Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches

Subject: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Philibuster
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 07:23 PM

I'm gigging at a nursing home this Saturday and, god help me, I can't miss the chance to sing a topical song. There'll be all the usual carols, but I want to do something extra with a little more substance.
I have the lyrics, but need the chords, and with midterms coming up in school and a small mountain of papers due, I haven't had the time to sit down and take a good listen to the song and notate the chords.
Any help would be appreciated.
Happy Holidays, and thanks yall.

Philibuster, in distressed student mode.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:01 PM

Philibuster, do you read the Nashville Numbering System? If so, the song is posted at this site.

I assume you're wanting the John McCutcheon song?

Lin

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Genie
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:03 PM

The lyrics are posted at least once in the Mudcat forum (maybe chords, too). Try plugging "in the trenches" into a forum search and see what you come up with.

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Genie
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:09 PM

I just checked, and it's in the DT (twice) as well as in several forum threads. Even just "trenches" as a key word will probably produce all of them.

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:12 PM

Always have a look at the DT and the forum first.............It's is on several threads and has been discussed literally hundreds of times...a great song. It is in the DT.....CLICK HERE

I know you have it already above, but I mention it because in most cases if you use the DT and Forum Search, you'll not only probably find the songs, but also some great discussions about them.......like in this case, there are a lot of us who can barely sing this one through without breaking.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:23 PM

YES, you guys, but he asked for the CHORDS, not the lyrics!

Philibuster, hope this works--

Lin

Box: 079 Item: 175 Levy—"Sisters"

Christmas in the Trenches

     D       D/C#    D/B      D/A     My name is Francis Tolliver,    

G        D/F#      Em    I come from Liverpool,    

A7                  G/B     A7/C#    Two years ago the war was waiting    

G      D/F#  D  For me after school.    

D            D/C#   D/B      D/A    To Belgium and to Flanders    

G          D/F#     Em    To Germany to here    

A7                      G/B      A7/C#     D    I fought for King and country I     love dear.    

A7                       G/B    'Twas Christmas in the trenches    

A7/C#          G       D/F#       D       Where the frost so    bitter hung,    

Bm               Bm/A   Frozen fields of France were still,    

   G         D/F#     A7sus  No Christmas song was sung,    

A7    D       D/C#        D/B    D/A    Our families    back in England    

     G          D/F#     Em  Were toasting us    that day,    

      A7                 G/B     A7/C#   D  Their brave and glorious lads so far  a- way.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:25 PM

Whoops, ignore the reference to Levy in the first line--that was something else I was searching, not this song! Sorry...

Lin

Subject: Chords Add: CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:28 PM

Damn, damn, DAMNED HTML!! Let's try this again...

CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES

     D       D/C#    D/B      D/A   
  My name is Francis Tolliver,
  
  G        D/F#      Em
    I come from Liverpool,
  
  A7                  G/B     A7/C#
    Two years ago the war was waiting
  
  G      D/F#  D
  For me after school.
  
  D            D/C#   D/B      D/A
    To Belgium and to Flanders
  
  G          D/F#     Em
    To Germany to here
  
  A7                      G/B      A7/C#     D
    I fought for King and country I     love dear.
  
  A7                       G/B
    'Twas Christmas in the trenches
  
  A7/C#          G       D/F#       D
       Where the frost so    bitter hung,
  
  Bm               Bm/A 
  Frozen fields of France were still,
  
     G         D/F#     A7sus
  No Christmas song was sung,
  
  A7    D       D/C#        D/B    D/A
    Our families    back in England
  
       G          D/F#     Em
  Were toasting us    that day,
  
        A7                 G/B     A7/C#   D
  Their brave and glorious lads so far  a- way.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:30 PM

Well damn Lin, then I guess gotta' start readin for comprehension and not speed then........Actually, those are on a thread and the first post has the Nashville system progressions. On the other hand, yours work too, just a little rearranging here and there(:<))...I know, I that that bit with trying to get the stuff to line up....

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:44 PM

'Spaw, you ditz, ya gotta slow down SOME MORE! The first post is mine, too! LOL! Just thought I'd put both in, in case.

Meant to add this too:

The chords I transcribed above are from New Folk Favorites, edited by Will Schmidt, published by Hal Leonard; Copyright 1987 Hal Leonard; p. 36. I have my doubts about the combo chords...

The song is written by John McCutcheon, copyright 1984 by John McCutcheon (all rights reserved).

Lin

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 09:09 PM

Yeah I know.........I got it now......Wel l crap...Now I have to type for comprehesion too huh? I meant the first post was yours and I said it wrong but what the hell............so how's tricks?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 09:29 PM

LOL, 'Spaw!!!

Dunno much about "tricks," (get your mind outta the gutter!) but I'm in a MUCH better mood than I was an hour ago--just got off the "Mudcat Hasn't Influenced Me" thread and I'm still snickering.

Typing for comprehension??? Geez, between us, we could start a new trend, maybe?? Nah......

Lin :-D

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Genie
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 10:18 PM

Philibuster, I wasn't chiding you for not looking in the forum. I just knew there had been so many postings and discussions of this song that I thought maybe one of them had the chords or a MIDI, too. I didn't have time to open them all to check. I thought you might find them there, though.

Lin, thank you for posting the lyrics with the chords. Now I won't have to search for the chords, myself!

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 10:30 PM

This song, really is one of the best I've ever heard...

I have a tough time playing it all the way through, without a catch in my throat...

Damn John anyway, for being such a fine writer!

;-)

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:00 PM

I'm not the sharpest tack in the box so I have a couple of questions

1) Is this sung slowly and with meaning

2) The chords that have a slash between them - what does that mean? 3) Is this the complete song?

Steve

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:06 PM

Never mind on question 3 -

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Philibuster
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:20 PM

Thanks folks. Alot.
And I do read Nashville numbering, Lin (even though I prefer classical), but mucho thanks for the HTML effort. How'd you know I was gonna do it in D? =)
I did a search for it, but nothing came up. Digitrad and forum. Probably just my crappy 'puter.

Unfortuneately, I managed to get two of my fingers closed in a door last night, and only my index finger and pinky remain viable. Thinking about it, I may be able to do it in DADGAD on just 4 strings, but with the time I have to practice...It looks like it's gonna be an acapella performance. I didn't break no bones or nothin'(just out some meat)and I'm hoping my fingers will be healed up by 12-25 so I can sing it for my family.

Thanks again, yall.

Philibuster, off to write a paper about the influence of classical knowledge on the Italian Renaissance.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Philibuster
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:26 PM

Oh, Norman.
Answer to 1 is yes. The note after the slash is to be added into the chord. She could also have written it, D Dmaj7 D6 D/A(the same here, just tells you to double the 5th).

Philibuster, who is going to turn off the 'cat and get to typing, honest.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:50 PM

Oh Phil me lad....A challenge to be sure! Happen to have an autoharp? LOL

Spaw

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Christmas in the Trenches
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 11 Dec 01 - 05:51 PM

Found this at eBay (Clik)

I'll try to figure this out as I don't know the names of the strings so will need to do a bit of research on it. Could it just be played in D with only major chord changes? Is this in 4/4 time?

Steve