Words and music by Richard Homer
4/4, 125 bpm
CGFC
I’m / watching the / bird in the / tree
CGFC
maybe / he’s / trying to talk to / me
FCGC
maybe, like / me, he’s / cold to the / bone
FCGC
maybe, like / me too, / he’s on his / own
GCFCG, G C
that’s / why he / comes / to / me to / play
C F G C
I’m / watching the / bird in the / tree,
F G C high G C high
in the front of my / house; I’m / going / far // away,
G F G C high
I think of the Cwmbran / train, the / wasp stinging / me
FGFGC high
the bird nest, / corrugated / iron that / cut my / knee
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away GCFCG, G C
Now at nearly / ten, the / evening kicks in / tight,
in the front of my / house; I’m / going / far // away,
G F G C high
I think of the Johor / train, the whirring / insects in the / night,
FGFGC high
the aroma of the / frangipani, the / kampung / nyamuk / bite
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away GCFCG, G C
I’m / watching the / bird, / flying out / there,
in the front of my / house; I’m / going / far // away,
G F G C high
I think of the / pineapple / Meru coffee / air,
FGFGC high
the car on a / dirt track, the / oil lamp / night-time / care
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away GCFCG, G C
I wash the / plates by the / sink, alone / here,
in my house, in the / cold air; I’m / going / far / away
G F G C high
I think of rugby / weather, the / winger in top / gear
FGFGC high
the warmth of the / Wye pub, a / glass of / kicking / beer
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away FCGC
GCFCG, G C
CGC
The young man in the ageing photograph / oh, that is / me,
FCGC
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
CGC
I think of Mart, Pete, Willy in a / Whitby // memory
FCGC
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
CGC
with Patricia, Derek, in a / long-gone // geography
FCGC
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away FCGC
CFGC
I try to / think of you , to / think of you // tonight
FGCGC
in the now empty / house, but / you went / far / away
GFGC high
on a Gwent Christmas / when / I held you / tight;
FGFGC high
but you flew / away like the / soaring / Powys / kite
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away FCGC
C high G C high
the problem is the pictures of you / won’t go / away
FCGC
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
C high G C high
of a warm summer evening in a / half-forgotten / May
C high G C high
of bouncing baby yachts on a / glinting Swansea / bay
FCGC
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away FCGC
FCGC
long, long ago, and far, far away FCGC
CGFC
I’m / watching the / bird in the / tree
CGFC
maybe / he’s / trying to talk to / me
FCGC
maybe, like / me, he’s / cold to the / bone
FCGC
maybe, like / me too, / he’s on his / own
GCFCG, G C
that’s / why he / comes / to / me to / play
FCGC
unaware that / he is / bringing back to / me
FCGC
a quiet, / meandering, / autumn // geography
FCGC
of the time long / ago when / you were here with / me
GCFCGGC
that’s / why I’m / watching the / bird in the / tree FCGC
