Rum Runners from Tales of the Great Rum Runners 1974

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Robert Hunter

 C
Here is a taste of the great rum runners
 Am
Ships that sailed the velvet harbor
 C
Crews that broke the jugs and poured your blood
 G                         Am
Like flowing rum upon the sand

Am
Sinking down, down, down
          G
Upon the sand, upon the sea
          Am
Upon the hills of liquid green
              G
They rise to fall, they rise again
       C/G             G            Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind

 C
Here is a wail of a lone flute playing
 Am
Those not hanged, by time were slain
 C
Here is a cup of blood and tears
 G                             Am
Here is the wail of a hundred years

Am
Sinking down, down, down
          G
Upon the sand, upon the sea
          Am
Upon the hills of liquid green
              G
They rise to fall, they rise again
       C/G             G            Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind

 C
Overnight they turned to water
 Am
No blood rang when they went to slaughter
 C
Tears were few, though sighs were heavy
 G                                Am
Bones were stacked in the main library

[instrumental]
C Am C G Am

Am
Turning down, down, down
             G
Till their dreams are touching ground
       Am
Rising up like gentle rain
              G
They turn to rise and fall again

 C
Running round and changing faces
 Am
Marking time and keeping paces
 C
Ducking down awhile to die
G                          Am
Their faces melt to barren sky

C
After all the trial and fury
Am
They spared the judge and hanged the jury
C
No one asked the reason why
G                              Am
Sentence passed they turned to die

Am
Turning down, down, down
             G
Till their dreams are touching ground
       Am
Rising up like gentle rain
              G
They turn to rise and fall again
        C/G             G           Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind

C
Here is fire and bloody slaughter
Am
Written on the leaves of water
C
Here is a ship with all hands singing
Am
Here is a dock with dark men swinging

Am
Down, down, down
          G
Upon the sand, upon the sea
          Am
Upon the hills of liquid green
              G
They rise to fall, they rise again
       C/G             G            Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind

 C
Here is a taste of the great rum runners
 Am
Ships that sailed the velvet harbor
 C
Crews that broke the jugs and poured your blood
 G                         Am
Like flowing rum upon the sand

Am
Sinking down, down, down
          G
Upon the sand, upon the sea
          Am
Upon the hills of liquid green
              G
They rise to fall, they rise again
       C/G             G            Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind
       C/G             G            Am
Their dreams tattered sails in the wind