Small Rebellion chords by James Keelaghan

James Keelaghan - Small Rebellion


CAPO: 2nd Fret



INTRO: G C  G  C  G

               C
Well, friends, hereby hangs a tale
               G
The year was nineteen thirty-one
              C
A good job digging for the king
               G
While there's so many on the bum
              Em   D
I'd done my time across in France
             C
Fought at Moreaux and at Vimy
    G       C
Done my service for my country
      D       G
Thought I'd put the guns behind me

                C
I should have known it from the start
                G
Peace may be signed between two nations
              C
But for protection of your rights
                G
My friends, it's always battle stations
            Em  D
And so it was the union boys
             C
Set up shop there in the coalfields
     G         C
Said that they would be our voice
     D         G
Said that they would be our shield


INTERLUDE: C  G  C  G


            C
They said just a little march
               G
Across the town and past the station
                C
Some fine strong speakers and a band
            G
A fairly peaceful congregation
              Em   D
Let them know that we were strong
            C
Show them we could be united
     G        C
Show them we had found our voice
     D        G
And that we would not be frightened


                C
I should have known it from the start
              G
Workers marching makes them nervous
            C
I saw no menace in our group
                G
Peaceful of heart and stout of purpose
              Em   D
The local peelers were forewarned
                C
It's sure as hell they were forearmed
       G       C
How could we cause them any trouble?
     D      G
How could they be so alarmed?


INTERLUDE: C  G  C  G


                C
Armed with truncheons and with guns
                G
They took their line across the road
          C
Their faces cast in stone
              G
I heard the call to aim and load
           Em   D
Saw the deadly muzzle flash
           C     G
Saw the people drop around me
           C
Took a bullet to the leg
        D        G
My friends, and that is how they found me


                C
I should have known it from the start
               G
Should have seen the trouble coming
            C
Seen the ugly twist of fate
              G
Turned my tail and started running
              Em   D
Known when push has come to shove
              C
And it's a heavy hand that feeds you
     G         C
That the job that was your life
      D        G       F
Becomes the job that slowly beats you


BRIDGE:
  C    G                     F
No use, no use, for the ranting of the government men
  C       G                 F
No use, for their fine print and their fountain pen
  C    G
No use, no use in me denying
   F                C
This small rebellion's over, but I'm leaving here unbowed


INTERLUDE: C  G  C  G


               C
And when the dust had finally cleared
               G
When all dissent had been put down
               C
I packed my life in two worn bags
               G
Caught the train and left the town
               Em   D
In this case justice sure was blind
            C
At least blind to human suffering
         G       C
They said they'd put us in our place
   D         G
And I guess they weren't bluffing


                C
I should have known it from the start
                G
It's not the truth that really matters
                C
The real world tramples on such things
              G
Leaves your mental state in tatters
             Em  D
Makes the blowing prairie dust
            C
Seem like it is stationary
     G        C
Makes the proudest person humble
    D        G
And the strongest person wary
     G        C
Makes the proudest person humble
    D        G      C D G
And the strongest person wary