ON THE BORDER
Al Stewart



F#m
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
D
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
Bm
The winds whip up the waves so loud
    A                 G
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
    F#m              E           F#m
And turns the rifles into silver on the border

F#m
On my wall the colours of the maps are running
D
From Africa the winds they talk of changes coming
Bm
The torches flair up in the night
    A                  G
The hand that sets the farms alight
    F#m                E                    F#m
Has spread the word to those who're waiting on the border

A
In the village where I grew up
Em
Nothing seems the same
              D                                A
But still you never see the change from day to day
           D                        C#
And no one notices the customs slip away

C# B A G#m F#m E F#m

F#m
Late last night the rain was knocking on my window
D
I moved across the darkened room and in the lampglow
Bm
I thought I saw down in the street
    A             G
The spirit of the century
F#m             E                  F#m
Telling us that we're all standing on the border

A
In the islands where I grew up 
Em
Nothing seems the same
              D                             A
It's just the patterns that remain an empty shell
              D                                   C#
But there's a strangeness in the air you feel too well

C# B A G#m F#m E F#m

(repeat 1st verse)