G C G D7 G

[Verse]
         G                                    Em               C
Now it's just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do
    Bm                                   Em                 D
But watch the deadly waters glide, as we roll North to the Sault
    G                                   Em               C
And wonder when they'll turn again, and pitch us to the rail
    Bm                 D                G
And whirl off one more youngster in the gale

[Verse]
    G                             Em              C
The kid was so damn eager, it was all so big and new
    Bm                              Em                D
You never had to tell him twice, or find him work to do
    G                                 Em              C
And evenings on the mess deck, he was always first to sing
            Bm              D                G
And show us pictures of the girl he'd wed in spring

[Chorus]
      D               D7                   C                     Bm
But I told that kid a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
     C                 Bm                Em               D
They go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem enchanted
      G                                      Em              C
But tonight some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
        Bm             D          G
And her lover's gone into a white squall

[Riff]
G C G D7 G

[Verse]
           G                                   Em            C
Now it's a thing that us old timers know, in a sultry summer calm
      Bm                                Em              D
There comes a blow from nowhere, and it goes off like a bomb
      G                              Em              C
And a fifteen thousand tonner can be thrown upon her beam
          Bm               D              G
While the gale takes all before it with a scream

[Verse]
    G                             Em             C
The kid was on the hatches, lying staring at the sky
     Bm                                Em                  D
From where I stood I swear I could see tears fall from his eyes
     G                                     Em               C
So I hadn't the heart to tell him, that he should be on a line
Bm        D                 G
Even on a night so warm and fine

[Chorus]
      D               D7                   C                     Bm
But I told that kid a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
     C                 Bm                Em               D
They go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem enchanted
      G                                      Em              C
But tonight some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
        Bm             D          G
And her lover's gone into a white squall

[Riff]
G C G D7 G

[Verse]
        G                                 Em                C
When it struck, he sat up with a start, I roared to him get down
        Bm                                 Em              D
But for all that he could hear, I could as well not made a sound
     G                                   Em              C
So I clung there to the stanchions and I felt my face go pale
      Bm                D              G
As he crawled hand over hand along the rail

[Verse]
            G                              Em          C
Now I could feel her heeling over with the fury of the blow
      Bm                                 Em           D
And I watched the rail go under then, so terrible and slow
          G                                    Em             C
Then like some great dog she shook herself and roared upright again
    Bm          D                 G
Far over side I heard him call my name

[Chorus]
      D               D7                   C                     Bm
But I told that kid a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
     C                 Bm                Em               D
They go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem enchanted
      G                                      Em              C
But tonight some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
        Bm             D          G
And her lover's gone into a white squall


[Riff]
G C G D7 G

[Verse]
        G                                    Em               C
So it's just my luck to have the watch, with nothing left to do
    Bm                                Em                    D
But watch the deadly waters glide, as we roll North to the Sault
    G                                   Em               C
And wonder when they'll turn again, and pitch us to the rail
    Bm                 D                G
And whirl off one more youngster in the gale


[Alt Chorus]
      D                 D7                   C                  Bm
And I tell these kids a hundred times, don't take the lakes for granted
     C                 Bm                Em             D
They go from calm to a hundred knots, so fast they seem enchanted
G                                            Em             C
But tonight some red-eyed Wiarton girl, lies staring at the wall
        Bm             D          G
And her lover's gone into a white squall