Queen - '39: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "'39" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

        D#                    Fm
In the year of '39 assembled here the volunteers
        C#            G#         D#
In the days when the lands were few
           Fm                       C#
Here the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn
     D#sus4   D#         G#
The sweetest sight ever seen.
         D#                           Edim
And the night followed day, and the story tellers say
          Fm                 A#m
That the score brave souls inside
     G#                         D#
For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas
 C#           Fm    C#    D#      C#     G#  D#
Ne'er looked back, never feared, never cried

Chorus:
           G#                         C#          G#
Don't you hear my call though you're many years away
           G#              D#
Don't you hear me calling you
            G#     B7      Fm
Write your letters in the sand
 G#      C#    G#        A#m
For the day I take your hand
        G#        D#                 G#
In the land that our grandchildren knew

In the year of '39 came a ship in from the blue
The volunteers came home that day
And they bring good news of a world so newly born
Though their hearts so heavily weigh
For the earth is old and grey, little darling, we'll away
But my love this cannot be
For so many years have gone though I'm older but a year
Your mother's eyes from your eyes - cry to me

Chorus

Don't you hear my call though you're many years away
Don't you hear me calling you
All your letters in the sand
Can not heal me like your your hand
For my life, still ahead, pity me


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#m

Guitar chord A#m

C#

Guitar chord C#

D#

Guitar chord D#

D#sus4

Guitar chord D#sus4

Edim

Guitar chord Edim

Fm

Guitar chord Fm

G#

Guitar chord G#

B7

Guitar chord B7

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "'39" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "'39" by Queen.

Queen Song List