Lyr Req/Add: The Bravest (Tom Paxton)

Subject: Lyric Correction: Tom Paxton song: The Bravest
From: Genie
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 01:34 PM

There is an error in the  lyrics I posted above.  The last line of the 4th verse should read:  [boldface added]

             G                   Em                      C                             D
 Thank God we made it to the street; we ran through ash and smoke.
    G                         Em                   D
 I didn't know which way to run; I thought that I would choke.
      C                     G                       C                   D
 A fireman took me by the arm and pointed me uptown,
             C                           Em                  G                            D
 Then "Christ!" I heard him whisper, as the tower came roaring  down.

The line has been widely misprinted on the web as "...as the tower came pounding down."  I believe that error is even at Paxton's own website.
But if you listen to his free MP3 of the song, he is clearly not saying "pounding."  Initially I thought it sounded like "rolling," though that didn't seem like the best word.  Re-listening, I heard it as "...roaring."

I just looked up the song in my "Sing Out" magazine issue that was published not long after 9-11-01, and the line is printed there as "...roaring," just as it sounds on Tom's MP3.

Genie

Subject: RE: new Tom Paxton song: The Bravest
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 10:21 AM

Refresh so I can produce an ABC version with the chords and lyrics.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: new Tom Paxton song: The Bravest
From: mack/misophist
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 09:14 PM

The download doesn't work for me. If you have trouble too, I suggest 'copy link to clipboard' then go to the site and search for Paxton or Bravest. There's no free download but there is a Realplayer stream.

Subject: Chords Add: THE BRAVEST(Tom Paxton)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 07:41 AM

This is what I hear. Tom has a way of making you believe he will change chords, and then he doesn´t.

Jan

The Bravest    Tom Paxton

The (G)first plane hit the other tower, right (C)after I came (G)in,
It left a fiery, gaping hole where (D)offices had been.
We (C)stood and watched in (G)horror as we (C)saw the first ones (G)fall,
Then (C)someone yelled, "Get (G)out, get out! They're trying to (A7short)kill us (D)all!"

I (G)grabbed the pictures from my desk and (C)joined the flight for (G)life,
With every step I called the names of my (D)children and my wife.
And (C)then we heard them (G)coming up, from (C)several floors be(G)low,
A (C)crowd of fire(G)fighters with their heavy (A7short)gear in (D)tow.

Now (C)every time I (G)try to sleep, I'm (C)haunted by the (G)sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while (D)we were running (G)down. (D)

And (G)when we met them on the stairs, they (C)said we were too (G)slow.
"Get out, get out!" they yelled at us, "The (D)whole thing's gonna go!"
They (C)didn't have to (G)tell us twice, we'd (C)seen the world on (G)fire,
We (C)kept on running (G)down the stairs, while they kept (A7short)climbing (D)higher.

Now (C)every time I (G)try to sleep, I'm (C)haunted by the (G)sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while (D)we were running (G)down. (D)

Thank (G)God we made it to the street, we (C)ran through ash and (G)smoke.
I did not know which way to run, I (D)thought that I would choke.
A (C)fireman took me (G)by the arm and he (C)pointed me up(G)town,
Then, (C)"Christ!" I heard him (G)whisper, as the tower came (A7short)roaring (D)down.

So (G)now I go to funerals for (C)men I never (G)knew,
The pipers play "Amazing Grace", as the (D)coffins come in view.
They (C)must have seen it (G)coming when they (C)turned to face the (G)fire,
They (C)sent us down to (G)safety, then they kept on (A7short)climbing (D)higher.

Now (C)every time I (G)try to sleep, I'm (C)haunted by the (G)sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while (D)we were running (G)down,
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while (D)we were running (G)down.

© Tom Paxton, All Rights Reserved

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bravest (Tom Paxton)
From: Rex
Date: 12 Sep 14 - 10:55 AM

I was thinking about Tom Paxton and this powerful song yesterday. So I posting something about it on his facebook page along with a link to an audio file of him singing it from his website. It still gets to me. It seems worth recalling here.

Rex