Ballad To A Spaceman - Julia Ecklar

🎸 Intro: Fm D# Fm 🎸 Verse 1: Fm Born in the belly of a rocket ship, Fm D# Fm As from Terra it did fly. Fm His first cries drowned by the engines' roar, Fm D# Fm In no cradle did he lie. Fm D# He'd hit Santarra by the time he was four, Fm D# GalHydin when he was nine. Fm Born as a spaceman in a spaceman's bed, C7 Fm And as a spaceman he would die.

🎸 Verse 2: Fm He learned every course that a ship could take, Fm D# Fm Found a few more on the side. Fm He learned new tricks every stop they'd make; Fm D# Fm With the engines he would ride. Fm D# A# spacer's pride was his swagger stick, Fm D# And his pride knew that he could survive. Fm He lived as a spaceman since the day he was born C7 Fm And as a spaceman he would die. 🎸 Verse 3: Fm They headed for Diversa in his trading years Fm D# Fm When he'd just turned thirty-four. Fm The captain planned on a mighty pay Fm D# Fm After running a load of ore. Fm D# The engine room gave him all they had, Fm D# But the captain ordered more. Fm They pumped 'em up to their hottest gain C7 Fm Just to hear the rockets roar. 🎸 Verse 4: Fm Five hundred miles 'bove the planet's ground, Fm D# Fm The engines died away. Fm The captain called, "We need power now Fm D# Fm Or we'll all die today!" Fm D# The spaceman said, "All the boys are dead Fm D# And I'm not far behind. Fm We've pulled much more than she's meant to take, C7 Fm And the baffles have blown wide." 🎸 Verse 5: Fm The captain said, "Well, do something man!" Fm D# Fm And the Spaceman smiled wide/ Fm "'cept hold the plates down with my bare hands, Fm D# Fm We can't do nothing but enjoy the ride." Fm D# But the ground flew up with destructive speed, Fm D# And the Spaceman knew his mind Fm He couldn't sit in the engine room C7 Fm And wait for his friends to die 🎸 Verse 6: Fm So he turned and he put his hand inside Fm D# Fm Where the engines used to glow Fm He found the plates and he held 'em fast: Fm D# Fm "To quit's no way to go!" Fm D# And the rocket shook with a mighty roar Fm D# And the engines they did cry. Fm And the Spaceman smiled in the engine's glow. C7 Fm For as a spaceman he would die. 🎸 Verse 7: Fm They found the boys in the engine room; Fm D# Fm By their stations they did lie. Fm The spaceman with his hands on a baffle plate Fm D# Fm Was still sitting where he'd died. Fm D# They took them out, gave them to the stars; Fm D# Not a single spaceman cried. Fm For spacemen in the stars do live, C7 Fm And in the stars they long to die 🎸 Outro: Fm D# The Spaceman's life for his men did give, Fm D# And the stars would let him lie Fm He lived as a spaceman from the day he was born, C7 Fm And as a spaceman, he did die. C7 Fm