INTRO: C

VERSE:
          C (x32010@1)                                  Am (x02210@1)    G (320003@1)     FWell (133211@1)it's just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do
       C (x32010@1)              F (133211@1)                Am (x02210@1)               GBut (320003@1)to watch the deadly waters glide as we roll north to the 'Soo',
C (x32010@1)                                Am (x02210@1)     Em (022000@1)   FWonder (133211@1)when they'll turn again and pitch us to the rail
    C (x32010@1)                G (320003@1)              FWhirl (133211@1)off one more youngster in the gale.

C (x32010@1)                             Am (x02210@1)   G (320003@1)     FThe (133211@1)kid was so damned eager. It was all so big and new.
C (x32010@1)          F (133211@1)                Am (x02210@1)             GNever (320003@1)had to tell him twice, or find him work to do.
    C (x32010@1)                              Am (x02210@1)   Em (022000@1)     FAnd (133211@1)evenings on the mess deck he was always first to sing,
        C (x32010@1)             G (320003@1)              CShow (x32010@1)us pictures of the girl he'd wed in spring.

CHORUS
      G (320003@1)                                  F (133211@1)                CBut (x32010@1)I told that kid a hundred times "Don't take the Lakes for granted.
     F (133211@1)               C (x32010@1)              Am (x02210@1)             GThey (320003@1)go from calm to a hundred knots so fast they seem enchanted."
      C (x32010@1)              Dsus2 (xx0230@1)           Em (022000@1)           FBut (133211@1)tonight a red-eyed Wiarton girl lies staring at the wall,
        Am (x02210@1)           G (320003@1)        FAnd (133211@1)her lover's gone into a white squall.

C (x32010@1)                                Am (x02210@1)   G (320003@1)    FIt's (133211@1)a thing that us oldtimers know. In a sultry summer calm
      C (x32010@1)               F (133211@1)             Am (x02210@1)            GThere (320003@1)comes a blow from nowhere, and it goes off like a bomb.
      C (x32010@1)                            Am (x02210@1)     Em (022000@1)   FAnd (133211@1)a fifteen thousand tonner can be thrown upon her beam
          C (x32010@1)              G (320003@1)            FWhile (133211@1)the gale takes all before it with a scream.

C (x32010@1)                           Am (x02210@1)    G (320003@1)    FThe (133211@1)kid was on the hatches, lying staring at the sky.
     C (x32010@1)             F (133211@1)               Am (x02210@1)                GFrom (320003@1)where I stood I swear I could see tears fall from his eyes.
     C (x32010@1)                                  Am (x02210@1)      Em (022000@1) FSo (133211@1)I hadn't the heart to tell him that he should be on a line,
C (x32010@1)       G (320003@1)               CEven (x32010@1)on a night so warm and fine.

REPEAT CHORUS
    
            C (x32010@1)                            Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1)    FAnd (133211@1)I could feel her keeling over with the fury of the blow.
      C (x32010@1)                 F (133211@1)            Am (x02210@1)         GAnd (320003@1)I watched the rail go under then, so terrible and slow.
           C (x32010@1)                                  Am (x02210@1)     Em (022000@1)    FThen, (133211@1)like some great dog she shook herself and roared upright again.
    C (x32010@1)         G (320003@1)               CFar (x32010@1)overside, I heard him call my name.

FINAL CHORUS
(end final chorus with C instead of F)