Numbers

[Intro ]Em  G  D  Em 

Em                           G 
Sixty set out from Cambridge all good men and true 
     D                              Em 
On a gunship bound for glory with a young and wild crew 
C                                   G 
We'd charge in, make our stand, and we'd see victory 
         C                                    Bm 
But when we'd won our first battle there were only fifty-three 

Em                          G 
More died from infection despite the surgeon's tricks 
     D                                  Em 
That brought our bold and fearless crew down to forty-six 
C                            G 
We then sailed away thinking we had seen the worst 
        C                              Bm 
But we steered her back around when we heard a cannon's burst 

C                             G 
Second fight that day and our luck was fading fast 
Am                G               F 
Though we stayed afloat we'd lost most of our main mast 
C                           Am 
We were now adrift and very glad to be alive 
         G                           Bm 
Though I must admit our crew was now down to thirty-five 

Em                                   G 
Most of the food was ruined from the salt sea down below 
       D                           Em 
But we didn't fear 'til the water started running low 
C                                   G 
With our bold and hardy crew just a fortnight out to sea 
    C                              Bm 
The cruel sea had taken twelve and we were twenty-three 

Em                                G 
Four more days had passed when we caught site of a gale 
        D                               Em 
We were sucking rain from the rags that used to be our sail 
 C                          G 
Another week adrift was the worst sight ever seen 
      C                           Bm 
Our beleaguered crew was now down to just seventeen 

    C                                G 
The first mate started screaming and set the deck alight 
   Am          G                F 
We tried to restrain him but we had a madman's fight 
C                                  Am 
When we stopped him he'd just hum: It'll all be fine 
       G                          Bm 
But by then our battered crew was no more than nine 

     Em                          G 
From nine we went to seven, from seven down to three 
    D                                Em 
The cabin boy, the carpenter and the boson, that was me 
C                                    G 
We all sat there on the deck, though none of us could speak 
C                              Bm 
We should be keeping watch but we were all too weak 

    Em                           G 
The cabin boy was curled up in a corner all alone 
    D                           Em 
The carpenter was muttering and gnawing on a bone 
C                                G 
I just kept on laughing, cause I knew I'd lost my grip 
   C                        Bm 
As we were taken one by one to the rescue ship 

C                         G 
Never go to sea, me boys, never leave the land 
    Am                 G              F 
For once you're out to sea it doesn't matter what you planned 
C                                  Am 
Your life lies in the mercy of the sea heartless and cruel 
   G                             Bm 
So you'll stay ashore unless you truly are a fool 

       Em                                     G 
Though three survived that awful trip I'm the last one of my crew 
    D                                       Em 
The others locked in their own minds, their voyage never through 
   C                            G 
So listen to me lads before you take your hellish trip 
C            Bm                  G        Em 
Man belongs upon the ground, not on some Goddamn ship