Portland Town

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I see the light across the bay,
I see the light not far away;
And I hear the music all around,
I'm gettin closer to Portland Town.
So, Mother, won't you make my bed,
I see the light off Portland Head;
I see the light, I'm comin' 'round,
I'm comin' home to Portland Town.

Some years ago, out on my own,
I set a course for parts unknown;
Leaving behind both friend and foe,
Needing to find what I've come to know.
I watch the islands fade away,
And bid farewell to Passport Bay;
Oh, it's been years and years since then,
My heart has brought me home again.

I see the light across the bay,
And I see the light not far away;
And I hear the music all around,
I'm gettin closer to Portland Town.
So, Mother, won't you make my bed,
I see the light off Portland Head;
I see the light, I'm comin' 'round,
I'm comin' home to Portland Town.

Of all the places I did go,
She's still the fairest port I know;
She works the sea and tills the farms,
And holds her children in her arms.
No place to go without her past,
Here comes that future full at last;
Here comes that beacon across the sky,
And when I hold my head up high....

~ Instrumental ~

No place to go without her past,
Here comes that future full at last;
Here comes that beacon across the sky,
And when I hold my head up high....

####.... Steve Romanoff of Schooner Fare (We The People, 1985; Our First Ten Years, 1986; Classic Schooner Fare, 1989; Our Maine Songs, 1999) ....####

See more songs by Schooner Fare.

Also recorded by The Masterless Men (Ode To Age, Landwash Distribution Company, Ltd., St. John's, NL, 1993).

See more songs by The Masterless Men.

A variant was recorded by The Landsmen (Woods And Water, 2006).

See more songs by The Landsmen.

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Notes On Guitar Tabs:
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All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.

Set I (As Arranged by Schooner Fare)

(Capo 6th Fret)

Chorus 1:
(a-capella 1st line, strum chords once starting on the second line)
I see the (G) light, across the (D) bay,
(chords above shown for tonal guide only)
I see the [G] light, not far a- [C] way; (strum each chord once)
And I hear [G] music all a- [D] round, (strum each chord once)
I'm gettin' [C] close to Portland [D] Town. (strum each chord once)
So, Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed, (start strumming on G here)
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D/F#] 'round, [Em]
I'm comin' [C] home [D] to Portland [G] Town.

Some years a- [G] go, [C] out on my [G] own,
I set a [C] course, [D] for parts un- [G] known;
Leavin' be- [C] hind, [D] both friend and [G] foe, [G/F#] [Em]
Needin' to [C] find what I've come to [D] know. [C] [D]
As I watched the [G] i- [C] slands fade [G] away,
And bid fare- [C] well to Casco Bay;
Though it's been [G] years and years since [D/F#] then, [Em]
My heart has [C] brought me home a- [D] gain. [C] [D]

Chorus 2:
And I see the [G] light, across the [D] bay,
I see the [G] light not far a- [C] way;
And I hear [G] music all a- [D/F#] round, [Em]
I'm gettin' [C] close to Portland [D] Town. [C] [D]
So, Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed,
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D/F#] 'round, [Em]
I'm comin' [C] home [D] to Portland [G] Town.

Of all the [G] pla- [C] ces I could [G] go,
She's still the [C] fair- [D] est port I [G] know;
She works the [C] sea [D] and tills the [G] farms, [G/F#] [Em]
And holds her [C] children in her [D] arms. [C] [D]
No place could [G] know [C] a prouder [G] past,
Here comes the [C] future full at last;
Here comes that [G] beacon 'cross the [D/F#] sky, [Em]
And when I [C] hold-old-old my head up [D] high...

Chorus 3:
I see the [G] light across the [D] bay, (strum each chord once)
I see the [G] light not far a- [C] way; (strum each chord once)
And I hear [G] music all a- [D/F#] round, [Em] (start strumming on G here)
I'm gettin' [C] close to Portland [D] Town. [C] [D]
So, Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed,
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D/F#] 'round, [Em]
I'm comin' [C] home, [D] to Portland [G] Town.

(key change)
Chorus 4:
I see the [A] light across the [E] bay,
I see the [A] light not far a- [D] way;
And I hear [A] music all a- [E] round, [F#m]
I'm gettin' [D] close to Portland [E] Town. [D] [E]
So, Mother, [A] won't you make my [E] bed,
I see the [A] light of Portland [D] Head;
I see the [A] light, I'm comin' [E] 'round, [F#m]
I'm comin' [D] home [E] to Portland [A] Town.
I'm comin' [D] home [E] !!! To Portland [A] Town.

~ Chords contributed by Bob Dumais ~

Set II (As arranged by The Masterless Men)

Chorus:
I see the [G] light across the [D] bay,
I see the [G] light not far a- [C] way;
And I hear [G] music all a- [D] round,
I'm getting [C] close to Portland [D7] Town.
So, Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed,
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D] 'round,
(quick change) D/G
I'm coming [C] home to Port- [D] land [G] Town.

Some years a- [G] go out on my own,
I set a [C] course for parts unknown;
Leaving be- [G] hind both friends and [D] foe,
Leaving be- [C] hind what I'd come to [D7] know.
I watched the [G] island fade away,
And bid fare- [C] well to Tasco Bay;
Oh, it's been [G] years and years since [D] then,
(quick change) D/G
My heart has [C] brought me [D] home a- [G] gain.

Chorus:
I see the [G] light across the [D] bay,
I see the [G] light not far a- [C] way;
And I hear [G] music all a- [D] round,
I'm getting [C] close to Portland [D7] Town.
So Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed,
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D] 'round,
(quick change) D/G
I'm coming [C] home to Port- [D] land [G] Town.

Of all the [G] places I did go,
She's still the [C] fairest place I know;
She works the [G] sea and tills the [D] farms,
And holds her [C] children in her [D7] arms.
No place to [G] go a prouder past,
Here comes that [C] future full at last;
Here comes that [G] beacon across the [D] sky,
And I [C] hold my head way up [D] high....
(hesitate strum)

Chorus:
I see the [G] light across the [D] bay,
I see the [G] light not far a- [C] way;
And I hear [G] music all [D] around,
I'm getting [C] close to Portland [D7] Town.
So, Mother, [G] won't you make my [D] bed,
I see the [G] light of Portland [C] Head;
I see the [G] light, I'm comin' [D] 'round,
(quick change) D/G
I'm coming [C] home to Port- [D] land [G] Town.

~ Chords contributed by Pam Barry ~