-- comp. K. Kristofferson, 1971 ("transcr./arr." tcg)
--4/4 // Keys of G, A // Moderately
--rhythm guitar: alternate bass (see Intro; ^ = downstrum; v = "upstrum")
INTRO: G ^ v G6 ^ v
||-----3--3---------3--3----||
||-----0--0---------0--0----||
||o----0--0---------0--0---o||
||o----0--0---0h2---2--0---o||
||--------------------------||
||--3-----------------------||
INTRO Recitation (over riff above):
"I started out writin' this song about . . . [insert own music gods!]"
[Notes: * each chord name below = one entire "bum-chicky-bum-chicky";
* (...sus4) = add sus4 to 2nd half of measure)
* letters in < > are bass notes than can optionally be
incorporated into guitar accompaniment]
VERSE 1: [add sus4 to 2nd half of G measures at will]
G G G G
See him wasted on the sidewalk in his jacket and his jeans,
C C G G
Wearin' yesterday's misfortunes like a smile--
C C G Em
Once he had a future full of money, love, and dreams,
A7 A7 D (...sus4) D
Which he spent like they was goin' outa style--
G G G G
And he keeps right on a'changin' for the better or the worse,
C D G G
Searchin' for a shrine he's never found--
C C G G
Never knowin' if believin' is a blessin' or a curse,
C D G G
Or if the goin' up was worth the comin' down--
CHORUS:
C C
He's a poet, he's a picker--
G G
He's a prophet, he's a pusher--
D D D G
He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned--
C C G G
He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
D D D G G
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
[modulate whole-step up:] A (...sus4) A (...sus4)
VERSE 2: [add sus4 to 2nd half of A measures at will]
A A A A
He has tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bars,
D D A A
And he's traded in tomorrow for today--
D D A F#m
Runnin' from his devils, Lord, and reachin' for the stars,
B7 B7 E E
And losin' all he's loved along the way--
A A A A
But if this world keeps right on turnin' for the better or the worse,
D E A A
And all he ever gets is older and around--
D D A A
From the rockin' of the cradle to the rollin' of the hearse,
D(or Bm) E A A
The goin' up was worth the comin' down--
CHORUS
D D
He's a poet, he's a picker--
A A
He's a prophet, he's a pusher--
E E E A
He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned--
D D A A
He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
E E E A A / g# f#
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
E E E [A:coda riff]
There's a lotta wrong directions on that lonely way back home.
CODA Riff: AM6
1 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 2 3 [hold]
|----------------------------------|---------------------/2-----------||
|----------------------------------|---------------------/2-----------||
|----------------------------------|-----2---------------/2-----------||
|-------------------2---4---2------|---------------------/2-----------||
|--0----2---3---4------------------|-------------0========0-----------||
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------||
home.
*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*
| Thomas C. Gannon | tgannon@charlie.usd.edu | U of SoDak (Vermillion) |
* ------------------------------- _-^-_ ------------------------------- *
| "--If I decide to practice a / o )=\ slight movement from right |
* to left . . . or from left { /===} to right . . . it's *
| nobody's business but my \ (=o=/ own." (_A_Day_for_Eeyore_) |
*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===* ^-_=^ *===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*
