Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears - Whistling Doneys
[Verse 1]
C G Am
On the first day of January, eighteen ninety-two,
F Dm F G
they opened Ellis Island and they let the people through.
C G Am
And the first to cross the threshold, of that isle of hope and tears,
F Dm F G G7
was Annie Moore from Ireland, who was all of fifteen years.
[Chorus]
F G C Am
Isle of hope, isle of tears, isle of freedom, isle of fears,
F G
but it's not the isle you leave be--hind
F G C Am
That isle of hunger, isle of pain, isle you'll never see a--gain,
F G F C
but the isle of home is always on your mind.
[Verse 2]
C G Am
In a little bag she carried, all her past and history,
F Dm F G
and her dreams for the future, in the land of liber--ty.
C G Am
And courage is the passport, when your old world disappears,
F Dm F G G7
but there's no future in the past, when you're fifteen years.
[Chorus]
F G C Am
Isle of hope, isle of tears, isle of freedom, isle of fears,
F G
but it's not the isle you leave be--hind
F G C Am
That isle of hunger, isle of pain, isle you'll never see a--gain,
F G F C
but the isle of home is always on your mind.
[Instrumental]
C G Am
F Dm F G
C G Am
F Dm F G G7
[Verse 3]
C G Am
When they closed down Ellis Island, in 1943,
F Dm F G
sev--enteen million people had come there for sanct--uary.
C G Am
And in the springtime when I came here, and I stepped onto its piers,
F Dm F G G7
I thought of how it must have been, when you're fifteen years.
[Chorus]
F G C Am
Isle of hope, isle of tears, isle of freedom, isle of fears,
F G
but it's not the isle you leave be--hind
F G C Am
That isle of hunger, isle of pain, isle you'll never see a--gain,
F G F C
but the isle of home is always on your mind.
Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears [C]Whistling Doneys
Verse 1 On the Cfirst day of GJanuary,Am eighteen ninety-two, they Fopened Ellis DmIsland and they Flet the people Gthrough. And the Cfirst to cross the Gthreshold, of that Amisle of hope and tears, was FAnnie Moore from DmIreland, who was Fall of fifteen Gyears.G7
Chorus Isle of Fhope, isle of Gtears, isle of Cfreedom, isle of Amfears, but it's Fnot the isle you leave be-G-hind That isle of Fhunger, isle of Gpain, isle you'll Cnever see a-Am-gain, but the Fisle of home is Galways on your Fmind.C
Verse 2 In a Clittle bag she Gcarried, all her Ampast and history, and her Fdreams for the Dmfuture, in the Fland of liber-G-ty. And Ccourage is the Gpassport, when your Amold world disappears, but there'sF no future Dmin the past, Fwhen you're fifteen Gyears.G7
Chorus Isle of Fhope, isle of Gtears, isle of Cfreedom, isle of Amfears, but it's Fnot the isle you leave be-G-hind That isle of Fhunger, isle of Gpain, isle you'll Cnever see a-Am-gain, but the Fisle of home is Galways on your Fmind.C Instrumental CGAm FDmFG CGAm FDmFGG7
Verse 3 When they Cclosed down Ellis GIsland, in Am1943, sev-F-enteen million Dmpeople had come Fthere for sanct-G-uary. And Cin the springtime Gwhen I came here, and I Amstepped onto its piers, I Fthought of how it Dmmust have been, Fwhen you're fifteen GyearsG7.
Chorus Isle of Fhope, isle of Gtears, isle of Cfreedom, isle of Amfears, but it's Fnot the isle you leave be-G-hind That isle of Fhunger, isle of Gpain, isle you'll Cnever see a-Am-gain, but the Fisle of home is Galways on your Fmind.C