Abdul The Bulbul Amir chords

[VERSE 1]
The [G7]sons of the prophet were [C]brave men and bold
And [F]quite unaccustomed to [C]fear,
But the [G7]bravest by far in the ranks of the [C]Shah
Was [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir.

[VERSE 2]
When they [G7]needed a man to en[C]courage the van,
Or to [F]harass a foe from the [C]rear,
Storm [G7]fort or redoubt, they had only to [C]shout
For [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir.

[VERSE 3]
This [G7]son of the desert in b[C]attle aroused,
Could s[F]plit twenty men on his [C]spear.
A t[G7]errible creature, sober or [C]soused,
Was [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir.

[VERSE 4]
Now the [G7]heroes were plenty and [C]well known to fame
Who [F]fought in the ranks of the [C]Czar;
But the [G7]bravest of these was a man by the [C]name
Of [G7]Ivan Skavinsky [C]Skivar.

[VERSE 5]
He could [G7]imitate Irving, play [C]poker and pool,
And [F]strum on the Spanish gui[C]tar;
In [G7]fact, quite the cream of the Muscovite [C]team
Was [G7]Ivan Skavinsky S[C]kivar.

[VERSE 6]
The [G7]ladies all loved him, his [C]rivals were few;
He could [F]drink them all under the [C]bar.
As g[G7]allant or tank, there was no one to [C]rank
With [G7]Ivan Skavinsky Ski[C]var.

[VERSE 7]
One [G7]day this bold Russian had [C]shouldered his gun,
And [F]donned his most truculent [C]sneer;
Down[G7]town he did go, where he trod on the[C] toe
Of [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir.

[VERSE 8]
"Young [G7]man," said Bulbul, "has your [C]life grown so dull
That you're [F]anxious to end your ca[C]reer ?
Vile in[G7]fidel, know you have trod on the [C]toe
Of [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir."

[VERSE 9]
"So [G7]take your last look at s[C]unshine and brook,
And [F]send your regrets to the [C]Czar,
By [G7]which I imply, you are going to [C]die,
Mr. [G7]Ivan Skavinsky S[C]kivar."

[VERSE 10]
Said [G7]Ivan, "My friend, your [C]remarks in the end
Will ava[F]il you but little, I f[C]ear;
For you [G7]ne'er will survive to repeat them [C]alive,
Mr. [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir."

[VERSE 11]
Then [G7]that bold Mameluke drew his [C]trusty skibouk,
With a c[F]ry of "Allah Akb[C]ar."
And with [G7]murderous intent, he ferociously w[C]ent
For [G7]Ivan Skavinsky Ski[C]var.

[VERSE 12]
They [G7]parried and thrust, they sidestepped and [C]cussed,
Of b[F]lood they spilled a great [C]part;
The [G7]philologist blokes, who seldom crack [C]jokes,
Say that [G7]hash was first mad[C]e on that spot.

[VERSE 13]
They f[G7]ought all that night, 'neath the [C]pale yellow moon
The [F]din, it was heard from a[C]far,
And [G7]huge multitudes came, so great was the [C]fame,
Of [G7]Abdul and Ivan Sk[C]ivar.

[VERSE 14]
As A[G7]bdul's long knife was e[C]xtracting the life,
In f[F]act he had shouted "Hu[C]zzah"
He felt [G7]himself struck by that wily Cal[C]muck
Count [G7]Ivan Skavinsky Ski[C]var.

[VERSE 15]
The [G7]sultan drove by in his r[C]ed-breasted fly,
Ex[F]pecting the victor to c[C]heer,
But he o[G7]nly drew nigh just to hear the last s[C]igh
Of [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir.

[VERSE 16]
Czar [G7]Petrovich, too, in his s[C]pectacles blue,
Rode [F]up in his new crested [C]car;
He [G7]arrived just in time to exchange a last [C]line
With I[G7]van Skavinsky Ski[C]var.

[VERSE 17]
There's a [G7]tomb rises up where the [C]Blue Danube rolls,
And '[F]graved there in characters [C]clear
Are, "St[G7]ranger, when passing, oh pray for the [C]soul
Of [G7]Abdul, the Bulbul [C]Amir."

[VERSE 18]
A [G7]Muscovite maiden her lone vigil [C]keeps
'Neath the [F]light of the pale polar [C]star,
And the [G7]name that she murmurs so oft as she w[C]eeps,
Is [G7]Ivan Skavinsky Ski[C]var.