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The Mary Ellen Carter

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Gmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
|   G|   C|   D|  C    D|
|   G|   C|   D| C   D   G|
|  G   G/F#|  C   D|  G   G/F#|  C    D| 
[Verse 1]
She Gwent down last October
In a Cpouring driving Grain
The Amskipper he'd been drinking and
The Cmate he felt no Dpain
Too Gclose to Three Mile Rock and she was
CDealt her mortal Gblow 
And the AmMary Ellen Carter settled Dlow
There was Gjust us five aboard her
When she Cfinally was a-Gwash
We Amworked like hell to save her
All Cheedless of the Dcost
And the Ggroan she gave as she went down
It Ccaused us to proGclaim
That the AmMary Ellen DCarter would risGe again
|  C    D|   G|
|  C    D|
[Verse 2]
Well the Gowners wrote her off
Not a Cnickel would they Gspend
"She gave Amtwenty years of service, boys
Then Cmet her sorry Dend
But inGsurance paid the loss to us
So Clet her rest beGlow."
Then they Amlaughed at us
And said we had to Dgo
But we Gtalked of her all winter
Some Cdays around the Gclock
She's Amworth a quarter million
ACfloat and at the Ddock
And with Gevery jar that hit the bar
We Cswore we would reGmain 
And make the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain!
[Chorus]
Rise   Amagain, Drise  Gagain
That her Cname not be lost
To the Gknowledge of Dmen
All Gthose who loved her best and
Were Cwith her 'Dtil the Gend
Will make the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain
|  C    D|   G|
|  C    D|
[Verse 3]
All Gspring now we've been with her
On a Cbarge lent by a Gfriend
Three Amdives a day in a hardhat suit and
CTwice I've had the Dbends
Thank GGod it's only sixty feet and
The Ccurrents here are Gslow
Or I'd Amnever have the strength
To go beDlow
But we've Gpatched her rents, stopped her vents
Dogged Chatch and porthole Gdown
Put Amcables to her fore and aft
And Cgirded her aDround
ToGmorrow noon, we hit the air 
And Cthen take up the sGtrain and
Make the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain!
[Chorus]
Rise   Amagain, Drise  Gagain
That her Cname not be lost
To the Gknowledge of Dmen
All Gthose who loved her best and
Were Cwith her 'Dtil the Gend
Will make the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain
|    G|    C|    D|  C    G|
|    G|    C|    D| C   D   G|
|  C   D|    G|  C   D|
[Verse 4]
For we Gcouldn't leave her there,
You see, to Ccrumble into Gscale
She'd Amsaved our lives so many times
CLiving through the Dgale
And the Glaughing, drunken rats
Who left her Cto a sorry Ggrave
They Amwon't be laughing in another Dday
And Gyou to whom adversity has Cdealt the final Gblow
With Amsmiling bastards lying to you
CEverywhere you Dgo
Turn Gto and put out all your strength
Of Carm and heart and Gbrain
And like the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain!
[Chorus]
Rise   Amagain, Drise  Gagain
Though your Cheart it be broken
Or Glife about to Dend
No Gmatter what you've lost
Be it a Chome, a Dlove, a Gfriend
Like the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain
Rise   Amagain, Dri-i-Gise again
Though your Cheart it be broken
Or Glife about to Dend
No Gmatter what you've lost
be it a Chome, a Dlove, a Gfriend
Like the AmMary Ellen DCarter rise  Gagain
[Outro]
|    G|    C|    D|   C    D|
|    G|    C|    D| C   D  G* |
* = Single strum

All chords in this song (5)

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The Mary Ellen Carter

by Stan Rogers

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

G/F#

[Intro]

G C D C D

| | | | |

G C D C D G

| | | | |

G G/F# C D G G/F# C D

| | | | |

[Verse 1]

She went down last October

C G

In a pouring driving rain

The skipper he'd been drinking and

C D

The mate he felt no pain

Too close to Three Mile Rock and she was

C G

Dealt her mortal blow

Am D

And the Mary Ellen Carter settled low

There was just us five aboard her

C G

When she finally was a-wash

We worked like hell to save her

C D

All heedless of the cost

And the groan she gave as she went down

C G

It caused us to proclaim

Am D G

That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise again

C D G

| | |

C D

| |

[Verse 2]

Well the owners wrote her off

C G

Not a nickel would they spend

"She gave twenty years of service, boys

C D

Then met her sorry end

But insurance paid the loss to us

C G

So let her rest below."

Then they laughed at us

And said we had to go

But we talked of her all winter

C G

Some days around the clock

She's worth a quarter million

C D

Afloat and at the dock

And with every jar that hit the bar

C G

We swore we would remain

Am D G

And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!

[Chorus]

Am D G

Rise again, rise again

That her name not be lost

G D

To the knowledge of men

All those who loved her best and

C D G

Were with her 'til the end

Am D G

Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again

C D G

| | |

C D

| |

[Verse 3]

All spring now we've been with her

C G

On a barge lent by a friend

Three dives a day in a hardhat suit and

C D

Twice I've had the bends

Thank God it's only sixty feet and

C G

The currents here are slow

Or I'd never have the strength

To go below

But we've patched her rents, stopped her vents

C G

Dogged hatch and porthole down

Put cables to her fore and aft

C D

And girded her around

Tomorrow noon, we hit the air

C G

And then take up the strain and

Am D G

Make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!

[Chorus]

Am D G

Rise again, rise again

That her name not be lost

G D

To the knowledge of men

All those who loved her best and

C D G

Were with her 'til the end

Am D G

Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again

G C D C G

| | | | |

G C D C D G

| | | | |

C D G C D

| | | |

[Verse 4]

For we couldn't leave her there,

C G

You see, to crumble into scale

She'd saved our lives so many times

C D

Living through the gale

And the laughing, drunken rats

C G

Who left her to a sorry grave

Am D

They won't be laughing in another day

G C G

And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow

With smiling bastards lying to you

C D

Everywhere you go

Turn to and put out all your strength

C G

Of arm and heart and brain

Am D G

And like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!

[Chorus]

Am D G

Rise again, rise again

Though your heart it be broken

G D

Or life about to end

No matter what you've lost

C D G

Be it a home, a love, a friend

Am D G

Like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again

Am D G

Rise again, ri-i-ise again

Though your heart it be broken

G D

Or life about to end

No matter what you've lost

C D G

be it a home, a love, a friend

Am D G

Like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again

[Outro]

G C D C D

| | | | |

G C D C D G

| | | | * |

* = Single strum

About The Mary Ellen Carter Chords by Stan Rogers

Learn how to play The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Mary Ellen Carter chords”, “The Mary Ellen Carter guitar chords”, or “Stan Rogers The Mary Ellen Carter 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 The Mary Ellen Carter chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Mary Ellen Carter lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, G/F#, Am.

FAQ — The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers

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