The Blessing (of the Fleet)
by Billy Luz Sprague and Jim Weber
copyright 1993 Paragon Music Corp./Skin Horse, Inc./Centergetic Music.
(admin. by Integrated Copyright Group, Inc.)
ASCAP. All rights reserved.

[Intros and transitions are my compensations for the lack of a full band]
--Polly_Vedder@GALE.COM

Time: 3/4

Intro: G / C / D / G / G / C / D / G

      G              C           G           D
The ships have been waiting too long in the harbor;
   G            C            D           G
A fair wind is calling the fleet to set sail.
 G          C           G       D
Ice on the moorings is finally melted;
    G             C            D             G   /  G  /  D  /  C
Forgotten's the frost and the winter's last gale.

     G         C               G          D
The fishermen come with their nets newly mended
     G            C         D            G
And gather their families there on the shore.
  G           C           G        D
Children and fathers fall equally silent
        D              C              D / D / D   D          G / G / C / D
While sweethearts and wives wish for one   ...   one minute more.

       F                   C            G
Then drawing together and bowing their heads
         G            Am       D
for the ones who are sailing away
     F                      C            G
The journey is worth every danger they dread,
                      C            D  /  D  / Dsus4 / D
so they stand by the sea and they pray


Chorus
         G         C          D         G
 May your nets be filled, your compass true
                              C             D
 May the wind and the wave be your friend
               G            C             D           Em
 May you stand the storm, and the hand of the Lord
                   Am        D        G  / G / D / C
 bring you safely to harbor again.

G          C             G        D
Anchors aweigh, let the canvases billow,
    G            C            D           G
as full as the hearts of the ones left behind
      G             C               G          D
Who watch till the last sail sinks o'er the horizon
       G               C               D         G / G / D / C
Then chart their own course through an ocean of time

 G        C           G          D
Many are waiting and many must travel
     G          C            D         G
And someday we all will sail over the rim.
    G      C           G              D
For every hand on the helm helps the calling,
 G            C           D / D / D   D          G / G / C / D
Some will be fishers and some   ...  fishers of men.

     F                   C          G
So drawing together and bowing our heads
         G            Am       D
for the ones who are sailing away
      F                     C          G
The journey is worth every danger we dread,
                    C          D / D / Dsus4 / D
So we stand by each other and pray


Chorus

opt. repeat of Chorus, then on last "again": G / D / C / G / D / G
(or repeat intro)