Song Of The Wheelhouse Door Chords

[Intro]
Dm
 
[Verse]
Dm
Winter's ice clings to cliff
   F               C
To beach and empty shell
    Dm
The grey wind moans on the bones of the summer
    F                   C
And takes a slap at the bell
    Dm
And all the boats are upside down
                 C
Hull down on the shore
Dm
Parson G, Clarissa Lee
                           C
That used-up, short-rigged whore
    Bb
The Lindy Lou with her sides stove through
        F                   C
And her keel all rotten and tore
C
And it's many a night when the wind's been right
                              Bb
And the weather's been getting poor
Bb
I try to sleep, but I can't sleep
        F                         C    Bb   F   C
For the banging of the wheelhouse door
 
[Verse]
     Dm
So I lie in bed, like a kid, you know
F                 C
Hoping she'll go away
    Dm
But no such luck, goddamn her bones
        F                       C
So it's down to the kitchen for me
Dm
Find the old pipe and get it lit up
                            C
Bring down the tea from the shelf
Dm
Ida's been gone since 'Sixty-One
        F               C
So I've had to do for myself
       Bb
And as soon as the smoke's curling over the book
        F                      C
And the tea's getting ready to pour
                               Bb
Then as sure as I stand, I can hear Pete McCann
        F                         C    Bb   F   C
And the banging of the wheelhouse door
 
[Verse]
Dm
Pete and me, we were headed home
     F                   C
With half a catch in the hold
Dm
Tryin' to raise the South Head light
     F             C
And, Jesus, did it blow
       Dm
By the time we heard the breakers
                           C
We were too close in on to shore
                              Bb
With a prayer and a curse, we felt her lurch
       F                C
As the rocks dug in and tore
                                 Bb
And I got knocked off my feet, I couldn't find Pete
  F                 C
I don't recall much more
    Bb
But Lindy Lou, cryin' and dyin'
        F             C
And the ocean roaring through
                                Bb
And the last thing I heard, the noise, not a word
    F                         C    Bb   F   C
The banging of the wheelhouse door
 
[Verse]
  Dm
I woke up four days later
     F              C
In a hospital in St John's
     Dm
In a body cast, 'cause I hurt my back
         F                C
And they told me Pete was gone
     Dm
They never found his body
                                  C
Though they searched ten miles of shore
    Dm
And me, I'm alone and my back's gone
      F             C
And I can't fish no more
    Bb
And Lindy Lou with her sides stove through
        F              C
She was dragged out on shore
                                  Bb
And there's many a night when the wind's been right
        F                      C
And the weather's been getting poor
                            Bb
I try to sleep, but I can't sleep
        F                         C    Bb   F    C
For the banging of the wheelhouse door
X