The Balled Of St. Annes Reel Tab uke di David Mallett

[Verse 1]
      G                               C                  G
He was stranded in some tiny town on fair Prince Edward Isle,
                                D
waiting for a ship to come and find him
  C                  D                   G            C
A one-horse place, a friendly face, some coffee and a tiny trace
    G              D            G
of fiddling in the distance far behind him.

[Verse 2]

G                                   C           G
A dime across the counter, then, a shy hello, a brand new friend.
                                      D
A walk along the street in the wintry weather.
  C                D            G                       C
A yellow light, an open door, a welcome friend, there's room for more,
    G                     D            G
And then they're standing there inside together.

[Verse 3]

   D                                                 C              G
He said I've heard that tune before somewhere, but I can't remember when.
       D                                     C              Em
Was it on some other friendly shore or did I hear it on the wind?
       G              D                    C                 G                            
Was it written on the sky above? I think I heard it from someone I love,
      C              D                    G
but I never heard it sound so sweet since then

[Verse 4]
 G                            C                   G
Now his feet begin to tap, a little boy says I'll take your hat.
                                     D
He's caught up in the magic of her smile.
    C                D                   G               C
And leap, the heart inside him went, and off across the floor he sent
    G            D             G
his clumsy body graceful as a child.

[Verse 5]

                D                                    C            G
He said there's magic in the fiddler's arm, there's magic in this town.
        D                                  C                   Em
There's magic in the dancers' feet and the way they put them down.
 G              D           C                 G
People smiling everywhere, boots and ribbons, locks of hair,
    C                     D                G
and laughter and old blue suits and Easter gowns.

[Verse 6]

G                                            C            G  
Now the sailor's gone, the room is bare, the old piano's sitting there,
                                    D
someone's hat's left hanging on the rack.
    C                 D                 G                   C
And empty chairs, the wooden floor that feels the touch of shoes no more,
G                D               G
awaiting for the dancers to come back.

[Verse 7]

        D                              C                G
And the fiddle's in the closet of some daughter of the town.
    D                                             C                 Em
The strings are broke and the bow is gone and the cover's buttoned down.
     G            D                        C                   G
But sometimes on December nights, when the air is cold and the wind is right,
          C            D                  G
There's a melody that passes through this town.

        D                              C                G
And the fiddle's in the closet of some daughter of the town.
    D                                             C                 Em
The strings are broke and the bow is gone and the cover's buttoned down.
     G            D                        C                   G
But sometimes on December nights, when the air is cold and the wind is right,
          C            D                  G
There's a melody that passes through this town.