First Christmas chords by Stan Rogers

From: Barrie McCombs

FIRST CHRISTMAS  Time: 3/4 (sync)  Tenor: D  Bass: C?
- Stan Rogers, 1979, on Between The Breaks, Key: D


INTRO: 1, 6m, 57, 1

   1      *   5         1
This day a year a-go, he was rolling in the snow
    6m   5    4        1    *
With a younger brother in his father's yard
5         *         6m    *         2m
Christmas break, a time for touching home, the heart of all he'd known
  *       5   4  5
And leaving was so hard_________
   1        *       5          *
Three thousand miles a-way, now he's . working Christmas Day
    6m   5      4       1    *
Making double time for the minding of the store
    5         *       6m
Well he always said, he'd make it on his own
   *            2m   *
He's spending Christmas Eve a-lone
   4      5    1   *  5  5
First Christmas a-way from home

   1        *       5          1
She's standing by the train station, .. pan-handling for change
     6m   5   4         1    *
Four more dollars buys a decent meal and a room
5          *        6m    *        2m
Looks like the Sally Ann place after all, in a crowded sleeping hall
   *       5   4  5
That echoes like a tomb_______
     1         *          5        *
But it's warm and clean and free, and there are worse places to be
  6m    5    4        1    *
At least it means no beating from her Dad
  5        *          6m
And if she cries be-cause it's Christmas Day
  *          2m   *
She hopes that it won't show
   4      5    1   *
First Christmas a-way from home


BRIDGE ONE:
5       *         5/4     5         1
..... In the a-partment stands a tree, and it looks so small and bare
     4        *  *  5             5/4
Not like it was meant to be____, ..... Golden angel on the top
   *            6m    *        2m
It's not that same old silver star, you wanted for your own
*   4      5    1   *
First Christmas a-way from home   (INSTRUMENTAL)


NOTES:
- Rogers: tunes DADGBE, strums B 43 B2 43

FIRST CHRISTMAS   PAGE TWO


    1         *         5          1
In the morning, they get prayers, then it's crafts and tea down-stairs
    6m   5     4       1    *
Then a-nother meal back in his little room
    5        *          6m    *        2m
Hoping maybe that "the boys" will think to phone be-fore the day is gone
      *        5   4  5
Well, it's best they do it soon________
     1         *       5        *
When the "old girl" passed a-way, he fell a-part more every day
     6m   5    4      1    *
Each had always kept the other pretty well
    5         *        6m
But the kids all said the nursing home was best
     *        2m   *
Cause he couldn't live a-lone
   4      5    1   *
First Christmas a-way from home

BRIDGE TWO:
    5      *        5/4
In the common room they've got the biggest tree /
        5         1
   / And it's huge and cold and lifeless
  4        *  *         5            5/4
Not like it ought to be____, and the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top
   *            6m    *         *
It's not that same old silver star, you once made for your own
*   4      5    1   *
First Christmas a-way from home
SYMBOLS:
- Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord
- Period (.)  = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure
- Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure

CHORDS (Number System):
- Example:   1  2  3  4  5  6  7
- Key of C:  C  D  E  F  G  A  B