The Merman

D               G 
I'm a sailorman from Wexford town 

     D               A             D               C 
I've sailed the seven seas, I will tell you a true story 
       D              G 
Of the sunny southern seas. 

        D               G 
We were caught up in the doldrums 
      D             C 
While waiting for a breeze 
         D                G 
When the stillness of the day was broke 
     Bm            A         D 
By a merman in the deep blue seas. 

         G          D 
Well the captain he slept below 
          C             D 
While the crew they lay about 
     G          D 
When down in the ocean, boys 
                     G 
We heard this mighty shout. 

    D                C 
His hair was red, his eyes were green, 
    D                C 
His beard was floating free 
       D                       G 
He'd a long green tail that could kill a whale 
     Bm             A         D 
That waggled in the deep blue sea. 



[Refrão]
 
        D                G 
And the mermaids looked so beautiful 
        D                   A 
As they swam around by the shore 
         D                C 
But this merman with his fishy tail 
     D             G 
I've never seen before. 

    D              G 
And sailors tell the tallest tales 
     D           G 
I've never told a lie; 
       D                       G 
He'd a long green tail that could kill a whale 
     Bm           A          D 
that wobbled as he swam close by. 


{Instrumental} 
D - C - Bm - A - D 


       D          C 
Was it Neptune that appeared to us 
         D               A 
From his mansions in the deep? 
         D                   G 
Then the cook O'Toole then he ran below, 
         D                G 
Woke the captain from his sleep. 
        D              G 
And the captain came on deck at once 
       D           G 
Took a look into the deep. 
 "Oh, I've never seen the likes of this!" 
    Bm                 A        D 
The merman then he soon did greed. 
 "Then who are you, where do you come from, 
 G                 D 
 What do you want here?" 
        G                  D 
Then he shook his tail, it rocked the boat, 
                        G 
It filled our hearts with fear. 
 "You've dropped your anchor on my house, 
 Its blocking up me door 
        D                      G 
And my wife, the mermaid, she's trapped inside 
       Bm                  A      D 
and my children can't get out no more. 
 

[Refrão]
 
        D              G 
Well, we quickly hoisted anchor, boys 
        D                 A 
And the merman than did smile: 
 "Sure, me name is Patrick John O'Rourke, 
   D               G 
 I came from Erin's isle. 
       D            G 
It was many years ago from now, 
  I was shipwrecked on the reef, 
          D                  G 
When this pretty mermaid she rescued me, 
          Bm            A      D 
From the perils of the ocean deep. 
       G               D 
And we very soon were married, 
    G                    D 
Way down in the deep blue seas. 
        G         D 
Now I'm happy and contented, 
              G 
With my wife and family. 
         D                  G 
Though I oft times wish I could go home 
    D                G 
and life on Ireland's shore. 
        D             G 
But I'm committed to the ocean deep 
      Bm            A        D 
and I can't go home again no more." 
 


[Refrão]
 
       D                G 
And the mermaids looked so beautiful 
        D                   A 
As they swam around by the shore 
         D                C 
But this merman with his fishy tail 
     D             G 
I've never seen before. 

    D              G 
And sailors tell the tallest tales 
     D           G 
I've never told a lie; 
       D                       G 
He'd a long green tail that could kill a whale 
     Bm           A          D 
that wobbled as he swam close by.