Misc Traditional – Pork Beans And Hardtack (Guitar)

Key
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Chords

Verse 1:
        A 
Our volunteers are solidiers bold,

   D              Bm
so say the people all.

     E7 
When duty calls they spring to arms,

                  A
responsive to the call.
With outfits old and rotten clothes,
    D               Bm
ill fitted for the strife!

     E7
They leave their homes on starving pay,

                      A
to take the nitchies' life.
Refrain:
C#               F#m
Pork, beans, and hard-tack,

C#                  F#m
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la,

B7           E7
Poor, hungry soldiers, 

B7              E7
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

    A
In rags we march the prairie,

     D             Bm
most eager for the fray.

    E7
But when we near the enemy

                 A
they always run away.
As Corporation laborers
     D              Bm
with fa-ti-gue each day

   E7
We dig and scrape
and hoe and rake
                  A
for fifty cents a day!
Verse 2
     A   
Faint, cold and weary,

      D                 Bm
we're packed on an open car

E7   
Cursing our fate and grumbling

                 A
as soldiers ever are.
Hungry and thirsty,
        D          Bm
over the C.P.R. we go.

    E7
Instead of by the all-rail-route

                  A
Detroit and Chicago.
Refrain:
C#               F#m
Pork, beans, and hard-tack,

C#                  F#m
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la,

B7           E7
Poor, hungry soldiers, 

B7              E7
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

    A
In rags we march the prairie,

     D             Bm
most eager for the fray.

    E7
But when we near the enemy

                 A
they always run away.
As Corporation laborers
     D              Bm
with fa-ti-gue each day

   E7
We dig and scrape
and hoe and rake
                  A
for fifty cents a day!
Verse 3
      A
On half cooked beans and fat pork,

      D              Bm
we're fed without relief.

     E7
Save when we get a  change of grub

                        A
on hard-tack and corned beef!
On fat-ti-gue and guards all day,
    D                  Bm
patrols and pickets by night,

      E7
It's  thus we while our time away,

                        A
Our duty seems ne'er to fight!
Refrain:
C#               F#m
Pork, beans, and hard-tack,

C#                  F#m
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la,

B7           E7
Poor, hungry soldiers, 

B7              E7
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

    A
In rags we march the prairie,

     D             Bm
most eager for the fray.

    E7
But when we near the enemy

                 A
they always run away.
As Corporation laborers
     D              Bm
with fa-ti-gue each day

   E7
We dig and scrape
and hoe and rake
                  A
for fifty cents a day!
Verse 4
    A
Down the wild Saskatchewan

   D
in river boats we go.

     E7
At last we reach Lake Winnipeg 

                         A
where a tug takes us in tow.
On board a barge two regiments
     D               Bm
are shoved into the hold.

     E7
Like sardines in a box we're packed

            A
600 men all told!
Refrain:
C#               F#m
Pork, beans, and hard-tack,

C#                  F#m
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la,

B7           E7
Poor, hungry soldiers, 

B7              E7
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

    A
In rags we march the prairie,

     D             Bm
most eager for the fray.

    E7
But when we near the enemy

                 A
they always run away.
As Corporation laborers
     D              Bm
with fa-ti-gue each day

   E7
We dig and scrape
and hoe and rake
                  A
for fifty cents a day!
Verse 5
   A
Down the length of Winnipeg Lake,

  D                    Bm
We roll throughout the night.

    E7
And on we're towed along the Lake

                   A
till Selkirk is in sight.
We disembark in double quick time,
   D                 Bm
We once more board a train;

     E7
We're on our way for Winnipeg, 

                        A
we're getting near home again!
Refrain:
C#               F#m
Pork, beans, and hard-tack,

C#                  F#m
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la,

B7           E7
Poor, hungry soldiers, 

B7              E7
tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

    A
In rags we march the prairie,

     D             Bm
most eager for the fray.

    E7
But when we near the enemy

                 A
they always run away.
As Corporation laborers
     D              Bm
with fa-ti-gue each day

   E7
We dig and scrape
and hoe and rake
                  A
for fifty cents a day!