-------------------------------------------------------
      Submitted by D. Ravera (Hazydavey)
      -------------------------------------------------------

dunno which tonality you gonna play it, but its the same old story:
if you play it in D:

D.... (D7)
I'm goin out on the highway
         G
listen to them big trucks whine
                          D
I'm goin out on the highway
         G
listen to them big trucks whine
                          D
White freight liner
A
won't you steal away my mind
          G             D

(D7)
Ah, New Mexico ain't bad, Lord
        G
and the people there they treat you kind
                                    D
Ah, New Mexico ain't bad, Lord
        G
and the people there they treat you kind
                                    D
White freight liner
A
won't you steal away my mind
          G             D

(D7)
Well, it's bad news from Houston
           G
half my friends are dying
                     D
Well, it's bad news from Houston
           G
half my friends are dying
                    D
White freight liner
A
won't you steal away my mind
          G             D

(D7)
Ah, Lord, I'm gonna ramble
    G
till I get back to where I came
                         D
Ah, Lord, I'm gonna ramble
    G
till I get back to where I came
                         D
White freight liner
A
won't you steal away my mind
         G            D

(D7)
I'm goin out on the highway
listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
listen to them big trucks whine
White freight liner
won't you steal away my mind

#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

-----------------------------------------------------
      Submitted by Neal
      -----------------------------------------------------


D                G
Like silence she stands
                  D
Like laughter she falls
                 G
From a castle of sand
                  D
Like a memory she calls.
                      G
And the mocking birds scream
                           D
'Cause they can't make her cry
               A          G
They'll soon start t'believe
                  D
That the lady has died.


Aw what it all goes to show			Take your Tinkerbell lies
It ain't may job to say				And your weary desires
For who am I to know				Take the tears in your eyes
Why She's Actin' This Way			And your cup full of fire


Aw once again turn away			    Aw give your lover a call
If you're sure that it's done		If your legs start to fail
Tell your prophets to pray			And he'll come break your fall
Tell your bandits to run			With a bed full of nails.


Take your eyelids of stone			No need to glance back again
They won't do you no harm			There ain't nothin' to see
Take your cross made of bones		Just this drunken old man
And your flypaper arms.				And this woman and me.


And when everything's placed		And you've made it quite plain
In your coffin of gold				That we're just waistin' time
Throw a scarf 'round your face		And you say it seems strange
'Cause the subway gets cold			That I'm stayin' behind.


Pack up your sunflower smile		But don't worry 'bout me
And your bandana blues				I can make it alone
Take your worthless denials			'Cause I got no place to be
They're all you got left to loose.	And I ain't far from home.

#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

Townes Van Zandt
?When She Don?t Need Me?
Master Recordings

buttcircus@aol.com

Simplified version.
*The asterisks denote that for one strum the D?s and A?s change to Dsus4 and a version
of Asus4 (like in the second line of tab).  It?s easy, and you?ll understand if you
hear the song.

E----5--5--5h7--5---(3 times)---3--------------------------------|
B----7--7--7----7---------------5--------------------------------|
G----------------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------------|

E------------------0-----0----(twice)------------------------------|
B----------2-------2h3---2-----------------------------------------|
G-------2----2-----2-----2-----------------------------------------|
D------------------2h4---2-----------------------------------------|
A-----0------------0-----0-----------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------|

D               *                   *
When she don?t need me it makes me crazy
               *                    *
She says rest easy and it makes me lazy
A             *        G  			D      *
But when she please me, she please me all night long

My friends are leaving, she says don?t worry
They?re only leaving, there is no parting
You will be lonely, I will be here with you

On winds of darkness, the light is soaring
And chains are bonded, freedom is singing
Cling to the darkness, until you turn to song

With the blues she?ll wash me and the sun she?ll dry me
The world will hide me but she will find me
And when she finds me, she will take me home

Repeat first verse.

↑

----------------------------------------------------------
   Submitted by Tony
----------------------------------------------------------

(A)When He offers His hand, don't you (D)turn Him away
He can (E)lead you to light through the darkest of (A)days
And with His love wrapped around you, you (D)can't go astray
When He (A)offers his hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)In a world full of trouble, a (D)world full of hate
You can't (A)wait for tomorrow for tomorrow's too (E)late.
Come and (A)stand 'mongst the pilgrims in their (D)golden array
When He (A)offers His hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)When He offers His hand, don't you (D)turn Him away
He can (E)lead you to light through the darkest of (A)days
And with His love wrapped around you, you (D)can't go astray
When He (A)offers his hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)Well I am no Simon, no (D)Mathew, no Paul.
It don't (A)take an apostle just to answer His (E)call.
And it (A)don't take a pilgrim to (D)stand up and say
When He (A)offers His hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)When He offers His hand, don't you (D)turn Him away
He can (E)lead you to light through the darkest of (A)days
And with His love wrapped around you, you (D)can't go astray
When He (A)offers his hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)Well I hope as I'm leavin', my (D)message is clear,
It's a (A)fool that would turn down a gift that's so (E)dear.
Well He (A)offered His blood, our (D)debts to repay,
Now He (A)offers His hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

(A)When He offers His hand, don't you (D)turn Him away
He can (E)lead you to light through the darkest of (A)days
And with His love wrapped around you, you (D)can't go astray
When He (A)offers his hand, don't you (E)turn Him (A)away.

#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

C#m
Sometimes I don't know where
            F#m
this dirty road is taking me
     C#m                              Ab7
sometimes I can't even see the reason why
    C#m
I guess I keep a-gamblin'
         F#m
lots of booze and lots of ramblin'
      C#m             Ab7              C#m
it's easier than just waitin' around to die

One time, friends, I had a ma
I even had a pa
he beat her a belt once 'cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
headed down to Tennessee
it's easier than just waitin' around to die

I came of age and I found a girl
in a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to kill the pain, bought some wine
and hopped a train
seemed easier than just waitin' around to die

A friend said he knew
where some easy money was
we robbed a man, and brother did we fly
the posse caught up with me
and drug me back to Muskogee
it's two long years I've been waitin' around to die

Now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
he don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
His name's Codine
he's the nicest thing I've seen
together we're gonna wait around and die
together we're gonna wait around and die
#--------------------------------------------------------------#
This is the first song TVZ ever wrote.

↑

D                                    D7
I been turnstiled, junkpiled and railroaded too
            G           E7                                    A7
I've been laid low but don't you know I'm still in love with you
        D
I been took down many a road If anybody says ain't, they lie
             G             E7                      A7               D
But I ain't got no plans 'cept to be your man And love you 'till I die


You got me under your spell Won't you tell me, all about your wonderful charms,
I got time to burn and a lot To learn, Mama take me in your loving arms
Well I know that prob'ly You feel quite oddly, 'bout the words You hear me say,
but if you hold me Tight, it's gonna be alright Mama chase my Blues away

I been turnstiled, junkpiled and railroaded too
I've been laid low but don't you know I'm still in love with you
I been took down many a road If anybody says I ain't, the lie
But I ain't got no plans 'cept to be your man Mama love you till I die

I been turnstiled, junkpiled and railroaded too
I've been laid low but don't you know I'm still in love with you
I been took down many a road If anybody says I ain't, they lie
But I ain't got no plans 'cept to be your man I want to love you 'till I die


#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 95 08:32:10 CST
From: davidb@efficient.com (David Byboth)

                    TO LIVE IS TO FLY
                            BY
                     Townes Van Zandt

             As performed by Guy Clark on the
                     Old Friends CD
      Submitted by David Byboth (davidb@efficient.com

F           C              F              C
Days up and down they come like Rain on a conga drum
C              G               F               C
Forget most, remember some but don't turn none away
F             C            F              C
Everything is not enough & nothin' is too much to bear
C                    G                    F                    C
Where you've been is good and gone all you keep is the gettin' there


CHORUS:
   F          C        F       G
To Live Is To Fly Both low and high
   C                  G
So shake the dust off of your broken wings
        F                C
And the sleep out of you eyes


Good-by to all my friends it's time to go again
Just think about the poetry and the pickin' down the line
I'll miss the system here the bottom's low and the treble's clear
But it don't pay to think too much on the things you leave behind

CHORUS

We all got holes to fill & them holes are all that's real
Some fall on you like a storm sometimes you dig your own
The choice is yours to make, time is yours to take
Some sail upon the sea some toil upon the stone

FINAL CHORUS:
To Live Is To Fly Both low and high
So shake the dust off of your broken wings
And the sleep out of you eyes
Shake the dust off of your wings
And the tears out of your eyes...

↑

Dm
Of those that sailed the silver ships
    G    Bflat  C      Dm
from Andilar I am the last
                         F
The deeds that rang our youthful dreams
     C               Dm
it seems shall go undone
North for the shores of Valinor
     Gm      Bflat    C         Dm
our bows and crimson sails were made
                              F
Our captains were strong, our lances long
         C              Dm
and our liege the holy king

The hills did turn from green to blue
and vanish as on the decks we watched
But every thought in that noble company
was forward bound
To the lifeless plains of Valinor
where reigns the dark and frozen one
And with tongues afire and glorious eyes
we pledged our mission be

The clime from mild to bitter ran
the wind from fair to fierce did blow
Oath and prayer did turn to thoughts
of homes left far behind
Longed every man for some glimpse of land
and the host that did await us there
But each new day brought only a sea
and sky of ice and gray

Thanks give no word can drag you through
those endless weeks our ships did roll
Thanks give you cannot see those sails
and faces bleach and draw
Ice we drank and leather did chew
for the oceans are unwholesome there
The dead that slid into the seas
did freeze before our eyes

Then a wind did fling the ships apart
each one to go her separate way
The sky did howl, the hull did groan
for how long I do not know
And what men were left when the winds had ceased
grew dull and low of countenance
For soldiers denied their battle plain
on comrades soon must turn

So one by one we died alone
some by hunger, some by steel
Bodies froze where they did fall
their souls unsanctified
Until only another and I were left
then just before his flame did fail
We shone ourselves brothers-in-arms
to serve the holy king

Perhaps this shall reach Andilar
although I know not how it can
For once again he's hurled his wind
upon the silver prow
But if it should my words are these
arise young men fine ships to build
And set them north for Valinor
'neath standards proud as fire

#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

-----------------------------------------------------
      Submitted by Doug
      -----------------------------------------------------

[D]Down at the bottom of that [G]dirty old riv[D]er
[A7]Down where the [Bm]reeds and the [G]catfish [D]play
[D]There lies a dream as [G]soft as the [D]water
[D]There lies a bluebird that's [G]flown a[D]way

To meet is like springtime, to love's like the summer
Her brown eyes shown for nobody but me
In autumn forever the fool come a-fallin'
And the rain turned to freezing inside of me

I'll kindle my fires with the words I can't send you
And the roads I can't follow and the songs I can't sing
I'll wander alone on the sleighbells of winter
With the stars for a diamond and the world for a ring

Well all you young ladies who dream of tomorrow
While you're listening these words will I say:
Cling to today with its joy and its sorrow
You'll need all your memories when youth melts away

The angel of springtime he rides down the south wind
The angel of summer, he does just the same
The angel of autumn, she's blue and she's golden
And the angel of winter won't remember your name

Down at the bottom of that dirty old river
Down where the reeds and the catfish play
There lies a dream as soft as the water
There lies a bluebird that's flown away
Oh there lies a bluebird that's flown away

#--------------------------------------------------------------#

↑

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Tecumseh Valley		Townes Van Zandt

D                G            D
The name she gave was Caroline
G                 D
The daughter of a miner
        G
And her ways were free
       D      D/C#   D/B
And it seemed to     me
         A                 G        D
That the sunshine walked beside her

She come from Spencer, across the hill
She said her pa had sent her
Cause the coal was low
And soon the snow
Would turn the skies to winter.

She said she'd come to look for work
She was not seekin' favors
For a dime a day
And a place to stay
She turn those hands to labor

Well times were hard and, lord, jobs were few
All through Tecumseh Valley
But she asked around
And a job she found
Tending bar at Gypsy Sally's

Well she saved enough to get back home
When spring replaced the winter
But her dreams were denied
Her pa had died
The word came down from Spencer.

Well she took to walking out in the streets
With all the grief inside her
And it was many a man
Who returned again
To walk that road beside her.

They found her down beneath the stairs
That led to Gypsy Sally's
And in her hand when she died
Was a note that cried
Fare-thee-well, Tecumseh Valley

The name she gave was Caroline
The daughter of a miner
And her ways were free
And it seemed to me
That the sunshine walked beside her

↑