Shanty Mans Life chords by Dave Van Ronk

Shanty Man's Life as performed by Dave Van Ronk on the Inside Dave Van Ronk album

Dave puts a capo on the 6th fret


 Am           G     Am
A shanty man's life is a wearisome one
           G    Am
Though some say it's free from care
    E        Am
It's the swinging of an axe
         G
From morning 'till night
   Am   F    Am
In the forest wild and drear

 Am             G    Am
Transported as we are from a lady so fair
          G    Am
To the banks of some lonely stream
     E        Am
Where the wolf, bear, and owl
          G
Give a terrifying howl
   Am     F     Am
And disturb our nightly dreams

 Am             G       Am
Oh sleeping at night in our bunks without cheer
            G     Am
While the cold winter winds do blow
  E        Am
But as soon as the morning
      G
Star does appear
 Am       F    Am
To the wild woods we must go

               G       Am
Had we ale, wine, or beer our spirits for to cheer
          G    Am
When we're in those woods so wild
    E         Am
Where a glass of whiskey shone
            G
When we're in the woods alone
   Am   F       Am
For to pass away our long exile

             G     Am
A shanty man's life is a wearisome one
           G     Am
Though some say it's free from care
     E       Am
It's the swinging of an axe
          G
From morning 'till night
   Am    F     Am
In the forest wild and drear

Am F Am F Am



There you go, enjoy!