Thousands Are Sailing
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Step 1 / 185Position: 9
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The Pogues
Thousands Are Sailing
[Intro]
F#m E Bm
F#m E Bm
A
[Intro Melody]
E|-F#m9-9----9-12-9-|-E---------9-Bm--------|-F#m---------------------|----E---------9-Bm-----------|-A---|
B|-----12--------|-12-10-12---12-10---|-9-10-10-10-9---------|-10-12-10-12---12-10----9-|-10-|
G|---------------|-----------------11-|--------------11-9----|---------------------11---|----|
D|---------------|--------------------|-------------------11-|--------------------------|----|
A|---------------|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|----|
E|---------------|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|----|
[Verse]
The Aisland it is silent now
But the Dghosts still haunt the waves
And the Atorch lights up a F#mfamished man
Who Bmfortune could not saveE
Did you Awork upon the railroad
Did you Drid the streets of crime
Were your Adollars from the white F#mhouse
Were Ethey from the five and dimeA
Did the F#mold songs taunt or cheer you
And did Dthey still make you cryA
Did you F#mcount the months and years
Or did your tearBmdrops quickly dryE
Ah, ANo, says he 'twas not to be
On a Dcoffin ship I came here
And I Anever even F#mgot so far
That Ethey could change my nameA
[Chorus]
F#mThousands are still sailing
AEcross the Western BmOcean
To a F#mland of opportunity
That Esome of them will Bmnever see
F#mFortune prevailing
EAcross the Western BmOcean
Their F#mbellies full
And their spirits free
They'll Ebreak the chains of Bmpoverty
And they'll Ddance
[Interlude]
(D) F#m E Bm
A
[Interlude Melody]
E|-D---------------------|-F#m----------------------------|-E12-9------Bm------------9------------|-A---|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10------|-10-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11-9-|----|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
[Verse 2]
In AManhattan's desert twilight
In the dDeath of afternoon
We stepped hAand in hand on BF#mroadway
Like the first Bmman on the mEoon
And A"The Blackbird" broke the silence
As you Dwhistled it so sweet
And in ABrendan Behan's F#mfootsteps
I danced Eup and down the Astreet
Then we F#msaid goodnight to Broadway
Giving Dit our best reAgards
Tipped our F#mhats to Mister Cohan
Dear old BmTimes Square's favourite Ebard
Then we Araised a glass to J.F.K.
And a dF#mozen more besides
When I Agot back to my F#mempty room
I sEuppose I must have cAried
[Chorus 2]
F#mThousands are sailing
AEgain across the Bmocean
Where the F#mhand of opportunity
Draws Etickets in a Bmlottery
F#mPostcards we're mailing
Of Esky-blue skies and Bmoceans
From F#mrooms the daylight never sees
Where Elights don't glow on BmChristmas trees
But we dDance to the music, and we F#mdance
[Interlude]
(D) (F#m) E Bm
D F#m E Bm
F#m A E
[Interlude Melody]
E|-D---------------------|-F#m----------------------------|-E12-9------Bm------------9------------|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10----9-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11---|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
x2
E|-F#m-------------------|-F#m----------------------|-A--------------E----------------|
B|--7-7-7-7-9-7-7-7-7-|---7-7-7-7-9-7-7-7-7---|---------7---------------------|
G|-6------------------|-6-------------------8-|-9-9-8-9---9-6---6-------------|
D|--------------------|-----------------------|---------------9---9-6---6-----|
A|--------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------9---9-7-|
E|--------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
x2
E|-F#m-----------------|-F#m-----------------|-A---9-E7-9-7-A---E---A--|
B|--7-7--9-10-9-7---|--7-7--9-10-9-7-9-|-10---------10-9-10-|
G|-6--------------9-|-6----------------|--------------------|
D|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
A|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
[Chorus 3]
F#mThousands are sailing
AEgain across the Bmocean
Where the F#mhand of opportunity
Draws Etickets in a Bmlottery
Where F#me'er we go, we celebrate
The lEand that makes us Bmrefugees
From F#mfear of Priests with empty plates
From Eguilt and weeping Bmeffigies
And we dDance to the music, and we F#mdance
[Outro]
(D) (F#m) E Bm
DrepF#meat tEo fBmade
[Outro Melody]
E|-D---------------------|-F#m----------------------------|-E12-9------Bm------------9------------|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10----9-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11---|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
All chords in this song (5)
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Thousands Are Sailing
by The Pogues
Chords in this song · guitar
F#m
E
Bm
A
D
The Pogues
Thousands Are Sailing
[Intro]
F#m E Bm
F#m E Bm
A
[Intro Melody]
F#m E Bm F#m E Bm A
E|-9-9----9-12-9-|----------9---------|----------------------|-------------9------------|----|
B|-----12--------|-12-10-12---12-10---|-9-10-10-10-9---------|-10-12-10-12---12-10----9-|-10-|
G|---------------|-----------------11-|--------------11-9----|---------------------11---|----|
D|---------------|--------------------|-------------------11-|--------------------------|----|
A|---------------|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|----|
E|---------------|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|----|
[Verse]
A
The island it is silent now
D
But the ghosts still haunt the waves
A F#m
And the torch lights up a famished man
Bm E
Who fortune could not save
A
Did you work upon the railroad
D
Did you rid the streets of crime
A F#m
Were your dollars from the white house
E A
Were they from the five and dime
F#m
Did the old songs taunt or cheer you
D A
And did they still make you cry
F#m
Did you count the months and years
Bm E
Or did your teardrops quickly dry
A
Ah, No, says he 'twas not to be
D
On a coffin ship I came here
A F#m
And I never even got so far
E A
That they could change my name
[Chorus]
F#m
Thousands are still sailing
E Bm
Across the Western Ocean
F#m
To a land of opportunity
E Bm
That some of them will never see
F#m
Fortune prevailing
E Bm
Across the Western Ocean
F#m
Their bellies full
And their spirits free
E Bm
They'll break the chains of poverty
D
And they'll dance
[Interlude]
D F#m E Bm
()
A
[Interlude Melody]
D F#m E Bm A
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|-12-9------------------9------------|----|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10------|-10-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11-9-|----|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|----|
[Verse 2]
A
In Manhattan's desert twilight
D
In the death of afternoon
A F#m
We stepped hand in hand on Broadway
Bm E
Like the first man on the moon
A
And "The Blackbird" broke the silence
D
As you whistled it so sweet
A F#m
And in Brendan Behan's footsteps
E A
I danced up and down the street
F#m
Then we said goodnight to Broadway
D A
Giving it our best regards
F#m
Tipped our hats to Mister Cohan
Bm E
Dear old Times Square's favourite bard
A
Then we raised a glass to J.F.K.
F#m
And a dozen more besides
A F#m
When I got back to my empty room
E A
I suppose I must have cried
[Chorus 2]
F#m
Thousands are sailing
E Bm
Again across the ocean
F#m
Where the hand of opportunity
E Bm
Draws tickets in a lottery
F#m
Postcards we're mailing
E Bm
Of sky-blue skies and oceans
F#m
From rooms the daylight never sees
E Bm
Where lights don't glow on Christmas trees
D F#m
But we dance to the music, and we dance
[Interlude]
D F#m E Bm
() ()
D F#m E Bm
F#m A E
[Interlude Melody]
D F#m E Bm
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|-12-9------------------9------------|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10----9-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11---|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
x2
F#m F#m A E
E|--------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
B|--7-7-7-7-9-7-7-7-7-|---7-7-7-7-9-7-7-7-7---|---------7---------------------|
G|-6------------------|-6-------------------8-|-9-9-8-9---9-6---6-------------|
D|--------------------|-----------------------|---------------9---9-6---6-----|
A|--------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------9---9-7-|
E|--------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
x2
F#m F#m A E A E A
E|------------------|------------------|----9-7-9-7---------|
B|--7-7--9-10-9-7---|--7-7--9-10-9-7-9-|-10---------10-9-10-|
G|-6--------------9-|-6----------------|--------------------|
D|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
A|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
[Chorus 3]
F#m
Thousands are sailing
E Bm
Again across the ocean
F#m
Where the hand of opportunity
E Bm
Draws tickets in a lottery
F#m
Where e'er we go, we celebrate
E Bm
The land that makes us refugees
F#m
From fear of Priests with empty plates
E Bm
From guilt and weeping effigies
D F#m
And we dance to the music, and we dance
[Outro]
D F#m E Bm
() ()
D F#m E Bm
repeat to fade
[Outro Melody]
D F#m E Bm
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|-12-9------------------9------------|
B|-10-10-10-12-10-9---9-|-10-10-10-10-12-10-9---------|------12-9-12-12-12-12---12-10----9-|
G|------------------11--|---------------------11-8-9--|-------------------------------11---|
D|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
A|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
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About Thousands Are Sailing Chords by The Pogues
Learn how to play Thousands Are Sailing by The Pogues with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Thousands Are Sailing chords”, “Thousands Are Sailing guitar chords”, or “The Pogues Thousands Are Sailing 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 Thousands Are Sailing chords and for experienced players who want accurate Thousands Are Sailing lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include F#m, E, Bm, A, B, G.
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The chords for "Thousands Are Sailing" show the original chord names (including F#m, E, Bm, A, B, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.