The song is fingerpicked, but doesn't sound too bad played with just chords - especially
like me, you're rubbish at fingerpicking!
My crane wife arrived at my door in the moonlight
All star-bright and tongue tied I took her in
We were married and bells rang sweet for our wedding
And our bedding was ready when we fell in
Chorus:
Sound the keening bell and see it's painted red
Soft as fontanel, the feathers in the thread
When all I ever meant to do was to keep you
My crane wife, my crane wife, my crane wife
We were poorly, our fortunes fading hourly
And how she vowed me she could bring it back
But I was greedy I was vain and I forced her to weaving
On cold loom in closed room with down wove
Sound the keening bell and see it's painted red
Soft as fontanel, the feathers in the thread
When all I ever meant to do was to keep you
My crane wife, my crane wife, my crane wife
There's a bend in the wind and it rakes at my heart
There is blood in the thread and it rakes at my heart
Rakes at my heart, heart, heart, heart
(x2)
Heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart
My crane wife
Taken from the fantastic album The Crane Wife.
Lyrics by Colin Meloy.