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Banks Of The Nile

Sandy Denny

Text File

(The)Banks of the Nile

(Trad arr Fotheringay)

The Key per the CD is Cm although Trevor Lucas may be on Capo 3

The Bass is quite unhelpful as Pat Donaldson is very good but extremely economical. Also
would have preferred him to play a G under the F(6)s rather than the Cs. The whole
is a bit loose for me as the triplets played by Jerry and Trevor seem disassociated with 
voice, and its hard to know where to come in.

This version is not so different to Version 1, so no implied criticism meant.


intro: Cm7  F(6)/C ad lib

        Cm7  F(6)/C      Eb Bb/D
       Cm7  F(6)/C Cm7
 Oh hark! the drums do beat, my love, no longer can we stay.
     m7  F(6)/C      Cm7      Bb (Bb Cm
         Eb       F(6)  Gm7
The bugle-horns are sounding clear, and                we must march away.
     Cm7  F(6)/C     Cm7    Bb (Bb Cm
             Eb     F(6)   Gm7
We're ordered down to Portsmouth, and it's              many the weary mile.
    Cm7 F(6)/C Cm7   Bb
   Cm7           F(6)/C   Cm7
To join the British Army on the               banks        of the      Nile.


Capo 3

intro: Am7  D(6)/A ad lib

     Am7  D(6)/A         C  G/B
       Am7  D(6)/A Am7
 Oh hark! the drums do beat, my love, no longer can we stay.
     Am7  D(6)/A     Am7        G (G Am
          C      D(6)   Em7
The bugle-horns are sounding clear, and                we must march away.
 Am7  D(6)/A     Am7        G (G Am
                 C      D(6)   Em7
We're ordered down to Portsmouth, and it's              many the weary mile.
      Am7 D(6)/A Am7 G
   Am7         D(6)/A     Am7
To join the British Army on the               banks        of the      Nile.


Oh Willie, dearest Willie, don't leave me here to mourn,
Don't make me curse and rue the day that ever I was born.
For the parting of our love would be like parting with my life.
So stay at home, my dearest love, and I will be your wife.

Oh my Nancy, dearest Nancy, sure that will never do.
The government has ordered, and we are bound to go.
The government has ordered, and the Queen she gives command.
And I am bound on oath, my love, to serve in a foreign land.

Oh, but I'll cut off my yellow hair, and I'll go along with you.
I'll dress myself in uniform, and I'll see Egypt too.
I'll march beneath your banner while fortune it do smile,
And we'll comfort one another on the banks of the Nile.

But your waist it is too slender, and your fingers they are too small.
In the sultry suns of Egypt your rosy cheeks would spoil.
Where the cannons they do rattle, when the bullets they do fly,
And the silver trumpets sound so loud to hide the dismal cries.

Oh, cursed be those cruel wars, that ever they began,
For they have robbed our country of many the handsome men.
They've robbed us of our sweethearts while their bodies they feed the lions,
On the dry and sandy deserts which are the banks of the Nile.

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Banks Of The Nile

Sandy Denny