'39

Words and music by Brian May

Transcribed by Ken Goach and Patrick M. Ryan 
Note on the studio version of this song there are two guitars. This is an approximation for playing it on just one. Use a capo on the first fret. 

intro
X X X X Am Am Am Am
G G

   G       D      Em        C     G    D   C      G
---3-------2------0----0----0-----3----2---0------3------
---3-------3------0----0----1-----3----3---1------3------
---0-------2------0----0----0-----0----2---0------0------
---0-----0-0------2----2----2-----0--0-0---2-0_2--0------
---2-2_3--------2-2--2-2--3-3-----2--------3------2------
-3------------------------------3-3---------------3------


   G       D      Em        C     G  D           G G G G
---3-------2------0----0----0-----3--2---------  (folk strum)
---3-------3------0----0----1-----3--3---------
---0-------2------0----0----0-----0--0---------
---0-----0-0------2----2----2-----0-----3-2-0--
---2-2_3--------2-2--2-2--3-3-----2------------
-3------------------------------3-3------------


G (pickup chord)  D                         Em
         In the   year of '39.... Assembled here the volunteers

        C~       G          D              Em          Em7 
In the days when lands were few   Here the ship sailed out into the

C~                    D(add G) Dmaj       G 
Blue and sunny morn   Sweetest sight ever seen.

G   D                           B7
And night followed day, and the story tellers say

         Em                   Am    (then passing notes C B A F#)
That the score brave souls inside

    G                         D 
For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas

C            Em    C     D       C  (G) D------
Ne'er looked back, never feared, never cried.

          G                           C            G
Don't you hear my call, though you're many years away,

G                         D
Don't you hear me calling you

               G      F#/G   Em    D      C    B/G        Am  
Write your letters in the sand for the day I take your hand

        Em           D             G
In the land that our grandchildren knew.

In the C~, I add D&G on top:

|--3
|--3
|--0
|--2
|--3
|--X

Likewise, the D add G is

|--3   (where you add the G)
|--3
|--2
|--0
|--X
|--X


Notes:

I often play Amin7 rather than plain Amin.

The odd chords listed in the chorus I play:

F#/G                B/G

|--3                |--3
|--3                |--3
|--0                |--0
|--0                |--0
|--0                |--2
|--2                |--X