December 1942 / 27.1.45    (video)

 

    D - A - G

 

             D                           G                                     A                            D

1. It's freezing cold, the snow comes down, there's ice on the barbed wire,

               G                                            A

    everything is ready, right on time another train is due.

        D                      G                         A                    D

    Now it's coming down the line it's heading for the fire,

               G            Em                 G AD

    just another December day in 1942.

 

             D                             G                     A                         D

2. The train is packed with dispossessed people from the ghetto,

       G                                                        A

    treated worse than animals in some cruel, filthy zoo.

      D                      G           A                       D

    Terrorised and beaten, starved into submission,

                G                   Em                 G AD

    so, it was on that December day in 1942.

 

              D                      G             A                          D

3. The train came to a stop to unload its human cargo,

                  G                               - A

    met by demons and by devils        and their savage dogs.

       D                             G                            A                         D

    Curses, blows and whips rain down on those exhausted people,

G                           Em                   G     A          D

    but their deadly nightmare had only just begun.

 

                  G                                             D

And they cried out to the Lord, “God, Creator of the Universe,

     G                       A         D

in our despair we call on you !”

       G                          A                       - D

But all their tears and all their prayers,       they went unanswered

               G                       Em                  GAD

on that God-forsaken December Day in 1942.

 

        D                         G                     A                        D

4. Women men and children in that freezing winter twilight,

      G                                  A

    families torn in two by thugs with sticks and guns.

        D               G                         A                   D

    Made to undress, and driven naked to the slaughter,

              G                   Em      - G                  A             D

    and then into the chamber       they were forced to run.

 

                        D                                 G                A                   D

5. When the doors were locked and sealed, no mercy and no pity,

             G                                                 A

    the word came down the line and the orders were carried through.

       D                  G             A                    D

    Just another number to add to their statistics

              G                   Em               G A D

     on another God-forsaken day in 1942.

 

                  G                                             D

And they cried out to the Lord, “God, Creator of the Universe,

     G                       A         D

in our despair we call on you !”

       G                          A                       - D

But all their tears and all their prayers,       they went unanswered

               G                       Em                  GAD

on that God-forsaken December Day in 1942.

 

(orig. = capo 4th)    (Christy Moore)