First Christmas chords

First Christmas   


    C - G - Am - G - F - C     - G - G7 - Am - Dm - F - G - C



              C                                 G

1. This day a year ago he was rolling in the snow

               Am           G       F                     C

    with a younger brother in his father’s yard,

         G                        G7                      Am

    Christmas break, a time for touching home,

                                      Dm             F                       G     - G7

    the heart of all he’d known, and leaving was so hard.



                  C                                                     G

2. Three thousand miles away and now he’s working Christmas day,

                   Am             - G              F                      C

    making double time        for the minding of the store.

                   G                           G7                 Am

    Well, he always said, he’d make it on his own,

                                                    Dm                 F              G            C

    he’s spending Christmas Eve alone, first Christmas away from home.



+  C - G - G7



                 C                                        - G

3. She’s standing by the train station,        pan-handling for change,

                     Am        G        F                            C

    four more dollars buys a decent meal and a room.

      G                            G7                     Am

    Looks like the Sally Army place after all,

                                        Dm        F                    G       - G7

    in a crowded sleeping hall that echoes like a tomb.



                  C                                                          - G

4. But it’s warm and clean and free, and there are     worse places to be,

                Am        G             F                         C

    and at least it means no beating from her Dad.

            G                    G7                            Am

    And if she cries because it’s Christmas Day,

                                          Dm               F               G            C        - G

    she hopes that it won’t show, first Christmas away from home.



                   G                           G7                                          C

5.  In the apartment stands a tree and it looks so small and bare

           F                             C

    not like it was meant to be,

G                                     G7                                            Am

    a golden angel on the top, it’s not the same old silver star

                                     Dm              F              G            C  

    you wanted for your own first Christmas away from home.



+  C - G - Am - G - F - C     - G - G7 - Am - Dm - F - G - C



                  C                                                    G

6.  In the morning they get prayers, then it’s crafts and tea downstairs,

                Am            - G           F                C

    then another meal       back in his little room.

                   G                      G7                        Am

    Hoping maybe that “the boys” will think to phone,

                                Dm                   F                      G   - F

    before the day is gone, well, it’s best they do it soon.      



                       C                                             G                       G7

7. When the “old girl” passed away he fell apart more every day,

                    Am        G          F                   C

    each had always kept the other pretty well.

                 G                        G7                        Am

    But the kids all said the nursing home was best,

                                         Dm                 F              G            C       - G

    ‘cause he couldn’t live alone, first Christmas away from home.



                G                                                         G7

8. In the common room they’ve got the biggest tree,

                                                     C                F                    C

    and it’s huge and cold and it’s lifeless not like it ought to be.

G                                                              G7

    And the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top,

                                               Am

    it’s not the same old silver star

                                           Dm              F               G           C

    you once made for your own first Christmas away from home.

                F            G G7         C         - G - G7 - F - G - G7 - C

    First Christmas away from home.



(orig. = capo 2nd)    (Stan Rogers)