G C G   D7  G
G    D G D
D7   G   D   G   D   C  G
G      D7  G    D G C
C    G Am7 G
G    D7   D  G   D7   G   D

[Verse 1]
    G
You see them in old Havana
                         D7
Playing cards, smoking cigars
D7
And they're polishing chromium fenders
                              G
On their big old Yankee cars

[Verse 2]
G
Manuel sits in La Casa de Rosa
                              C
Drinking rum and watching the girls
                               G
He whistles at the beautiful Maria
        D7                    G      D7  G  D
And she smiles and tosses her curls

[Verse 3]
        G
Now the bartender strums his guitar
                                D7
And the rhythm plays out in the street
D7
Maria moves with a passion
                         G
As her body sways in the heat

[Verse 4]
G
And the old guys, smiling with pleasure
                                       C
For a moment they're young and they're strong
                                    G
And the young girls are giving them flowers
        D7                 G
As they sing their victory song

[Chorus]
C
Once we were bold compañeros
                              G
Running guns from the Florida Keys
       D7
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
                                G
We were fighting with Fidel and Ché

[Instrumental]
D
G

[Verse 5]
G
He talks of the great revolution
                        D7
In words of sadness and pride
D7
And the medals he wears are the scars that he bears
                                  G
And he drinks for the friends who died

[Verse 6]
G
We were farmers, we were poets and we were hungry
                                   C
All we wanted was our own piece of land
                                   G
We were fighting for our wives and children
    D7                G
And freedom for every man

[Chorus]
C
Once we were bold compañeros
                              G
Running guns from the Florida Keys
       D7
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
                                G
We were fighting with Fidel and Ché

[Instrumental]
D
G

[Verse 7]
G
Now the Yankees come for the fishing
                                  D7
And their pockets are loaded with green
D7
Ten dollars will buy you a woman
                 G
Or a tank of gasoline

[Verse 8]
        G
And the young kids are leaving the island
                                 C
And the old guys have nothing to say
                    G
Manuel is living on dreams of the past
      D7                    G
And tonight he'll drink it away

[Chorus]
C
Once we were bold compañeros
                              G
Running guns from the Florida Keys
       D7
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
                                G
We were fighting with Fidel and Ché
       D
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
                                G
We were fighting with Fidel and Ché