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They Never Came Home

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Foreword:
In my opinion this is one of the key songs of Christy Moore's career epitomizing his pursuit
of social justice and courage to speak out about issues of the day. This tells the story 
of the Star Dust nightclub tragedy of 14/2/1981 and the subsequent injustice and questionable 
impartiality of the legal system, the sham enquiry that without evidence exonerated the owners 
from wrongdoing by blaming  probable cause as arson (yes it was found to be probably the 
victims fault for burning themselves alive), and saving the insurer a vast fortune on 
compensating the 48 deaths and 215 seriously injured; and the owners untested for negligence in the 
safe storage of chemicals, the chaining of fire exits and the boarding up windows with steel plates
This song was played non stop in 1985 for 10 weeks (wearing out cassette tapes and CDs) 
in protest of a new niteclub being built on the same site with the insurance payout,
while the victims were thrown to the gutter and 3 decades later justice had not been served.
The Government of the day, the supposed representatives of the people sued Christy Moore for libel 
and forced his Ordinary Man album to be recalled, making the few copies out there quite rare. 
Many younger people in Ireland are not aware of this song due to it being banned
from the airwaves in the republic.
Time Signature 3/4
This is just my version and is not an attempt to be an exact copy of Christy's work
Chords (use these if there is any conflict with the automated diagrams)
 Cx32010
 G320033
 Fxx3211
picking pattern is base note then 2 plucks of 3 strings as tabbed below.
then at the end of the sentences a single strum for 2 bars (the extra bar on every 2nd line)
Gxxxxxx Cxxxxxx Fxx1x1x 
xx3x3x xx1x1x xx2x2x
xx0x0x xx0x0x xx3x3x
xx0x0x xx2x2x 0xxxxx
xxxxxx 3xxxxx xxxxxx
3xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx
or just by string numbers if you dont understand tab yet
G6, 432, 432
C5, 432, 432
F4, 321, 321
VERSES
C C G C
C C F G G
C C F C
C C G C C
F F C C
C C F G G
C C F C
C C G C C
CHORUS
F F C C
C C F G G
C C F C
C C G C C
most notable memory aids are:
2nd half of verse and chorus are same chords, 
2nd third and 4th lines of each section the same
[VERSE 1]
St.  CVal-en-tine's Cday  comes a-Ground once a Cyear, 
our Cthought turn to Clove  as the Fday it draws Gnear,G  
When Csweet-hearts and Cdar-lings,  Fhus-bands and Cwives, 
Pledge Clove and de-Cvo-tion for.the Grest of their ClivesC  
As Fday turns to Feven-ing soon Cnight-time does Cfall,
Young Cpeo-ple get Cready  for the FVal-en-tine's GBall,G  
As the Cnight rings with Claugh-ter some Fpeo-ple still Cmourn 
The Cfor-ty eight Cchil-dren who Gne-ver came ChomeC  
[CHORUS]
FHave we for-Fgot-ten the Csuff-ering and Cpain 
the sur-Cviv-ors and Cvic-tims of.the Ffire in Ar-Gtane,G  
the Cmoth-ers and Cfath-ers for-Fever  to Cmourn 
the Cfor-ty eight Cchil-dren who Gne-ver came Chome.C  
[VERSE 2]
it's  Cdown to the CStar-dust they  Gall made their Cway
The Cboun-cers looked Con as they  Flined up to GpayG  
The Crec-ords are Cspin-ning there's Fdan-cing as Cwell 
Just Chow the fire Cstart-ed sure Gno one can Ctell.C  
In.a Fmat-ter of Fsec-onds con-Cfus-ion did Creign 
The Croom was in Cdark-ness fire Fex-its were GchainedG  
The  Cfire-fight-ers Cwept  for Fthey could not Chide,
Their Csorr-ow and Can-ger for Gthose left in-Cside.C  
[CHORUS]
[VERSE 3]
All a-Cround  the Ccity  the  Gbad news it Cspread
There's a Cfire in the CStar-dust there's  Ffor-ty eight Gdead G  
CHun-dreds of Cchil-dren are Fin-jured and Cmaimed 
And Call just be-Ccause the fire Gex-its were Cchained.C  
Our Flead-ers were Fshocked,  grim Cstate-ments were Cmade 
They shed Ctears by the Cgraves  as.the Fbo-dies were GlaidG  
The  Cvic-tims have Cwait-ed in Fvain for four Cyears 
It Cseems like our Clead-ers shed Gcroc-o-dile Ctears.C  
[CHORUS]
[VERSE 4]
Half a Cmill-ion was Cspent  on  so-Glic-itor's Cfees, 
A Cfor-tune to.the Cow-ner and  Fhis fa-mil-GyG  
It's Chard to be-Clieve  not Fone pen-ny Ccame
To the Cwork-ing class Cpeo-ple who Gsuff-ered the Cpain.C  
FDays turn to Fweeks  and Cweeks turn to Cyears 
Our laws Cfav-our the Crich  or Fso it app-GearsG  
A  Cwo-man still Cwaits for her Fkids to come Chome 
In-Cjus-tice breeds Can-ger and Gthat's what's been Cdone. C  
[CHORUS]

All chords in this song (3)

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They Never Came Home

by Christy Moore

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Foreword:

In my opinion this is one of the key songs of Christy Moore's career epitomizing his pursuit

of social justice and courage to speak out about issues of the day. This tells the story

of the Star Dust nightclub tragedy of 14/2/1981 and the subsequent injustice and questionable

impartiality of the legal system, the sham enquiry that without evidence exonerated the owners

from wrongdoing by blaming probable cause as arson (yes it was found to be probably the

victims fault for burning themselves alive), and saving the insurer a vast fortune on

compensating the 48 deaths and 215 seriously injured; and the owners untested for negligence in the

safe storage of chemicals, the chaining of fire exits and the boarding up windows with steel plates

This song was played non stop in 1985 for 10 weeks (wearing out cassette tapes and CDs)

in protest of a new niteclub being built on the same site with the insurance payout,

while the victims were thrown to the gutter and 3 decades later justice had not been served.

The Government of the day, the supposed representatives of the people sued Christy Moore for libel

and forced his Ordinary Man album to be recalled, making the few copies out there quite rare.

Many younger people in Ireland are not aware of this song due to it being banned

from the airwaves in the republic.

Time Signature 3/4

This is just my version and is not an attempt to be an exact copy of Christy's work

Chords (use these if there is any conflict with the automated diagrams)

x32010

320033

xx3211

picking pattern is base note then 2 plucks of 3 strings as tabbed below.

then at the end of the sentences a single strum for 2 bars (the extra bar on every 2nd line)

G C F

xxxxxx xxxxxx xx1x1x

xx3x3x xx1x1x xx2x2x

xx0x0x xx0x0x xx3x3x

xx0x0x xx2x2x 0xxxxx

xxxxxx 3xxxxx xxxxxx

3xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx

or just by string numbers if you dont understand tab yet

6, 432, 432

5, 432, 432

4, 321, 321

VERSES

C C G C

C C F G G

C C F C

C C G C C

F F C C

C C F G G

C C F C

C C G C C

CHORUS

F F C C

C C F G G

C C F C

C C G C C

most notable memory aids are:

2nd half of verse and chorus are same chords,

2nd third and 4th lines of each section the same

[VERSE 1]

C C G C

St. Val-en-tine's day comes a-round once a year,

C C F G G

our thought turn to love as the day it draws near,

C C F C

When sweet-hearts and dar-lings, hus-bands and wives,

C C G C C

Pledge love and de-vo-tion for.the rest of their lives

F F C C

As day turns to even-ing soon night-time does fall,

C C F G G

Young peo-ple get ready for the Val-en-tine's Ball,

C C F C

As the night rings with laugh-ter some peo-ple still mourn

C C G C C

The for-ty eight chil-dren who ne-ver came home

[CHORUS]

F F C C

Have we for-got-ten the suff-ering and pain

C C F G G

the sur-viv-ors and vic-tims of.the fire in Ar-tane,

C C F C

the moth-ers and fath-ers for-ever to mourn

C C G C C

the for-ty eight chil-dren who ne-ver came home.

[VERSE 2]

C C G C

it's down to the Star-dust they all made their way

C C F G G

The boun-cers looked on as they lined up to pay

C C F C

The rec-ords are spin-ning there's dan-cing as well

C C G C C

Just how the fire start-ed sure no one can tell.

F F C C

In.a mat-ter of sec-onds con-fus-ion did reign

C C F G G

The room was in dark-ness fire ex-its were chained

C C F C

The fire-fight-ers wept for they could not hide,

C C G C C

Their sorr-ow and an-ger for those left in-side.

[CHORUS]

[VERSE 3]

C C G C

All a-round the city the bad news it spread

C C F G G

There's a fire in the Star-dust there's for-ty eight dead

C C F C

Hun-dreds of chil-dren are in-jured and maimed

C C G C C

And all just be-cause the fire ex-its were chained.

F F C C

Our lead-ers were shocked, grim state-ments were made

C C F G G

They shed tears by the graves as.the bo-dies were laid

C C F C

The vic-tims have wait-ed in vain for four years

C C G C C

It seems like our lead-ers shed croc-o-dile tears.

[CHORUS]

[VERSE 4]

C C G C

Half a mill-ion was spent on so-lic-itor's fees,

C C F G G

A for-tune to.the ow-ner and his fa-mil-y

C C F C

It's hard to be-lieve not one pen-ny came

C C G C C

To the work-ing class peo-ple who suff-ered the pain.

F F C C

Days turn to weeks and weeks turn to years

C C F G G

Our laws fav-our the rich or so it app-ears

C C F C

A wo-man still waits for her kids to come home

C C G C C

In-jus-tice breeds an-ger and that's what's been done.

[CHORUS]

About They Never Came Home Chords by Christy Moore

Learn how to play They Never Came Home by Christy Moore with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “They Never Came Home chords”, “They Never Came Home guitar chords”, or “Christy Moore They Never Came Home chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy They Never Came Home chords and for experienced players who want accurate They Never Came Home lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, G, F, A.

FAQ — They Never Came Home by Christy Moore

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