbabwe.
Sholosa, sho [G]-sholosa, [Em] klezo-ntava, si-temele, si-pomeze, zimbabwe.
True story, it's about a young [F#m] black [G#] man in a South [G] African prison [F#] being executed.
[G] I'm talking about [F#] the bad old South Africa, not the new democratic one.
[G#]
And when they came to get him and take [F#] him to be executed, when they were leading him along the [F] corridor to be [Dm] executed,
[G] all the other black men and themselves [F#] started to sing to him.
They started to sing him a freedom song.
[E] True story.
And the last sound [F] he must have heard as he [F#m] died was the [D] sound of his [F#] brothers and themselves singing to him.
So I wrote this song [F] called [D] Singing the Spirit Home.
[Bm] [D]
[Bm] [D] They came [Bm] for him in the morning, [G] an hour [D] before the dawning.
The [Bm] pale white moon was waning [G] in the [A] African sky.
The cell door [Bm] flew wide open [G] and they stood [D] looking at him.
He saw [Bm] no mercy in their hearts, no [D] pity in their eyes.
[Bm]
[D] As he took them [Bm] and they bound him, [G] tied the trembling [D] hands behind him.
He felt [Bm] his courage leaving, [G] his [A] manhood disappear.
His legs did [B] not support him, [G] so from the cell they [Bm] dragged him.
He sobbed and screamed and cursed [G] them in his [D] long and innocent fear.
[Bm]
[A] Chains, chains, [D] chains.
[G] How many souls have died in [D] freedom's name?
[G] To some it [A] is a way of life, to [Bm] others just a word.
To [A] some it is a snow [F#m]-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But [A] until the last [D] chains [Bm] fall, freedom [A] will make [D] slaves of us all.
[Bm] [E]
[A] [D] With faces [Bm] closed and hidden, [G] the white guards walked [D] beside him.
Indifferent [Bm] to his pleading, [G] they went down this [A] path before.
But other [Bm] eyes were watching [G] and other ears were [D] listening.
Other [Bm] hearts beat with him in his [D] final desperate hour.
[Bm]
[D] And from the darkness [Bm] of that prison [D] came the sound of his brothers singing.
Courage the [Bm] voices [G] told him, you do [A] not walk alone.
From the [Bm] cells beyond the shadow, he heard the voices [D] echo.
Eyes of love and [B] pride and sorrow, [G] they sang [D] his spirit home.
[Bm]
[D] Chains, chains, chains.
[G] How many [A] souls have died in [D] freedom's name?
[G] To some [A] it is a way of life, to others [Bm] just a word.
To some [A] it is a snow-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But until the last [D] chains fall,
[G] freedom will make [D] slaves of us all.
[Bm] [E]
[A] And the song of [Bm] hope and freedom, [G] it rang inside [D] that prison.
It beat against the iron [G] bars and crashed [A] against the stone.
[D] As in the fear and [Bm] hate they hung him, [G] the last sound that filled his [D] being.
Watched his brothers [Bm] singing, singing, [G] singing his [D] spirit home.
[Bm] And [D] courage brothers, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
We shall walk with [A] you and sing [D] your spirit home.
And courage brothers, [A] you do [D] not walk alone.
We shall walk with you and [A] sing your spirit [D] home.
And courage sisters, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
We shall walk with you and [A] sing your [D] spirit home.
Sholosa, sho [G]-sholosa, klezo-ntava, [A] si-temele, si [D]-pomeze, zimbabwe.
Sholosa, sho [G]-sholosa, [Em] klezo-ntava, si-temele, si-pomeze, zimbabwe.
Key:
D
Bm
G
A
F#
D
Bm
G
[G#] Okay, this is a song called Singing Spirit Home.
True story, it's about a young [F#m] black [G#] man in a South [G] African prison [F#] being executed.
[G] I'm talking about [F#] the bad old South Africa, not the new democratic one.
[G#] _ _
And when they came to get him and take [F#] him to be executed, when they were leading him along the [F] corridor to be [Dm] executed,
[G] all the other black men and themselves [F#] started to sing to him.
They started to sing him a freedom song.
[E] True story.
And the last sound [F] he must have heard as he [F#m] died was the [D] sound of his [F#] brothers and themselves singing to him.
So I wrote this song [F] called [D] Singing the Spirit Home.
_ _ [Bm] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [Bm] _ _ [D] They came [Bm] for him in the morning, [G] an hour [D] before the dawning. _
The [Bm] pale white moon was waning [G] in the [A] African sky.
The cell door [Bm] flew wide open _ [G] and they stood [D] looking at him.
_ He saw [Bm] no mercy in their hearts, no [D] pity in their eyes.
_ [Bm] _
_ _ [D] As he took them [Bm] and they bound him, [G] tied the trembling [D] hands behind him.
He felt [Bm] his courage leaving, [G] his [A] manhood disappear. _
His legs did [B] not support him, [G] so from the cell they [Bm] dragged him.
He sobbed and screamed and cursed [G] them in his [D] long and innocent _ fear.
[Bm] _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] Chains, chains, [D] chains.
[G] How many souls have died in [D] freedom's name? _
[G] To some it [A] is a way of life, to [Bm] others just a word.
To [A] some it is a snow [F#m]-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But [A] until the last [D] chains [Bm] fall, _ freedom [A] will make [D] slaves of us all. _
[Bm] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ [D] With faces [Bm] closed and hidden, _ [G] the white guards walked [D] beside him.
Indifferent [Bm] to his pleading, [G] they went down this [A] path before. _
But other [Bm] eyes were watching _ [G] and other ears were [D] listening.
_ Other [Bm] hearts beat with him in his [D] final desperate hour.
_ [Bm] _ _
_ [D] And from the darkness [Bm] of that prison _ [D] came the sound of his brothers singing.
_ _ Courage the [Bm] voices [G] told him, you do [A] not walk alone.
From the [Bm] cells beyond the shadow, he heard the voices [D] echo.
_ Eyes of love and [B] pride and sorrow, [G] they sang [D] his spirit home.
_ [Bm] _ _ _
_ [D] Chains, chains, _ chains.
[G] How many [A] souls have died in [D] freedom's name? _
[G] To some [A] it is a way of life, to others [Bm] just a word.
To some [A] it is a snow-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But until the last [D] chains fall, _
[G] freedom will make [D] slaves of us all. _
[Bm] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ And the song of [Bm] hope and freedom, _ [G] it rang inside [D] that prison. _ _
It beat against the iron [G] bars and crashed [A] against the stone.
[D] As in the fear and [Bm] hate they hung him, [G] the last sound that filled his [D] being.
Watched his brothers [Bm] singing, singing, [G] singing his [D] spirit home. _ _
[Bm] _ _ And [D] _ courage _ brothers, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
_ We _ shall walk with _ [A] you and sing [D] your spirit home.
_ And courage _ _ brothers, [A] you do _ [D] not walk alone.
_ _ We _ shall walk with you and [A] sing your spirit [D] home.
_ And courage _ _ _ sisters, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
_ We _ shall walk with you and [A] sing your [D] spirit home.
_ _ _ _ _ Sholosa, sho _ [G]-sholosa, klezo-ntava, [A] si-temele, si [D]-pomeze, zimbabwe.
_ Sholosa, sho _ [G]-sholosa, [Em] klezo-ntava, si-temele, si-pomeze, zimbabwe. _ _ _
True story, it's about a young [F#m] black [G#] man in a South [G] African prison [F#] being executed.
[G] I'm talking about [F#] the bad old South Africa, not the new democratic one.
[G#] _ _
And when they came to get him and take [F#] him to be executed, when they were leading him along the [F] corridor to be [Dm] executed,
[G] all the other black men and themselves [F#] started to sing to him.
They started to sing him a freedom song.
[E] True story.
And the last sound [F] he must have heard as he [F#m] died was the [D] sound of his [F#] brothers and themselves singing to him.
So I wrote this song [F] called [D] Singing the Spirit Home.
_ _ [Bm] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [Bm] _ _ [D] They came [Bm] for him in the morning, [G] an hour [D] before the dawning. _
The [Bm] pale white moon was waning [G] in the [A] African sky.
The cell door [Bm] flew wide open _ [G] and they stood [D] looking at him.
_ He saw [Bm] no mercy in their hearts, no [D] pity in their eyes.
_ [Bm] _
_ _ [D] As he took them [Bm] and they bound him, [G] tied the trembling [D] hands behind him.
He felt [Bm] his courage leaving, [G] his [A] manhood disappear. _
His legs did [B] not support him, [G] so from the cell they [Bm] dragged him.
He sobbed and screamed and cursed [G] them in his [D] long and innocent _ fear.
[Bm] _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] Chains, chains, [D] chains.
[G] How many souls have died in [D] freedom's name? _
[G] To some it [A] is a way of life, to [Bm] others just a word.
To [A] some it is a snow [F#m]-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But [A] until the last [D] chains [Bm] fall, _ freedom [A] will make [D] slaves of us all. _
[Bm] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ [D] With faces [Bm] closed and hidden, _ [G] the white guards walked [D] beside him.
Indifferent [Bm] to his pleading, [G] they went down this [A] path before. _
But other [Bm] eyes were watching _ [G] and other ears were [D] listening.
_ Other [Bm] hearts beat with him in his [D] final desperate hour.
_ [Bm] _ _
_ [D] And from the darkness [Bm] of that prison _ [D] came the sound of his brothers singing.
_ _ Courage the [Bm] voices [G] told him, you do [A] not walk alone.
From the [Bm] cells beyond the shadow, he heard the voices [D] echo.
_ Eyes of love and [B] pride and sorrow, [G] they sang [D] his spirit home.
_ [Bm] _ _ _
_ [D] Chains, chains, _ chains.
[G] How many [A] souls have died in [D] freedom's name? _
[G] To some [A] it is a way of life, to others [Bm] just a word.
To some [A] it is a snow-white dove, to [Bm] some a bloody sword.
But until the last [D] chains fall, _
[G] freedom will make [D] slaves of us all. _
[Bm] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ And the song of [Bm] hope and freedom, _ [G] it rang inside [D] that prison. _ _
It beat against the iron [G] bars and crashed [A] against the stone.
[D] As in the fear and [Bm] hate they hung him, [G] the last sound that filled his [D] being.
Watched his brothers [Bm] singing, singing, [G] singing his [D] spirit home. _ _
[Bm] _ _ And [D] _ courage _ brothers, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
_ We _ shall walk with _ [A] you and sing [D] your spirit home.
_ And courage _ _ brothers, [A] you do _ [D] not walk alone.
_ _ We _ shall walk with you and [A] sing your spirit [D] home.
_ And courage _ _ _ sisters, [A] you do not [D] walk alone.
_ We _ shall walk with you and [A] sing your [D] spirit home.
_ _ _ _ _ Sholosa, sho _ [G]-sholosa, klezo-ntava, [A] si-temele, si [D]-pomeze, zimbabwe.
_ Sholosa, sho _ [G]-sholosa, [Em] klezo-ntava, si-temele, si-pomeze, zimbabwe. _ _ _