Key: D major
Verse 1
D
G
A
The war'd not long been over
F#m
Em
F#m
We gathered in the church hall
A
Em
He said there's work in England
F#m
G
for woman and for man
A
Em
So I clapped the hand,
F#m
D
A
D
some stranger with these hands
G
A
Farewell to Guyana,
D
G
the land where I was born
Em
F#m
We sailed for Southampton
G
Bm
on a bright April morn
A
D
G
as we looked back to the land
Em
F#m
And I held on to the railing
A
Asus4
D
Em
Asus4
with these hands
D
Bm
A
Now when we came to England
F#m
Em
F#m
Took a train to Paddington
G
A
and my, what a sight
G
A
around a paper stand
Em
F#m
And I rubbed my eyes in wonder
Em
Asus4
D
with these hands
G
A
Now I was a heart maker
D
G
and I had skills to share
Em
F#m
Songs to sing and joy to bring
D
G
A
Bm
and children to bear
G
A
But no blacks, no dogs, no Irish,
D
G
I couldn't understand
Em
F#m
D
But I wiped away my tears,
Asus4
D
Em
Asus4
with these hands
D
Bm
Asus4
A
Now the first place that I found to rent,
G
F#m
it didn't have a bath room
Em
D
The next place barely had a roof,
A
Em
F#m
For under an umbrella,
G
A
well it wasn't what I'd planned
Em
F#m
But I cooked the Christmas dinner,
Em
Asus4
D
with these hands
Bm
A
I became a foster mother,
G
F#m
took a hundred children in
Em
F#m
Loved everyone, kissed everyone,
D
G
A
no matter what their skin
Em
F#m
And they offered me an MBE,
G
Em
G
Em
A
I said, I don't need one
Em
F#m
Besides, I've no good
Em
Asus4
D
dress to wear it on
G
A
So I asked if I could trade it
D
G
for the things I really need
Em
F#m
Like bed sheets and pillow slips
G
A
Bm
for all the kids I feed
G
A
And the Mayor, listened to me
D
G
and he made this promise proud
Em
F#m
D
And the keys of the new house
Asus4
D
were in his hands
Em
Asus4
D
Bm
Oh and soon Jack Boots
G
F#m
through the streets of our town
Em
F#m
Our tyres slashed, win dows smashed,
A
Em
F#m
And I prayed that my children
A
Em
As I wiped their smeared faces
F#m
Em
Asus4
D
with these hands
G
A
And the words of the stranger
D
G
who had led me here
Em
D
Weren't the words of welcome now
G
A
Bm
but words of fear
G
A
And the river was bleeding
D
G
and the smell was found
Em
F#m
For the stranger's name
Em
Asus4
D
was Enoch Pound
Bm
A
And at four o 'clock one morning
G
D
a knock came at my door
Em
F#m
They took me down to Deptford
D
G
A
where ra ging fires roared
Em
F#m
Thirteen would die that night,
A
Em
F#m
And still the smell of New Cross
Em
Asus4
D
is on these hands
Asus4
D
and as the people cried
G
Em
As the flames fell
D
G
Bm
and as the flames died
G
Asus4
I stood amidst the ashes
D
G
and beneath the brooding skies
Em
F#m
I said my name is Phoenix
D
Em
A
D
Em
Asus4
and we will rise
D
Bm
A
For these hands where the years of love
G
F#m
they bear the scars of pain
A
Em
F#m
And though these hands are old now,
G
A
well they've got more to give
Em
F#m
But these hands don't forget,
Em
Asus4
but they forgive
D
G
A
And though the walls are rising,
D
G
now you may think Corby's gone
G
A
Bm
of all that can be done
G
A
So whoever is your neighbour,
D
G
link arms and make a stand
Em
D
And we will face the future
Em
Asus4
D
with these hands
D
G
link arms and make a stand
And we will face the future
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