C
/ [drum fill]
Verse 1:
C Fm
In the wee small hours of sixpence
C Fm
And the lighted chandelier
Dm Em F C
Stands a rusty old retainer
Abdim [N.C.] C/G
Whose old eyes are filled with tears
For his master, good Sir Gallant
Who is now off to the wars
And although his eyes are crying
We know grief is not the cause
Chorus 1:
F F#dim C
And if grief is not the reason
F F#dim C
He must be of sterner stuff
F Am/E Dm
And his sword, though old and rusty
G F E D
Must be blunt as sharp enough
Verse 2:
In the wee small hours of sixpence
And the broken windowpane
Stand the remnants of the evening
Who are waiting all in vain
For the crowing of the cockroach
Sure as morning is not night
But the air is filled with silence
And the day bright is not light
Chorus 2:
But still darkness is no reason
We are men of sterner stuff
And our swords, though old and rusty
Still are blunt as sharp enough
Instrumental break [key changes to D]:
D Bm D/A Bm
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
G Bm/F# Em A /G /F# /E
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
Verse 3:
D Gm
In the wee small hours of sixpence
D Gm
And the hat stand in the hall
Em F#m G D
Waiting only for the morning
Bbdim [N.C.] D/A
Shadows flitting ‘cross the wall
And perhaps that old retainer
Who now giving of his all
May have once been just as we are
And now has no face at all
Chorus 3:
G G#dim D
But still grief was not the reason
G G#dim D
He was made of sterner stuff
G Bm/F# Em
And his sword, though old and rusty
A G F# E
Still was blunt as sharp enough
D Bm D [end cold]
