G          C       D             G
He was the captain of the Nightingale
G          D         C        D
Twenty-one days from Clyde in coal
D                  C       D  G              C
He could smell the flowers of Bermuda in the gale
        D           C          G
When he died on the North Rock shoal

                C          D  G
Just five short hours from Bermuda
     D    C       D
In a fine October gale 
               C          D        G             C
O there came a cry, " Oh, there be breakers dead ahead
         D       C      D
From the collier Nightingale

          C       D                   G
No sooner had the captain brought her round,
            D       C     D
Then came a rending crash below
            C    D    G                         C     
Hard on her beam ends groaning, went the Nightingale
        D        C        G
And overside her mainmast goes

           C   D              G  
"O captain are we all for drowning,"
G          D    C       D
Came a cry from all the crew
D             C            D      G              C
"The boats be smashed! How are we all then to be saved?
         D        C           D
They are stove in through and through

G        C         D             G
O are ye brave and hardy collier men
G          D         C      D
Or are you blind and cannot see
D               C         D    G                   C
O the captain's gig still lies before ye whole and sound
             D     C      G
And it shall carry all of we 

G          C       D             G
He was the captain of the Nightingale
G          D         C        D
Twenty-one days from Clyde in coal
D                  C       D  G              C
He could smell the flowers of Bermuda in the gale
        D           C          G
When he died on the North Rock shoal

             C         D   G  
But when the crew were all assembled
G       D   C            D
And the gig prepared for sea
                 C        D        G            C
'Twas seen there were but eighteen places to be manned
             D      C          D
And nineteen mortal souls were we

              C         D          G  
But cries the captain," now do not delay
G          D       C           D
Nor do you spare a thought for me
D       C     D        G            C
My duty is to save you all now if I can
       D            C      G
see ye return quick as can be

G          C       D             G
He was the captain of the Nightingale
G          D         C        D
Twenty-one days from Clyde in coal
D                  C       D  G              C
He could smell the flowers of Bermuda in the gale
        D           C          G
When he died on the North Rock shoal

G            C       D     G
Oh, there be flowers in Bermuda
G      D       C     D
Beauty lies on every hand
             C        D        G                     C
And there be laughter ease and drink there for every man
          D     C       D
But there is no joy for me

G           C           D               G
For when we reached the wretched Nightingale
G       D     C         D
What an awful sight was plain
               C            D       G             C
O the captain, drowned, was tangled in the mizzen chains
        D       C           G
Smiling bravely beneath the sea

G          C       D             G
He was the captain of the Nightingale
G          D         C        D
Twenty-one days from Clyde in coal
D                  C       D  G              C
He could smell the flowers of Bermuda in the gale
        D           C          G
When he died on the North Rock shoal