Numbers

[Intro] Em  G  D  Em

Em                           G
Sixty set out from Cambridge all 
good men and true
     D                             
On a gunship bound for glory with a
 Em
 young and wild crew
C                                 
We’d charge in, make our stand, 
  G
and we’d see victory
         C                         
But when we’d won our first battle 
           B
there were only fifty-three

Em                          G
More died from infection despite the
 surgeon’s tricks
     D                             
That brought our bold and fearless 
     Em
crew down to forty-six
C                            G
We then sailed away thinking we had 
seen the worst
        C                          
But we steered her back around when
    B
 we heard a cannon’s burst

C                             G
Second fight that day and our luck 
was fading fast
Am                G               
Though we stayed afloat we’d lost 
F
most of our main mast
C                           Am
We were now adrift and very glad to 
be alive
         G                         
Though I must admit our crew was 
  B
now down to thirty-five

Em                                
Most of the food was ruined from 
   G
the salt sea down below
Continúa después del anuncio
       D                         
But we didn’t fear ‘til the water 
  Em
started running low
C                                 
With our bold and hardy crew just 
  G
a fortnight out to sea
    C                              
The cruel sea had taken twelve and 
B
we were twenty-three

Em                                
Four more days had passed when we 
G
caught site of a gale
        D                          
We were sucking rain from the rags 
     Em
that used to be our sail
 C                          G
Another week adrift was the worst 
sight ever seen
      C                           
Our beleaguered crew was now down to
B
 just seventeen

    C                              
The first mate started screaming 
  G
and set the deck alight
   Am          G                F
We tried to restrain him but we had 
a madman’s fight
C                                  
When we stopped him he’d just hum: 
Am
It’ll all be fine
       G                          
But by then our battered crew was no
B
 more than nine

     Em                         
From nine we went to seven, from 
 G
seven down to three
    D                              
The cabin boy, the carpenter and 
  Em
the boson, that was me
C                                 
We all sat there on the deck, 
   G
though none of us could speak
C                              B
We should be keeping watch but we 
were all too weak

    Em                          
The cabin boy was curled up in a 
 G
corner all alone
    D                          
The carpenter was muttering and 
 Em
gnawing on a bone
C                                
I just kept on laughing, cause I 
G
knew I’d lost my grip
   C                        B
As we were taken one by one to the 
rescue ship

C                         G
Never go to sea, me boys, never 
leave the land
    Am                 G    
For once you’re out to sea it 
          F
doesn’t matter what you planned
C                                  
Your life lies in the mercy of the 
Am
sea heartless and cruel
   G                            
So you’ll stay ashore unless you 
 B
truly are a fool

       Em                       
Though three survived that awful 
              G
trip I’m the last one of my crew
    D                         
The others locked in their own 
              Em
minds, their voyage never through
   C                            G
So listen to me lads before you take
 your hellish trip
C            B                   
Man belongs upon the ground, not 
          Em
on some Goddamn ship