[Intro]
G C D C D G G F# C D
[Verse]
G
She went down last Oc - tober,
C - D G
In a pouring driving rain,
Am
The skipper he'd been drinking and
C D
The mate he felt no pain,
G
Too close to Three Mile Rock and
C G
She was dealt her mortal blow and
Am D
The Mary Ellen Carter settled low.
G
There was just us five a - board her,
C G
When she finally was a - wash,
Am
We worked like hell to save her,
C D
All heedless of the cost, and
G
The groan she gave as she went down,
C G
It caused us to pro - claim,
Am D G
That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise a - gain.
[Break]
G
Well the owners wrote her off,
C - D G
Not a nickel would they spend,
Am
"She gave twenty years of service, boys,
C D
Then met her sorry end.
G
But in - surance paid the loss to us,
C G
So let her rest be- low.",
Am
Then they laughed at us, and,
D
Said we had to go.
[Verse]
G
But we talked of her all winter,
C G
Some days around the clock.
Am
She's worth a quarter million,
C D
A - floating at the dock and
G
With every jar that hit the bar,
C G
We swore we would re - main and
Am D G
Make the Mary Ellen Carter rise a - gain!
[Chorus]
Am - D G
Rise a - gain, rise a - gain,
C C
That her name not be lost,
G D
To the knowledge of men,
G
All those who loved her best and
C D G
Were with her 'til the end,
Am D G
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter, rise a - gain.
[Break]
G
All spring now we've been with her,
C - D G
On a barge lent by a friend.
Am
Three dives a day in a hardhat suit, and
C D
Twice I've had the bends.
G
Thank God it's only sixty feet, and
C G
The currents here are slow, or
Am
I'd never have the strength,
D
To go be - low.
G
But we've patched her rents, stopped her vents,
C G
Dogged hatch, and Portholes down,
Am
Put cables to her, fore and aft and
C D
Girded her a - round,
G
To - morrow noon, we hit the air and
C G
Then take up the strain, and
Am D G
Make the Mary Ellen Carter rise a - gain!
[Chorus]
Am - D G
Rise a - gain, rise a - gain,
C C
That her name not be lost,
G D
To the knowledge of men,
G
All those who loved her best and
C D G
Were with her 'til the end,
Am D G
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter, rise a - gain.
[Break]
G
For we couldn't leave her there,
C - D G
You see to crumble into scale.
Am
She'd saved our lives, so many times,
C D
Living through the gale, and
G
The laughing, drunken rats,
C G
Who left her to a sorry grave,
Am D
They won't be laughing in another day, and
G C G
You, to whom ad - versity, has dealt the final blow,
Am
With smiling bastards lying to you,
C D
Everywhere you go,
G
Turn to, and put out all your strength,
C G
Of arm, and heart and brain, and
Am D G
Like the Mary Ellen Carter rise a - gain!
[2nd Chorus]
Am D G
Rise a - gain, rise a - gain,
C C
Though your heart, it be broken, or
G D
Life about to end,
G
No matter what you've lost,
C D G
Be it a home, a love, a friend,
Am D G
Like the Mary Ellen Carter rise a - gain!
Am D G
Rise a - gain, rise a - gain,
C C
Though your heart, it be broken, or
G D
Life about to end,
G
No matter what you've lost,
C D G
Be it a home, a love, a friend,
Am D G
Like the Mary Ellen Carter rise a - gain!
(Outro)