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She went down last October in a pouring driving rain
The Skipper, he’d been drinking and the Mate, he felt nopain.
Too close to Three Mile Rock and she was dealt her mortalblow
And the Mary Ellen Carter settled low.
There was just five of us aboard her when she finally wasawash
We’d worked like hell to save her, all heedless of thecost
And the groan she gave as she went down, it caused us toproclaim
That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise again.
Well, the owners wrote her off; not a nickel would theyspend
She gave twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorryend.
But insurance paid the loss to us, so let her rest below,
Then they laughed at us and said we had to go.
But we talked of her all winter, some days around the clock,
For she’s worth a quarter million boys, afloatin at thedock.
And with every jar that hit the bar we swore we would remain
And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
Rise again, rise again, that her name not be lost
To the knowledge of men
Those who loved her best and were with her till the end
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
All spring now, we’ve been with her on a barge lent by a friend
Three dives a day in a hard hat suit and twice I’ve had the bends
Thank God it’s only sixty feet and the currents here are slow
Or I’d never have the strength to go below.
But we’ve patched her rents, stopped her vents, dogged hatch and porthole down.
Put cables to her, fore and aft and girded her around
Tomorrow, noon, we hit the air and then take up the strain
And watch the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
For we couldn’t leave her there, you see, to crumble into scale
She’d saved our lives so many times, living through the gale
And the laughing, drunken rats who left her to a sorry grave
They won’t be laughing in another day.
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And, like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!
Rise again, rise again, though your heart it be broken
And life about to end.
No matter what you’ve lost
Be it a home, a love, a friend,
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, Rise Again!
Rise again, rise again, though your heart it be broken
And life about to end.
No matter what you’ve lost
Be it a home, a love, a friend,
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, Rise Again!
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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. I am unable to verify their accuracy.
DADGAD Tuning, Capo 5th Fret
She {G}went down last Oct{G/F#}ober in a {C}pouring {D}driving {G}rain
The {Am}skipper he'd been drinking, and the {C}mate he felt no {D}pain
Too {G}close to Three Mile {G/F#}Rock and she was {C}dealt her mortal {G}blow
And the {Am}Mary Ellen Carter settled {D}low
There was {G}just us five aboard {G/F#} her when she {C}finally {D}was awash
We {Am}worked like hell to save her, all {C}heedless of the {D}cost
And the {G}groan she gave as {G/F#}she went down it {C}caused us to pro{G}claim
That the {Am}Mary Ellen {D}Carter would rise {G}again
Break: G/F# / C / D / G / G/F# / C / D
Chorus
Rise {Am}again,{D} rise {G}again {G/F#} {C}
{D}That her {C}name not be lost to the {G}knowledge of {D}men
All {G}those who loved her {G/F#}best and were {C}with her {D}'til the {G}end
Will make the {Am}Mary Ellen {D}Carter rise {G}again{G/F#}
Break: C / D / G / G/F# / C / D