Intro - A - G
Night (A)stirs her inky (G)finger in the (A)water of the (G)day,
The (D)tired (C)sun (C/B)drops (G)slow (G/F#)ly (Emin)in the (A)sky (D)
And *eve*ry*where the *gen*tle *air hangs *hea*vy *with the (Emin)day-song
(Amin)Evening calls the (Cmin)lamplighter to (G)come
Children's wooden hoops go clattering down the street
Soon they're called inside, it's getting late.
The brown canal now splashed with red reflects on swallows' wings.
The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings.
But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers hiss warnings to the wind
Their evening vespers prophecy of war.
The world divides and men take sides, the spark bursts into flame,
Nothing can be quite the same again.
A dog barks in the distance, child cries in her sleep
The night waits for the dawn with baited breath.
The old school, the old rule rung out on a muffin man's bell
The lamplighter has made his nightly call.
Dreams of hope and peace sent clattering down the streets
Empty like the promises they've made.
The wars rage on, and if I'm wrong, will someone please explain
That peace is not the lamplighter, cos he's not coming back again.
© Ralph McTell, All Rights Reserved
Chord Change for line 3
