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Oh, my brave laddie sleeps in his faded coat of blue,
In a lonesome silent grave lies the heart that beat so true;
He fell faint and hungry among the famished brave,
And they laid him sad and lonely within his sailor's grave.
He cried, "Give me water and just one little crumb,
My mother she will bless you in the many years to come;
Oh, tell my sweetest so gentle and so true,
That I'll meet her up in heaven in my faded coat of blue.
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, lonely spirit, in thy grave unknown;
But I'll know you and find you among the good and true,
When a robe of white is given for your faded coat of blue.
Long, long years have vanished, and now he comes no more,
Yet my anxious heart will start with each footfall at my door;
I gaze on the hilltop where he waved his last adieu,
But no gallant lad I see in his faded coat of blue.
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, lonely spirit, in thy grave unknown;
But I'll know you and find you among the good and true,
When a robe of white is given for your faded coat of blue.
Collected in 1950 from John Thomas Powers [b.1882] of Tors Cove, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
Note: Originally written as a Civil War song, McNaughton's lyrics evolved into a sailor's tribute in later years.
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Notes On Guitar Tabs:
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All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.
[D7] My [G] brave lad he [D7] sleeps in his [G] faded coat of blue,
In a [D7] lonely grave unknown lies the [G] heart that [C] beat so [G] true;
He sank faint and [D7] hungry a-[G] mong the famished brave,
And they [D7] laid him sad and lonely with-[G] in his [D7] nameless [G] grave.[G7]
[C] No more the [G] bugle [D7] calls the weary [G] one,
[C] Rest noble [G] spir-[G#] it [A7] in thy grave un-[D7] known;
I'll [G] find you and [C] know you a-[Em] mong the good and [G] true,
When a [Am7] robe of white is [D7] giv'n for the [G] faded [D7] coat of [G] blue.
