The Charge of the Light Brigade [TENNYSON poem set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 2014-01-11

Here is one of Tennyson's best-known poems, published in 1870, which I have set to music.

You can hear a backing-only mix here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxfbNSxlnnL9MlZFb3hscHBnTW8/view?usp=sharing

The video shows The Solent in Hampshire.

The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
________________________________________

Intro Am C Dm F

Am C
Half a league, half a league,
Dm F
  Half a league onward,
Am C
All in the valley of Death
Dm F
  Rode the six hundred.
Am C
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
Dm F
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Am C Dm F
Into the valley of Death
Am C Dm F
  Rode the six hundred.
2.

Am D 
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
C G
Was there a man dismay'd?
Am D
Not tho' the soldier knew
G F
  Someone had blunder'd:
Am D
Theirs not to make reply,
C G
Theirs not to reason why,
Am D G F
Theirs but to do and die:
Am C Dm F
Into the valley of Death
Am C Dm F
  Rode the six hundred.
3.

Am C
Cannon to right of them,
Dm F
Cannon to left of them,
Am C
Cannon in front of them
 Dm F
 Volley'd and thunder'd;
Am C
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Dm F
Boldly they rode and well,
Am C Dm F
Into the jaws of Death,
Am C Dm F
Into the mouth of Hell
 Am C Dm F
 Rode the six hundred.
4.
Am D
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
C G
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Am D G F
Sabring the gunners there,
Am D
Charging an army, while
C G
  All the world wonder'd:
Am D
Plunged in the battery-smoke
G F
Right thro' the line they broke;
Am D
Cossack and Russian
C G
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Am D Am D 
 Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Am C Dm F
Then they rode back, but not
Am C Dm F
  Not the six hundred.
5.
Am D
Cannon to right of them,
Am D
Cannon to left of them,
Am C
Cannon behind them
G F
  Volley'd and thunder'd;
Am D
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Am D
While horse and hero fell,
Am C G F
They that had fought so well
Am C Dm F
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Am C Dm F
Back from the mouth of Hell,
Am C Dm F
All that was left of them,
Am C Dm F
  Left of six hundred.
6.
Am D
When can their glory fade?
C G
O the wild charge they made!
Am D G F
  All the world wondered.
Am D
Honor the charge they made,
Am D
Honor the Light Brigade,
Am C Dm F Am C Dm F
  Noble six hundred.