CAPO: 4th Fret
INTRO: C G C G C
Of all of Kiri Ito's joys,[Cadd9] [Am] the thing she loved the [F]best
C ~ Am D7 F C
Was to play her prized piano when the sun had gone to rest
I used to hear the notes drift down[Cadd9] [Am] along the silent [F]water[C]
~ Am D7 F C
As Kiri played the notes and scales for her dear sons and daughters
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
Now me, I played piano, though not as good as Kiri
~ Am D7 F C
She went in for that long haired stuff, but my she played it pretty
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
The old piano had a tone, would set my heart to aching
~ Am D7 F
It always sounded sweetest, though, when it was Kiri playing
INTERLUDE: G C F G
C ~ C Am F C
In December when the seventh fleet was turned to smoke and ashes
~ Am D7 F C
The order came to confiscate their fishing boats and caches
~ C Am F C
And Kiri's husband forced to go and work in labour camps
~ Am D7 F
And Kiri left alone to fend and hold the fort as best she can
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F C
But the music did not drift as often, up the cove at Kiri's house
~ Am D7 F
And when it did it sounded haunted, played with worry, played with doubt
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
For Kiri knew that soon she too would be compelled to leave
C ~ Am D7 F
And the old upright would stay behind and Kiri she would grieve
INTERLUDE: F G C F G
C ~ C Am F C
I loaded Kiri on the bus with stoic internees
~ Am D7 F C
The crime that they were guilty of was that they were not like me
~ C Am F
And if I was ashamed, I didn't know it at the time
C ~ Am D7 F C
They were flotsam on the wave of war, they were no friends of mine
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
And I went up to Kiri's house to tag all their belongings
~ Am D7 F C
And set them out for auctioneers who'd claim them in the morning
~ C Cadd9 Am F
One piece that I thought I'd keep and hold back for myself
C ~ Am D7 F G C F G C
Was that haunting ivory upright that Kiri played so well
INTERLUDE: G C F G C
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
Kiri had not left it there for me to take as plunder
~ Am D7 F C
She'd rolled it down onto the dock and on into the harbour
~ C Am F C
That old upright in strangers' hands was a thought she couldn't bear
~ Am D7 F
So she consigned it to the sea to settle the affair
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F C
So many years have come and gone since Kiri's relocation
~ Am D7 F
I look back now upon that time with shame and resignation
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
For Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be free
C ~ Am D7 F C
Then sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignity
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
Yes, Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be free
C ~ Am D7 F
Then sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignity
INTRO: C G C G C
Of all of Kiri Ito's joys,[Cadd9] [Am] the thing she loved the [F]best
C ~ Am D7 F C
Was to play her prized piano when the sun had gone to rest
I used to hear the notes drift down[Cadd9] [Am] along the silent [F]water[C]
~ Am D7 F C
As Kiri played the notes and scales for her dear sons and daughters
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
Now me, I played piano, though not as good as Kiri
~ Am D7 F C
She went in for that long haired stuff, but my she played it pretty
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
The old piano had a tone, would set my heart to aching
~ Am D7 F
It always sounded sweetest, though, when it was Kiri playing
INTERLUDE: G C F G
C ~ C Am F C
In December when the seventh fleet was turned to smoke and ashes
~ Am D7 F C
The order came to confiscate their fishing boats and caches
~ C Am F C
And Kiri's husband forced to go and work in labour camps
~ Am D7 F
And Kiri left alone to fend and hold the fort as best she can
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F C
But the music did not drift as often, up the cove at Kiri's house
~ Am D7 F
And when it did it sounded haunted, played with worry, played with doubt
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
For Kiri knew that soon she too would be compelled to leave
C ~ Am D7 F
And the old upright would stay behind and Kiri she would grieve
INTERLUDE: F G C F G
C ~ C Am F C
I loaded Kiri on the bus with stoic internees
~ Am D7 F C
The crime that they were guilty of was that they were not like me
~ C Am F
And if I was ashamed, I didn't know it at the time
C ~ Am D7 F C
They were flotsam on the wave of war, they were no friends of mine
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
And I went up to Kiri's house to tag all their belongings
~ Am D7 F C
And set them out for auctioneers who'd claim them in the morning
~ C Cadd9 Am F
One piece that I thought I'd keep and hold back for myself
C ~ Am D7 F G C F G C
Was that haunting ivory upright that Kiri played so well
INTERLUDE: G C F G C
~ C Cadd9 Am F C
Kiri had not left it there for me to take as plunder
~ Am D7 F C
She'd rolled it down onto the dock and on into the harbour
~ C Am F C
That old upright in strangers' hands was a thought she couldn't bear
~ Am D7 F
So she consigned it to the sea to settle the affair
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F C
So many years have come and gone since Kiri's relocation
~ Am D7 F
I look back now upon that time with shame and resignation
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
For Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be free
C ~ Am D7 F C
Then sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignity
C ~ C Cadd9 Am F
Yes, Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be free
C ~ Am D7 F
Then sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignity
