D                       A            D
When I was a young man, just barely 14
G                  D Dsus4 D
Craving adventure and lore
G                       A       Bm
I boarded a clipper me dad was a skipper
Em                      A            D
and sailed it along the French shore ya,
Em7              A          D Dsus4 D
we sailed all along the French shore

What beautiful vessels were sailing back then
All bound for the north Labrador
And So for that reason they came here that season
To sail all along the French shore ya
To sail all along the French shore

On each ship a maiden was hired to cook
A beautiful girl to adore so young and cavorting
All ready for courting while sailing along the French shore ya,
While sailing along the French shore

Being too young for courting I soon did decide
To spy on the lovers on shore I spied on a couple
So loving and supple, while sailing along the French shore ya,
While sailing along the French shore

D                       A               D
Their actions peculiar appeared to me then
G                             D D
but now they're not funny no more
G                          A                      Bm
they were huggin and kissin' oh what ive been missin,
Em                 A                  D
while sailing along the French shore ya,
Em7             A    Bm      G(or D)   
Em7          A           D Dsus4 D
while sailing along, sailing along, while sailing along the French shore

That couple has children now married I know
You see they're not young anymore
Yet still they don't know how I witnessed the show
That they played all along the French shore ya,
That they played all along the French shore

D                  A                D
And that ends the story of my bonnie days
G                             D Dsus4 D
Oh, that I could live them once more
G (Strum once)
and this much I know I'd produce my own show,
         Em                       A      D
and I'd stage it along the French shore ya,
Em           A       Bm        G (or D)
While sailin along, sailin along,
Em7             A   Bm         G (or D)
While sailin along, sailing along,
Em7 (or Em)        A               D
While sailin along the French shore