The Scorpion Departs But Never Returns chords by Phil Ochs

SimplifiedAm · G · F · E · C …

GuitarPianoUkulele

Verse 1
Am 
Sailors climb the tree,
G 
up the terrible tree
Where are my shipmates have
Am 
they sunk beneath the sea?
I do not know much,
but I know this cannot be
G 
F 
It isn't really, it isn't really,
E 
Tell me it isn't really.

Verse 2
Am 
Sounding bell is diving
down the water green
G 
Not a trace, not a toothbrush,
Am 
not a cigarette was seen
Bubble ball is rising from a
whisper or a scream
G 
But I'm not screaming,
F 
no I'm not screaming,
E 
C 
Tell me I'm not screaming.
Bb 
Captain will not say how long
we must remain
C 
Am 
Bb 
The phantom ship forever sail the sea
E 
Am 
E 
It's all the same.
Am 
Captain my dear Captain
we're staying down so long
G 
I have been a good man,
Am 
I've done nobody wrong
Have we left our ladies for
the lyrics of a song?
G 
F 
That I'm not singing, I'm not singing
E 
Tell me I'm not singing
Am 
The schooner ship is sliding
across the kitchen sink
G 
My son and my daughter they won't
know what to think
Am 
The crew has turned to voting
and the officers to drink
G 
F 
But I'm not drinking, no I'm not drinking
E 
C 
Tell me I'm not drinking
Captain will not say how
Bb 
long we must remain
C 
Am 
Bb 
The phantom ship forever sail the sea
E 
It's all the same.
Am 
The radio is begging them to
come back to the shore
G 
All will be forgiven,
it'll be just like before
Am 
All you've ever wanted
will be waiting by your door
G 
F 
We will forgive you, we will forgive you
E 
Tell me we will forgive you
Am 
But no  one gives an answer
not even one goodbye
G 
Oh, the silence of their sinking
is all that they reply
Am 
Some have chosen to decay
and other chose to die
G 
F 
But I'm not dying, no I'm not dying
E 
C 
Tell me I'm not dying
Bb 
Captain will not say how long
we must remain
C 
Am 
Bb 
The phantom ship forever sail the sea
E 
Am 
E 
Am 
G 
It's all the
Am 
G 