CCAmF
Now it's just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do
EEDmG
But watch the deadly waters glide, as we roll north to the Soo
CCAmF
And wonder when they'll turn again, and pitch us to the rail
EmGCC
And whirl off one more youngster in the gale
CCAmF
The kid was so damned eager, it was all so big and new
EEDmG
You never had to tell him twice, or find him work to do
CCAmF
And evenings on the mess deck, he was always first to sing
EmGCC
And show us pictures of the girl he'd wed in spring
CHORUS ONE (after verses 1, 3,):
GG/BFE
But I told that kid a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
AmEDmG
They'll go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem en-chanted
CCAmF
But to-night some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
EGCC
And her lover's gone in-to a white squall
CCAmF
Now it's a thing that us old-timers know, in a sultry summer calm
EEDmG
There comes a blow from nowhere, and it goes off like a bomb
CCAmF
And a sixteen thousand tonner can be thrown upon her beam
EmGCC
While the gale takes all before it with a scream
CCAmF
The kid was on the hatches, lying staring at the sky
EEDmG
From where I stood, I swear I could, see tears fall from his eye
CCAmF
So I hadn't the heart to tell him, that he should be on a line
EmGCC
Even on a night so warm and fine
WHITE SQUALL PAGE TWO
CCAmF
When it struck, he sat up with a start, I roared to him: Get down
EEDmG
But for all that he could hear, I might as well not made a sound
CCAmF
So I clung there to the stanchions and I felt my face grow pale
EmGCC
As he crawled hand-over-hand along the rail
CCAmF
Now I could feel her heeling over with the fury of the blow
EEDmF
And I watched the rail go under then, so terrible and slow
CCAmF
Then like some great dog she shook herself and roared upright a-gain
EmGCC
While overside I heard him call my name
CCAmF
So it's just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do
EEDmG
But watch the deadly waters glide, as we roll north to the Soo
CCAmF
And wonder when they'll turn again, and pitch us to the rail
EmGCC
And whirl off one more youngster in the gale
CHORUS TWO:
GG/BFE
And I tell these kids a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
AmEDmG
They'll go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem en-chanted
CCAmF
But to-night some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
EGCC
And her lover's gone into a white squall