James Keelaghan - Small Rebellion Chords

CAPO: 2nd Fret



INTRO: G  C    G    C    G

                              C
Well, friends, hereby hangs a tale
                             G
The year was nineteen thirty-one
                           C
A good job digging for the king
                             G
While there's so many on the bum
                           Em      D
I'd done my time across in France
                         C
Fought at Moreaux and at Vimy
        G              C
Done my service for my country
            D              G
Thought I'd put the guns behind me


                                C
I should have known it from the start
                                G
Peace may be signed between two nations
                           C
But for protection of your rights
                               G
My friends, it's always battle stations
                        Em    D
And so it was the union boys
                         C
Set up shop there in the coalfields
          G                 C
Said that they would be our voice
          D                 G
Said that they would be our shield


INTERLUDE: C   G    C   G


                        C
They said just a little march
                             G
Across the town and past the station
                                C
Some fine strong speakers and a band
                        G
A fairly peaceful congregation
                           Em      D
Let them know that we were strong
                       C
Show them we could be united
          G                C
Show them we had found our voice
         D               G
And that we would not be frightened


                                C
I should have known it from the start
                            G
Workers marching makes them nervous
                       C
I saw no menace in our group
                               G
Peaceful of heart and stout of purpose
                           Em      D
The local peelers were forewarned
                                C
It's sure as hell they were forearmed
             G              C
How could we cause them any trouble? 
          D           G
How could they be so alarmed?


INTERLUDE: C   G    C   G


                               C
Armed with truncheons and with guns
                                G
They took their line across the road
                    C
Their faces cast in stone
                            G
I heard the call to aim and load
                      Em     D
Saw the deadly muzzle flash
                     C         G
Saw the people drop around me
                     C
Took a bullet to the leg
                D                G
My friends, and that is how they found me


                                C
I should have known it from the start
                             G
Should have seen the trouble coming
                       C
Seen the ugly twist of fate
                           G
Turned my tail and started running
                            Em     D
Known when push has come to shove
                           C         
And it's a heavy hand that feeds you
         G                 C
That the job that was your life
            D               G              F
Becomes the job that slowly beats you


BRIDGE:
   C       G                                          F
No use, no use, for the ranting of the government men
   C              G                                 F
No use, for their fine print and their fountain pen
   C       G        
No use, no use in me denying
     F                               C
This small rebellion's over, but I'm leaving here unbowed


INTERLUDE: C   G    C   G


                              C         
And when the dust had finally cleared
                              G
When all dissent had been put down
                             C         
I packed my life in two worn bags
                              G
Caught the train and left the town
                              Em     D
In this case justice sure was blind
                        C         
At least blind to human suffering
                 G             C
They said they'd put us in our place
      D                  G     
And I guess they weren't bluffing


                                C         
I should have known it from the start
                               G
It's not the truth that really matters
                                C         
The real world tramples on such things
                            G
Leaves your mental state in tatters
                          Em    D
Makes the blowing prairie dust
                       C         
Seem like it is stationary
          G               C
Makes the proudest person humble
        D                G     
And the strongest person wary
          G               C
Makes the proudest person humble
        D                G           C  D  G
And the strongest person wary