The Seabirds

G 
No foreign pair of dark sunglasses 
D 
will ever shield you from 
G 
the light that pierces your eyelids, 
D 
the screaming of the gulls 
Em 



A 
Feeding off the bodies of the fish, 
Bm 
thrashing up the bay till it was red, 
F#m 
turning the sky a cold dark colour 
Em 
as they circled overhead. 


 

G               A               Bm 
G               A               Bm              E 

 

G 
He swam out to the edge of the reef, 
D 
there were cuts across his skin, 
G 
saltwater on his eyes and arms, 
D 
but he could not feel the sting 
Em 



A 
There was no one left to hold him back, 
Bm 
no one to call out his name, 
F#m 
dress him feed him drive him home, 
Em 
say "Little boy it doesn't have to end this way !" 




G               A               Bm 
G               A               Bm              E 


 

F#m 
He announced their trial separation, and 
Em 
spent the night in a Park Beach Motel bed, 
F#m 
a total stranger lying next to him, 
Em 
rain hitting the roof hard over his head 



A 
She said "What's the matter now lover boy, 
Bm 
has the cat run off with your tongue? 
F#m 
Are you drinking to get maudlin, 
Em 
or drinking to get numb?" 




G               A               Bm 
G               A               Bm              E 



G 
He called out to the seabirds "Take me now, 
D 
I'm no longer afraid to die", 
G 
but they pretended not to hear him, 
D 
and just watched him with their hard 
Em 
and bright black eyes 



A 
They could pick the eye from any dying thing 
Bm 
that lay within their reach, but 
F#m 
they would not touch the solitary figure 
Em 
lying tossed up on the beach. 




So, where were you? 
G               A               Bm 
G               A               Bm              E 
G               A               Bm 
G               A               Bm              E