The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
Tuning: , E A D G B E
1. The Crane Wife 3
2. The Island: Come and See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Feel Not the Drowning
3. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
4. O Valencia!
5. The Perfect Crime #2
6. When the War Came
7.Shankill Butchers
8.Summersong
9. The Crane Wife 1&2
10. Sons & Daughters
BONUS TRACKS
11. After the Bombs
12. Culling of the Fold
13. The Perfect Crime #1
14. The Day I Knew You Wouldn't Ever Come Back
15. Hurdles Even Here
1. The Crane Wife 3
Tabbed originally by: Unregistered
INTRO
( )x2
VERSE 1
And under the
boughs unbound
All clothed in
a snowy shrou
d
She had no hea
rt so hardened
All under the
boughs unbound
( )x2
VERSE 2
Each feather i
t fell from sk
in
Till threadbar
e she grew thi
n
How where my e
yes so blinded
Each feather i
t fell from sk
in
CHORUS
And I will han
g my head hang
my head low
And I will han
g my head hang
my head low
( )x2
VERSE 3
The gray sky l
ooked bitter s
tained
A rain cloud a
nd crane on wi
ng
All out beyond
horizons oh
A gray sky a b
itter stain
CHORUS
(And I will ha
ng my head han
g my head low)
x7
OUTRO
( )x4
2. The Island: Come and See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Feel Not the Drowning
INTRO
VERSE 1
There's an island hidden in the sound
Lapping currents lay your boat aground
Affix your bar
b and bayonet
The curlews ca
rve their arab
esques
And sorrow fil
ls the silence
all around
Come and see
VERSE 2
There's a harbor lost within the reeds
A jetty caught in over-hanging trees
Among the bone
s of cormorant
s
No boot-mark h
ere nor finger
print
The rivers rol
l down to a so
undless sea
Come and see
Come and see
#
CHORUS
The tides all
come and go wi
tnessed by no
waking eye
The willows ma
rk the wind
And all we kno
w for sure ami
dst this fadin
g light
We'll not go h
ome again
Come and see
Come and see
VERSE 3
In the lowlands, nestled in the heath
A briar-cradle rocks its babe to sleep
Its contents w
atched by Syco
rax
And Patagon in
parallax
A foretold rum
bling sounds b
elow the deep
Come and see
Come and see
#
CHORUS
The tides all
come and go wi
tnessed by no
waking eye
The willows ma
rk the wind
And all we kno
w for sure ami
dst this fadin
g light
We'll not go h
ome again
Come and see
Come and see
*The Landlords Daughter*
As I was a-ram
ble down by th
e water
I spied in sab
le the landlor
d's daughter
I produced my
pistol, then m
y saber
Said, "Make no
whistle or th
ou will be mur
dered!"
La-Ha-Ha
La-Ha
She cursed, sh
e shivered, sh
e cried for me
rcy
"My gold and s
ilver if thou
will release m
e!"
I'll take no g
old, miss. I'l
l take no silv
er.
But I'll take
those sweet li
ps and thou wi
ll deliver!
La-Ha-Ha
La-Ha
*You'll Feel Not the Drowning*
INTRO
VERSE 1
I will dress y
our eyelids
With dimes upo
n your eyes
Lay you close
to water
Green your gra
ve will rise
CHORUS
Go to sleep no
w, little ugly
Go to sleep no
w, you little
fool
Forty winking
in the belfry
You'll not fee
l the drowning
You'll not fee
l the drowning
VERSE 2
Forget you onc
e had sweethea
rts
They've forgot
ten you
Think you not
on parents
They've forgot
ten too
CHORUS
Go to sleep no
w, little ugly
Go to sleep no
w, you little
fool
Forty winking
in the belfry
You'll not fee
l the drowning
You'll not fee
l the drowning
VERSE 3/OUTRO
Hear you now t
he captain
Heave his sorr
owed cry
The weight upo
n your eyelids
Is dimes laid
on your eyes
3. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
Originally tabbed by: Warpstarkirby
INTRO
VERSE 1
Heart-carved t
ree trunk, Yan
kee bayonet
A sweetheart l
eft behind
Far from the h
ills of the se
a-swelled Caro
linas
That's where m
y true love li
es
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah A
h Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah
VERSE 2
Look for me wh
en the sun-bri
ght swallow
Sings upon the
birch bough h
igh
But you are in
the ground wi
th the voles a
nd the weevils
All a'chew upo
n your bones s
o dry
(Ah Ah Ah Ah A
h Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah)x
2
CHORUS
But when the s
un breaks
To no more bul
lets in Battle
Creek
Then will you
make a grave
For I will be
home then
I will be home
then
I will be home
then
I will be home
then, then
VERSE 3
When I was a g
irl how the hi
lls of Oconee
Made a seam to
hem me in
There at the f
air when our e
yes caught, ca
reless
Got my heart r
ight pierced b
y a pin
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah A
h Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah
VERSE 4
But oh, did yo
u see all the
dead of Manass
as
All the bellie
s and the bone
s and the bile
No, I lingered
here with the
blankets barr
en
And my own bel
ly big with ch
ild
(Ah Ah Ah Ah A
h Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah)
x2
CHORUS
But when the s
un breaks
To no more bul
lets in Battle
Creek
Then will you
make a grave
For I will be
home then
I will be home
then
I will be home
then
I will be home
then
BRIDGE
Stems and bone
s and stone wa
lls too
Could keep me
from you
Skein of skin
is all too few
To keep me fro
m you
VERSE 5
But oh my love
, though our b
odies may be p
arted
Though our ski
n may not touc
h skin
Look for me wi
th the sun-bri
ght sparrow
I will come on
the breath of
the wind
(Ah Ah Ah Ah A
h Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah)
x2
4. O Valencia!
Originally tabbed by: jebeebus
INTRO
( )x2
VERSE 1
You belong to
the gang
And you say yo
u can't break
away
But I'm here w
ith my hands o
n my heart
Our families c
an't agree
I’m your broth
er's sworn ene
my
But I'll shout
out my love t
o the stars
CHORUS
So wait for th
e stone on you
r window, your
window
Wait by the ca
r and we’ll go
, we’ll go
( )x2
VERSE 2
When first we
laid eyes
I swore to no
compromise
'Til I felt my
caress on you
r skin
Well, how soon
we were betra
yed
Your sister ga
ve us away
And your fathe
r came all unh
inged
CHORUS
So wait for th
e stone on you
r window, your
window
Wait by the ca
r and we’ll go
, we’ll go
But Oh, Valenc
ia-ah-ah!
With your bloo
d still warm o
n the ground
Valencia-ah-ah
!
And I swear to
the stars
I’ll burn this
whole city do
wn, oh oh oh
( )x4
All I heard wa
s a shout
Of your brothe
r calling me o
ut
And you ran li
ke a fool to m
y side
Well the shot,
it hit hard
And your frame
went limp in
my arms
And the lull o
f love was you
r dying cry
CHORUS
So wait for th
e stone on you
r window, your
window
Wait by the ca
r and we’ll, g
o we’ll go
But Oh, Valenc
ia-ah-ah!
With your bloo
d still warm o
n the ground
Valencia-ah-ah
!
And I’ll burn
this whole cit
y down
OUTRO
Valencia-ah-ah
!
With your bloo
d gettin' cold
on the ground
Valencia-ah-ah
!
And I swear to
the stars
I’ll burn this
whole city do
wn, oh oh oh
5. The Perfect Crime #2
INTRO
VERSE 1
Sing muse of the passion of the pistol
Sing muse of the warning by the whistle
A night so dark in the waning
A dawn obscured by a slate sky raining
VERSE 2
Five and twenty burglars by the reservoir
A teenage lookout on the signal tower
The mogul's daughter in hogties
The mogul fingers the wrong guy
CHORUS
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
It was the perfect crime
VERSE 3
The bagman's quaking in the fingers
The hand off lends a little lingers
A well dressed man in the cross hairs
A shot rings out from somewhere upstairs
CHORUS
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
It was the perfect crime
BRIDGE
It was like
a ticker-tape
parade
When the pl
astique on the
safe was blow
n away
We all gaze
d from eye to
eye
As we mouth
ed our silent
good-byes
VERSE 4
The valley sleeping with the bastard
It stinks of slumber and disaster
Two words I spoke on the tap-wire
The agent's ploy was a surefire backfire
CHORUS
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
It was a perfe
ct a perfect a
perfect a per
fect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
perfect perfect perfect perfect
A perfect a pe
rfect a perfec
t a perfect cr
ime
6. When The War Came
INTRO
VERSE 1
With all the grain of Babylon
To cultivate, To make us strong
And hidden here behind the walls
Are shoulders wide and timber on
Till the war c
ame
Till the war c
ame
VERSE 2
A terrible autonomy
Is grafted onto you and me
A trust put in the governments
Who told their lies as heaven sent
Till the war c
ame
Till the war c
ame
CHORUS
And the war ca
me with a curs
e and a caterw
aul
And the war ca
me with all th
e poise of a c
annonball
And they're pi
cking out our
eyes by cold a
nd candlelight
When the war c
ame
The war came h
ard
VERSE 3
We made our oaths to Avalon
We'd not betray the soul lain on
The acres of hysteracy
To our own pangs of starvation
When the war c
ame
When the war c
ame
CHORUS
And the war ca
me with a curs
e and a caterw
aul
And the war ca
me with all th
e poise of a c
annonball
And they're pi
cking out our
eyes by cold a
nd candlelight
When the war c
ame
The war came h
ard
OUTRO
With all the grain of Babylon
With all the grain of Babylon
7. Shankill Butchers
Originally tabbed by: hojoseph99
CAPO 4
INTRO
( /B) x2
VERSE 1
The shankill b
utchers run to
night
You better shu
t your windows
tight
They're sharpe
ning their cle
avers and thei
r knives
And taking all
their whiskey
by the pint
CHORUS
And everybody
knows if you d
on't
Mind your moth
er's words
A wicked wind
will blow
Your ribbons f
rom your curls
Everybody moan
, everybody sh
ake
The Shankill b
utchers wanna
(
catch you awak
e
VERSE 2
They used to b
e just like me
and you
They used to b
e sweet little
boys
But something
went horribly
askew
Now killing is
their only so
urce of joy
CHORUS
And everybody
knows if you d
on't
Mind your moth
er's words
A wicked wind
will blow
Your ribbons f
rom your curls
Everybody moan
, everybody sh
ake
The Shankill b
utchers wanna
(
catch you awak
e
BRIDGE
( )x2
VERSE 3
The shankill b
utchers on the
rise
They're waitin
g until the de
ad of the nigh
t
They're pickin
g at their fin
gers with thei
r knives
And wiping off
their cleaver
s on their thi
ghs
CHORUS
And everybody
knows if you d
on't
Mind your moth
er's words
A wicked wind
will blow
Your ribbons f
rom your curls
Everybody moan
, everybody sh
ake
OUTRO
The shankill b
utchers wanna
catch you
The shankill b
utchers wanna
cut you
The shankill b
utchers wanna
catch you
Awake
/
Awake
/
Awake
/
Awake
8. Summersong
Originally tabbed by: tAKEAWAy
CAPO 4
INTRO
VERSE 1
Ramblin' where
to begin
I taste the su
mmer on your p
eppery skin
Been saved the
warmer the wa
ves
I felt a slip
into a watery
grave
Oh ahhh Ah ha
haaaa
A la di da di
da Ahhhhhhh
PRE-CHORUS
My girl, linen
and curls
Lips parting l
ike a flag all
unfurled
She's grand th
e bend of her
hand
Digging deep i
nto the sweep
of the sand
Oh ahhh Ah ha
haaaa
A la di da di
da Ahhhhhhh
CHORUS
Summer arrives
with a length
of lights
Summer blows a
way
And quietly ge
ts swallowed b
y a wave
It gets swallo
wed by a wave
VERSE 2
Waylay the din
of the day
Boats bobbing
in the blue of
the bay
In deep far be
neath
All the dead s
ailors slowly
slipping to sl
eep
Oh ahhh Ah ha
haaaa
A la di da di
da Ahhhhhhh
PRE-CHORUS
My girl, linen
and curls
Lips parting l
ike a flag all
unfurled
She's grand th
e bend of her
hand
Digging deep i
nto the sweep
of the sand
Oh ahhh Ah ha
haaaa
A la di da di
da Ahhhhhhh
CHORUS
Summer arrives
with a length
of lights
Summer blows a
way
And quietly ge
ts swallowed b
y a wave
It gets swallo
wed by a wave
It gets swallo
wed by a wave
It gets swallo
wed by a wave
9. The Crane Wife 1&2
Crane Wife 1 tabbed by: Stormx
Crane Wife 2 tabbed by: heymrrain
INTRO
VERSE 1
It was a cold night
And the snow l
ay low
I pulled my coat tight
Against the fa
lling down
And the sun was all
And the sun wa
s all down
And the sun was all
And the sun wa
s all down
VERSE 2
I am a poor man
I haven't weal
th nor fame
I have my two hands
And a house to
my name
And the winter's so
And the winter
's so long
And the winter's so
And the winter
's so long
CHORUS
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes
on what I'd f
ound
VERSE 3
It was a white crane
It was a helpl
ess thing
Upon a red stain
With an arrow
its wing
And it called and cried
And it called
and cried so
And it called and cried
And it called
and cried so
CHORUS
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes
on what I'd f
ound
My crane wife,
my crane wife
My crane wife,
my crane wife
VERSE 4
Now I helped her
And I dressed
her wounds
And how I held her
Beneath the ri
sing moon
And she stood to fly
And she stood
to fly away
And she stood to fly
She stood to f
ly away
CHORUS
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes
on what I'd f
ound
My crane wife,
my crane wife
My crane wife,
my crane wife
Da da da da da
da da da da d
a da da da da
da
Da da da da da
da da da da d
a da da da da
da
*Crane Wife 2*
INTRO
VERSE 1
My crane wife
arrived at my
door in the mo
onlight
All star-brigh
t and tongue t
ied I took her
in
VERSE 2
We were marrie
d and bells ra
ng sweet for o
ur wedding
And our beddin
g was ready wh
en we fell in
CHORUS
Sound the keen
ing bell and s
ee it's painte
d red
Soft as fontan
el, the feathe
rs in the thre
ad
When all I eve
r meant to do
was to keep yo
u
My crane wife,
my crane wife
, my crane wif
e
VERSE 3
We were poorly
, our fortunes
fading hourly
And how she vo
wed me she cou
ld bring it ba
ck
VERSE 4
But I was gree
dy I was vain
and I forced h
er to weaving
On cold loom i
n closed room
with down wove
CHORUS
Sound the keen
ing bell and s
ee it's painte
d red
Soft as fontan
el, the feathe
rs in the thre
ad
When all I eve
r meant to do
was to keep yo
u
My crane wife,
my crane wife
, my crane wif
e
OUTRO
There's a bend
in the wind a
nd it rakes at
my heart
There is blood
in the thread
and it rakes
at my heart
Rakes at my he
art, heart, he
art, heart, he
art
Heart, heart,
heart, heart,
heart, heart,
heart, heart
My crane wife
10. Sons And Daughters
INTRO:
VERSE 1/CHORUS
When we arrive
, sons and dau
ghters
We'll make our
homes on the
water
We'll build ou
r walls alumin
um
We'll fill our
mouths with c
innamon now
VERSE 2
These currents
pull us 'cros
s the border
Steady your bo
ats, arms to s
houlder
'till tides ar
e pulled, hold
our grounds
Making this co
ld harbor now
home
VERSE 3
Take up your a
rms, sons and
daughters
We will arise
from the bunke
rs
By land, by se
a, by dirigibl
e
We'll leave ou
r tracks untra
ceable now
BRIDGE
CHORUS
When we arrive
, sons and dau
ghters
We'll make our
homes on the
water
We'll build ou
r walls alumin
um
We'll fill our
mouths with c
innamon now
CHORUS
When we arrive
, sons and dau
ghters
We'll make our
homes on the
water
We'll build ou
r walls alumin
um
We'll fill our
mouths with c
innamon now
CHORUS
When we arrive
, sons and dau
ghters
We'll make our
homes on the
water
We'll build ou
r walls alumin
um
We'll fill our
mouths with c
innamon now
CHORUS
When we arrive
, sons and dau
ghters
We'll make our
homes on the
water
We'll build ou
r walls alumin
um
We'll fill our
mouths with c
innamon now
OUTRO
(Here all the
bombs fade awa
y) X 20
BONUS TRACKS
11. After the Bombs
Originally tabbed by: Unregistered
INTRO
VERSE 1
After the bomb
s subside
And this long,
low campaign
Calls it good
for the night
We meet in the
streets
Will we meet i
n a bar’s cold
light?
We grip at our
hands
We hold just a
little tight
After the bomb
s
After the bomb
s subside
VERSE 2
And after the
rockets come
And the glimme
r of fire
Pretends an ea
rly dawn
We pinch at ou
r skin
While we wonde
r how we escap
ed harm
We forget all
our trials
All there in o
ur baby’s arms
After the rock
ets
After the rock
ets come
CHORUS
Then we’ll go
dancing
Won’t we go da
ncing?
Yes, we’ll go
dancing
Until it all s
tarts over aga
in
CHORUS
Then we’ll go
dancing
Yes, we’ll go
dancing
Won't we go da
ncing
Until it all s
tarts over aga
in
12. Culling of the Fold
Originally tabbed by: Henner
VERSE 1
Cut him up boy
You've got to
cut him up boy
He's a wicked
disgrace
And he said it
to your face
You better cut
him up boy
VERSE 2
Take him by th
e teeth
Get him down o
n his knees
With your hand
s all shaking
That'll teach
him how to tak
e it
Gotta cut him
up boy
And how
CHORUS
Ply her heart
with gold and
silver
And take your
sweetheart dow
n to the river
Dash her on th
e paving stone
s
It may break y
our heart
To break her b
ones
But someones g
ot to do, the
culling of the
fold
VERSE 3
Cut him up gir
l
Really cut him
up girl
He lives by hi
mself in a hol
e in a wall,
You've gotta c
ut him up girl
VERSE 4
You can take h
im in a stitch
Dump his body
in a ditch
Leave his limb
s all naked
That'll teach
him how to tak
e it
Better cut him
up girl
And how
CHORUS
Ply her heart
with gold and
silver
And take your
sweetheart dow
n to the river
Dash her on th
e paving stone
s
It may break y
our heart
To break her b
ones
But someones g
ot to do, the
culling of the
fold
BRIDGE
Listen up boy
And listen up
girl
It's a shallow
little trench
And it's givin
g off a stench
It's a shallow
little world
Feeling down i
n the face
Could you use
a little space
Dim
When the radio crackles
And the in-law
s cackle
You better cut
him up boy
And cut him up
girl
CHORUS
Ply her heart
with gold and
silver
And take your
sweetheart dow
n to the river
Dash her on th
e paving stone
s
It may break y
our heart
To break her b
ones
But someones g
ot to do, the
culling of the
fold
13. The Perfect Crime #1
VERSE 1
2...3...4!
I got a gun, I got a girl
I got a bullet-proof plan to pull
The perfect cr
ime
I got the perf
ect crime
VERSE 2
I got a warehouse down at the docks
I got fifteen precincts of cops bought
The perfect cr
ime
I got the perf
ect crime
CHORUS
You got to get
your clock lo
cked
Get your stopw
atch synchroni
zed
You got to get
it so you can
’t put a pin t
hrough your al
ibi
To pull the pe
rfect crime
To pull the pe
rfect crime
Ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba
VERSE 3
I got a guy bo
ught on the in
side
I got a night guard gagged and hog-tied
The perfect cr
ime
This is the pe
rfect crime
VERSE 4
I got a brain, I got a brawn
I got all the proper papers for the gendarmes
The perfect cr
ime
C’est ç the pe
rfect crime
CHORUS
I got the mob
boss bought
I got a letter
from the DEA
I got a mock-u
p of the locku
p
Where they sto
ck up on their
pocket change
To pull the pe
rfect crime
This is the pe
rfect crime
Ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba
Ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba
( over solo)
VERSE 5
We hit a snag
when we trippe
d the alarm
Because the do
ck side spics
had been tippe
d off in time
To this perfec
t crime
VERSE 6
Called out the dogs, called out the cops
I caught the deputy ops
In a cold cock
. I will do t
ime
For this perfe
ct crime
So we ran arou
nd town with t
he cops snappi
ng on our tail
s
Because we’d r
ather brave de
ath then a fis
t-fuck in coun
ty jail
Just for the p
erfect crime
For the perfect crime
This is the pe
rfect crime
Ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba
Ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba b
a ba
D over long outro
14. The Day I Knew You Wouldn't Ever Come Back
INTRO
VERSE 1
The day I knew
you’d not com
e back
I built this c
astle out of g
lass
CHORUS
But I could never understand
Where the wind
ows and walls
began and end
No, I could ne
ver understand
Where the wind
ows and walls
began and end
Am and Bm over long solo
VERSE 2
I built this c
olonnade of sa
nd
Stretched out
like fingers f
rom my hand
CHORUS
But with the w
aves coming in
In the morning
I had to buil
d again
But with the w
aves coming in
In the morning
I had to buil
d again
Am and Bm over long outro
15. Hurdles Even Here
INTRO
VERSE 1
So it star
ted in your ov
aries
stone, seedling
Our bones entw
ined
A warning from
the orderlies
A bulge for bl
eeding
This would tak
e its time
Oh oh oh oh
Ah ah ahhhh
VERSE 2
So it all went
down the tele
phone
And saw me cle
arly
All of nine ye
ars old
Calmly cast in
Styrofoam
In my Tony Lam
as
When the shock
takes hold
Oh oh oh oh
Ah ah ahhhh
CHORUS
Mom there ar
e hurdles here
that I cannot
seem to clear
Dad there are
demons round
I know I s
aid that I
I said I'd be alright
I lied I lied
I lied I liiii
iiiiied
VERSE 3
So fix your br
ood and belly
now
Get your finge
rs ringing
Get your lungs
unstayed
It'll eat you
from the insid
e out
Till it comes
out screaming
Till it all fa
lls away
Oh oh oh oh
Ah ah ahhhh
CHORUS
Dad there ar
e hurdles here
that I cannot
seem to clear
Mom there are
demons round
I know I s
aid that I
I said I'd be alright
I lied I lied
I lied I liiii
iiiiied