This song is by Vikki Thorn of The Waifs. She explains the story in an interview with Andrew Denton: "...my grandmother was a war bride, after the Second World War. She met Bob Cain, he was an American sailor. And they met in Perth, and after a very brief engagement, married and then he was sent away. She received a telegram at about midnight one night, saying pack your things, there’s a train, the US Navy is chartering a train to take war brides to Sydney, and from Sydney you can board a ship, and we’ll take you to America to be with your husbands, and I just wonder how those women must have felt as they were journeying across their country possibly for the last time you know to go and live in this, in this new place and you know with children, and you know I was…I get a bit emotional still when I sing that song."
You can play along in the original key with a capo on fret 1
Intro
G
Bm
C
Em
D
G
Bm
C
Em
D
G
GTelegram arrived today
Bm
It's
Bm time to catch the Monterey
C
Cause the
Cman I wed he waits for me
Em
D
And the
Emdaughter that he's
Dyet to see
G
GUS navy beamed its message
Bm
Will de
Bmliver brides on a one way passage
C
It
Cmade big news across the nation
Em
D
The
EmBridal Train leaves
Dfrom Perth station
C
D
CAll the girls a
Dround Australia
G
Em
GMarried to a
EmYankee sailor
C
The
Cfare is paid across the sea
Em
D
To the
Emhome of the brave and the
Dland of the free
C
D
CFrom west to east the
Dyoung girls came
G
Em
GAll aboard the
EmBridal Train
C
It was a
Cfarewell crossing over land
D
G
She's gone to meet her
Dsailor
Gman
G
GNo time for sad goodbyes
Bm
She
Bmheld her mother as she cried
C
And
Cthen waited there in the Freo rain
Em
D
To
Emclimb aboard the
DBridal Train
G
Well she was
Gholding her future in her hands
Bm
A
Bmfaded photo of a man
C
CCatch a sailor if you can
Em
D
The
Emwar bride leaves her
Dsouthern land
C
D
CAll the girls a
Dround Australia
G
Em
GMarried to a
EmYankee sailor
C
The
Cfare is paid across the sea
Em
D
To the
Emhome of the brave and the
Dland of the free
C
D
CFrom west to east the
Dyoung girls came
G
Em
Gall aboard the
EmBridal Train
C
It was a
Cfarewell crossing over land
D
G
She's gone to meet her
Dsailor
Gman
Instrumental, verse pattern
G
GThis is the story of those starry nights
Bm
Through
Bmdesert plains and city lights
C
Through
Cburning sun and driving rain
Em
D
She
Emwept aboard the
DBridal Train
C
D
CAll the girls a
Dround Australia
G
Em
GMarried to a
EmYankee sailor
C
The
Cfare is paid across the sea
Em
D
To the
Emhome of the brave and the
Dland of the free
C
D
CFrom west to east the
Dyoung girls came
G
Em
GAll aboard the
EmBridal Train
C
It was a
Cfarewell crossing over land
D
G
She's gone to meet her
Dsailor
Gman
Lyrics are the property and copyright of their owners, and are provided here for educational purposes only.
The Waifs