I wrote this song to try to typify the feelings and experience of two lovers torn apart by the Great War of 14-18. One remains at home, the other doesn't come home.    

 

 

The Silver Sixpence (Key of C)

 

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                    C                   F                       C                       G7

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I gave to her, my last goodbye

                      C                   F                      C           G7          C

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I said to her, my love don’t cry

 

                   C                          F                          C                            G7

I travelled south, into the sunrise. She travelled back, to our happy home.

                C                   F                   C              G7            C

I went into, a sea of trouble. She sat alone, one tear, one sigh

 

                      C                   F                                 C                             G7

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I gave to her, my last goodbye

                      C                   F                                 C            G7               C

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I said to her, my love don’t cry

        

          C                          F                                 C                         G7

I walked into, the hail of gunfire. She walked beside me, all the way

                C                   F                                C             G7           C

I fell that day, into the darkness. She came to me, and said don’t cry

 

                      C                   F                       C                        G7

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I gave to her, my last goodbye

                      C                   F                      C            G7          C

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I said to her, my love don’t cry

 

                     C                    F                            C                                  G7

I searched inside, my tunic pocket. I found my love’s coin, in blood red dye

                C                        F                           C             G7           C

I held it tight, onto my cold lips. I heard her voice, my love don’t cry

 

                     C                   F                        C                        G7

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I gave to her, my last goodbye

                      C                F                         C            G7          C

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I said to her, my love don’t cry

 

                C                       F                               C                    G7

I felt her hand, take me a long way. Way back to, our happy home

                   C                        F                                  C           G7          C

I kissed her lips, she smiled a song sigh. I kissed her tear, my love don’t cry.

              

          C                             F                         C                         G7

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I gave to her, my last goodbye

                    C                   F                         C          G7           C

She gave to me, a silver sixpence. I said to her, my love don’t cry

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                                                                                             Tom O Keenan 2015