The Ghost of Limehouse Cut by Cathal Coughlan
From the Cathal Coughlan’s 2000 Black River Falls album. Written by Cathal Coughlan. No capo.
INTRO
[Em]
VERSE 1
[Em] Frogface and Buster [G] bickered through their [Baug] plan
As they [Em] waited in the car park in their [G] battered stolen [Em] van
[Em] Frogface was a lawyer then and [G] Buster lady [Baug] bluff
Their [Dm7] existential burden was that they [B] were not rich e [Em] nough
They [F#m] coshed him as he came out, checked his wallet for the name
He was [Gmaj7] hogtied in their cellar before they could complain
A [F#m] message was soon relayed via satellite and such
Saying your [C] son in there is landfill, sir, unless you [Gm] pay to [F#m] us
VERSE 2
But [Em] happy days were short-lived; they [G] kidnapped the wrong [Baug] man
The [Em] real one turned up airport-bound, gold [G] brick in either [Em] hand
[Em] Buster, walking home one day, was [G] stopped by those who [Baug] steal
He [Dm7] gave them lip, they battered her, and [B] now she deals on [Em] wheels
[F#m] Frogface sits in parliament, his views are in demand
On [Gmaj7] all official media he states his simple plans
For [F#m] vicious retribution against those evil folk
Whose [C] deviance and violence have ceased to [Gm] be a [F#m] joke
VERSE 3
To the [Em] east side of the city, you can [G] bring all life’s mis [Baug] takes
To [Em] heartless, smoky men who help you [G] burnish and e [Em] rase
To [Em] here did Frogface go one day with his [G] weaknesses on [Baug] show
The [Dm7] jeep’s bed down a quiet street, they [B] let the hostage [Em] go
But [F#m] when he told his story, the world exclaimed “So what?!”
[Gmaj7] Yours is just another tale, we prefer the one we’ve got
Now [F#m] Frogface double dutiful, wheels his wife to church
Two [C] mirrors of our decency which scandal [Gm] must not [F#m] touch
OUTRO
[Bm] I’m a ghost, [A/B] I don’t exist
[F#7] I wandered off and [G/B] I was not missed
[Bm] I watched the rain over [A/B] Limehouse Cut
A most [F#7] excellent waterway, [G/B] is it not?
[Bm] I’m a ghost, [A/B] my story’s told
[F#7] Babyfaced old barrel boys lay [G/B] hands upon my soul
[Bm] Tethering my dreams to [A/B] Limehouse Cut
Whose [F#7] waters daily beckon me with [Em] love both warm and [Bm] tough [A/B] [F#7] [G/B]
[Bm] [A/B] [F#7] [Em] [Bm]