Sweet William

G G G G G Am Em C i was born with this story , it’s older than i G Am Em C and yet you when you hear it you’ll know in the sky G Am Em C in the wind of your knowledge , in the cut of your jib G Am Em C that the fibre of wind is as new from my lip G Am Em C as was ever and more and ever will be G Am Em D C ’til the union we face casts us finally free G C D G for we in the love of an earth - bidden dance C D G stand enthralled of that , which from heaven , perchance C D G lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace C D Am G and smile in the arms of sweet william’s embrace G G william’s wanderings took him abroad showed him the lay of the searcher’s long road to the place he stood now ’neath the black laden sky and the crook of his father had brought fortune nigh read the sign where he looked , not the bull , nor the bear nor a burly red lion , or the tortoise and hare for we in the love of an earth - bidden dance stand enthralled of it , which from heaven , perchance lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace and smile in the arms of sweet william’s embrace G Am Em C the end of the world was the name of the inn G Am Em C said fair william farewell to the world and its sin G G its sin G Am full balmy was the winter air Em C all wet with what might die G Em a wishing well , the ocean bear Em C a millpond in his eyes G Am a glance to see from whence he came Em C for william with a landlocked turn Am Am vermin what he stood to lose Am Am the skin - shot snakes and earthy worms his boots trod soft inside the inn his greeted all was here abrasive lowly nods came back then bent toward their beer they must know i thought willy now they’ve seen me come from miles the thought was struck as whisky poured and barmen gave all smiles C Em D Am then followed this a curious thing G the eldest of the host C Em D Am sang softly where he sat and drank G to love a worthy toast C Em D Am his song was of a stranger G summoned for his rope C Em D Am in all would be to set us free G his song was strong and bold , it went : for we in the love of an earth - bidden dance stand enthralled of that , which from heaven , perchance lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace and smile in the arms of sweet william’s embrace i was born with this story , it’s older than i and yet you when you hear it you’ll know in the sky in the wind of your knowledge , in the cut of your jib that the fibre of wind is as new from my lip as was ever and more and ever will be ’til the union we face casts us finally free