Stan Rogers – First Christmas (Guitar)

     C                      G
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                                         Am                             Dm
Christmas break, a time for touching home,   the heart of all he'd known

                   G     F  G
And leaving was so hard

      C                             G
Three thousand miles away, now he's   working Christmas Day

       Am     Am/G         F                    C
Making double time for the minding of the store

        G                                   Am
Well he always said he'd make it on his own

                             Dm
He's spending Christmas Eve alone

      F          G        C     G
First Christmas away from home

      C                              G
She's standing by the train station,   pan-handling for change

          Am      Am/G   F                    C
Four more dollars   buys  a decent meal and a room

G                                    Am                              Dm
Looks like the Sally Ann place after all, in a crowded sleeping hall

                   G     F   G
That echoes like a tomb

         C                                      G
But it's warm and clean and free, and there are   worse places to be

       Am          Am/G    F                     C
And at least it means   no beating from her Dad

    G                                   Am
And if she cries because it's Christmas Day

                        Dm
She hopes that it won't  show

      F          G        C
First Christmas away from home

G                             G/F         G                  C
    In the apartment stands a tree and it looks so small and bare

         F               C
Not like it was meant to be

G                       G/F
    Golden angel on the top

                              Am                       Dm
It's not that same old silver star you wanted for your own

      F          G        C
First Christmas away from home

             C                                    G                  C
Well, in the morning, they get prayers, then it's crafts and tea downstairs

      Am        Am/G      F                  C
Then another meal    back in his little room

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Hoping maybe that "the boys" will think to phone before the day is gone

                           G     F   G
Well, it's best they do it soon

          C                               G
When the "old girl" passed away, he fell apart more every day

         Am     Am/G       F            C
Each had always   kept the other pretty well

        G                                  Am
But the kids all said the nursing home was best

                             Dm
Cause he couldn't live alone

      F          G   C
First Christmas away   from home

G                                                   G/F
    In the common room they've got the biggest tree

         G             C
And it's huge and cold   and lifeless

    F                C
Not like it ought to be

G                                          G/F
    And the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top

              G               Am                 Dm
It's not that same old silver star you once made for your own

      F          G   C
First Christmas away from home

      Dm         F   G       C
First Christmas away-ay from home