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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
E
B/D#
C#m
G#m
A
B/E
B7
E
Verse 1
E
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
B
old man
old man
in the
C#m
closed down
closed down
G#m
market,
market,
A
Kicking out the
Kicking out the
E
papers
papers
with his
F#m
worn out
worn out
B7
shoes?
shoes?
E
In his eyes you
In his eyes you
B
see no pride.
see no pride.
C#m
Hand held loosely
Hand held loosely
G#m
at his side,
at his side,
A
Yesterday's
Yesterday's
E
paper
paper
telling
B7
yesterday's
yesterday's
E
news.
news.
Chorus 1
So
A
how can you
how can you
G#m
tell me you're
tell me you're
E
lo
lo
B/D#
ne
ne
C#m
ly
ly
E/B
F#/A#
And you say for
And you say for
F#
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
B
shine?
shine?
E
Let me take you
Let me take you
B
by the hand and
by the hand and
C#m
lead you through the
lead you through the
G#m
streets of London,
streets of London,
A
I'll show you
I'll show you
E
something
something
to
B7
make you change your
make you change your
E
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
E
B/D#
C#m
B/D#
Verse 2
E
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
B
old girl
old girl
who
C#m
walks the streets of
walks the streets of
G#m
London?
London?
A
Dirt in her
Dirt in her
E
hair and her
hair and her
F#m
clothes in
clothes in
B
rags.
rags.
E
She's no time for
She's no time for
B
talking,
talking,
she
C#m
just keeps right on
just keeps right on
G#m
walking,
walking,
A
Carrying her
Carrying her
E
home in two
home in two
B7
carrier
carrier
E
bags.
bags.
Chorus 2
So
A
how can you
how can you
G#m
tell me you're
tell me you're
E
lo
lo
B/D#
ne
ne
C#m
ly
ly
E/B
F#/A#
And you say for
And you say for
F#
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
B
shine?
shine?
E
Let me take you
Let me take you
B
by the hand and
by the hand and
C#m
lead you through the
lead you through the
G#m
streets of London,
streets of London,
A
I'll show you
I'll show you
E
something
something
to
B7
make you change your
make you change your
E
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
E
B/D#
C#m
G#m/B
A
E
B7
E
Verse 3
E
In the all night
In the all night
B/D#
cafe
cafe
at a
C#m
quarter past e
quarter past e
G#m/B
leven,
leven,
A
Same old
Same old
E
man sitting
man sitting
A
there on his
there on his
B
own.
own.
E
Looking at the
Looking at the
B
world over the
world over the
C#m
rim of his
rim of his
G#m
tea cup,
tea cup,
and
A
each tea lasts a
each tea lasts a
E
hour, and he
hour, and he
B7
wanders home a
wanders home a
E
lone.
lone.
Chorus 3
So
A
how can you
how can you
G#m
tell me you're
tell me you're
E
lo
lo
B/D#
ne
ne
C#m
ly
ly
E/B
F#/A#
And you say for
And you say for
F#
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
B
shine?
shine?
E
Let me take you
Let me take you
B
by the hand and
by the hand and
C#m
lead you through the
lead you through the
G#m
streets of London,
streets of London,
A
I'll show you
I'll show you
E
something
something
to
B7
make you change your
make you change your
E
mind.
mind.
Instrumental
E
B/D#
C#m
B/D#
Verse 4
E
Have you seen the
Have you seen the
B/D#
old man
old man
out
C#m
side the seamen's
side the seamen's
G#m/B
mission?
mission?
A
Memory fading
Memory fading
E/G#
with the medal
with the medal
A
ribbons he
ribbons he
B
wears.
wears.
And
E
in our winter
in our winter
B/D#
city the rain
city the rain
C#m
cries a little
cries a little
G#m/B
pity,
pity,
For
A
one more forgotten
one more forgotten
E
hero
hero
in a
B7
world that doesn't
world that doesn't
E
care.
care.
Chorus 4
So
A
how can you
how can you
G#m
tell me you're
tell me you're
E
lo
lo
B/D#
ne
ne
C#m
ly
ly
E/B
F#/A#
And you say for
And you say for
F#
you that the sun don't
you that the sun don't
B
shine?
shine?
E
Let me take you
Let me take you
B/D#
by the hand and
by the hand and
C#m
lead you through the
lead you through the
G#m/B
streets of London,
streets of London,
A
I'll show you
I'll show you
E/G#
something
something
to
B7
make you change your
make you change your
E
mind.
mind.