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Streets of London
Ralph McTell
"Streets of London" is a song by Ralph McTell, who first recorded it for his 1969 album "Spiral Staircase". It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. McTell himself noted that there were 212 known recorded versions of the song. This is one of many songs that uses "Pachelbel's Canon" as chord progression.
Modified 02.11.2023
Intro
C
G/B
Am
Em
F
G/C
G7
C
Verse 1
C
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
G
old man
old man
in the
Am
closed down
closed down
Em
market,
market,
F
Kicking out the
Kicking out the
C
papers
papers
with his
Dm
worn out
worn out
G7
shoes?
shoes?
C
In his eyes you
In his eyes you
G
see no pride.
see no pride.
Am
Hand held loosely
Hand held loosely
Em
at his side,
at his side,
F
Yesterday's
Yesterday's
C
paper
paper
telling
G7
yesterday's
yesterday's
C
news.
news.
Chorus 1
So
F
how can you
how can you
Em
tell me you're
tell me you're
C
lo
lo
G/B
ne
ne
Am
ly
ly
C/G
D/F#
And you say for
And you say for
D
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
G
shine?
shine?
C
Let me take you
Let me take you
G
by the hand and
by the hand and
Am
lead you through the
lead you through the
Em
streets of London,
streets of London,
F
I'll show you
I'll show you
C
something
something
to
G7
make you change your
make you change your
C
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
C
G/B
Am
G/B
Verse 2
C
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
G
old girl
old girl
who
Am
walks the streets of
walks the streets of
Em
London?
London?
F
Dirt in her
Dirt in her
C
hair and her
hair and her
Dm
clothes in
clothes in
G
rags.
rags.
C
She's no time for
She's no time for
G
talking,
talking,
she
Am
just keeps right on
just keeps right on
Em
walking,
walking,
F
Carrying her
Carrying her
C
home in two
home in two
G7
carrier
carrier
C
bags.
bags.
Chorus 2
So
F
how can you
how can you
Em
tell me you're
tell me you're
C
lo
lo
G/B
ne
ne
Am
ly
ly
C/G
D/F#
And you say for
And you say for
D
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
G
shine?
shine?
C
Let me take you
Let me take you
G
by the hand and
by the hand and
Am
lead you through the
lead you through the
Em
streets of London,
streets of London,
F
I'll show you
I'll show you
C
something
something
to
G7
make you change your
make you change your
C
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
C
G/B
Am
Em/G
F
C
G7
C
Verse 3
C
In the all night
In the all night
G/B
cafe
cafe
at a
Am
quarter past e
quarter past e
Em/G
leven,
leven,
F
Same old
Same old
C
man sitting
man sitting
F
there on his
there on his
G
own.
own.
C
Looking at the
Looking at the
G
world over the
world over the
Am
rim of his
rim of his
Em
tea cup,
tea cup,
and
F
each tea lasts a
each tea lasts a
C
hour, and he
hour, and he
G7
wanders home a
wanders home a
C
lone.
lone.
Chorus 3
So
F
how can you
how can you
Em
tell me you're
tell me you're
C
lo
lo
G/B
ne
ne
Am
ly
ly
C/G
D/F#
And you say for
And you say for
D
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
G
shine?
shine?
C
Let me take you
Let me take you
G
by the hand and
by the hand and
Am
lead you through the
lead you through the
Em
streets of London,
streets of London,
F
I'll show you
I'll show you
C
something
something
to
G7
make you change your
make you change your
C
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
C
G/B
Am
G/B
Verse 4
C
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
G/B
old man
old man
out
Am
side the seamen's
side the seamen's
Em/G
mission?
mission?
F
Memory fading
Memory fading
C/E
with the medal
with the medal
F
ribbons he
ribbons he
G
wears.
wears.
And
C
in our winter
in our winter
G/B
city the rain
city the rain
Am
cries a little
cries a little
Em/G
pity,
pity,
For
F
one more forgotten
one more forgotten
C
hero
hero
in a
G7
world that doesn't
world that doesn't
C
care.
care.
Chorus 4
So
F
how can you
how can you
Em
tell me you're
tell me you're
C
lo
lo
G/B
ne
ne
Am
ly
ly
C/G
D/F#
And you say for
And you say for
D
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
G
shine?
shine?
C
Let me take you
Let me take you
G/B
by the hand and
by the hand and
Am
lead you through the
lead you through the
Em/G
streets of London,
streets of London,
F
I'll show you
I'll show you
C/E
something
something
to
G7
make you change your
make you change your
C
mind.
mind.