Townes Van Zandt
As recorded by Cowboy Junkies
[E*]
[E] Baby hit the back door [A] breathin’ real heavy,
said the boys [B] in the alley wouldn’t leave [A] her alone.
[E] Mama did her make-up in [A] a terrible hurry,
she [B] finally got ready but the [A] boys were [E] gone.
[A] Mama don’t you worry, [B] night’s approachin’
there’s a [A] hole in heaven where some [B] sin slips [E] through
just close your eyes, and [A] dream real steady
[B] maybe just a little will [A] spill on [E] you.
[E] Dark don’t [A] lie [B] Dreams come [E*] true
[A] Could be a few will see you [E] through.
[E] Old lady Rose, [A] lookin’ down her nose
at [B] lonely Miss Lily [A] hiding in the [E] hall.
Lily’s just praying for the [A] trial to be over
lady [B] Rose just waiting for the [A] axe to [E] fall.
[A] Show me off on the [B] way to town
the [A] sky’s still shiny and the [B] earth’s still [E] brown.
Tell the judge I’m [A] ready for the vases
gonna [B] dance in their faces when the [A] guitar [E] sounds.
Won’t be [A] long [B] I won’t be [E*] gone
Been [A] leaning toward the shadows all [E] along
[E] Those in the know [A] say so it goes
you [B] plan on reapin’, you [A] better [E] sow.
You plan on sleepin’. you [A] better keep movin’
[B] sleepin’ ain’t allowed around [A] here, you [E] know.
[A] Tell me please when the [B] rollin’s over
[A] me and my baby gonna [B] have some [E] fun.
Bury our backs in a [A] bed of clover.
[B] Smile in style while the [A] sun goes [E] down.
Snake eyes [A] cry [B] Boxcars [E*] sigh
[A] Seven’s stuck in the middle just wonderin’ [E] why
Dark don’t [A] lie [B] Dreams come [E*] true
[A] All it takes is one or [E] two
[A] Maybe just a few will see you [E] through
Tabbed by Robert Spassky Cabacungan (robertc@dry.Princeton.EDU):
E* means that the E is decorated by futzing it with an Em. There is a lot of sliding in the song. Not knowing how to tune the guitar appropriately to slide to this song, I just make do by sometimes sliding the A up to 004440. It sounds pretty good for the chorus.
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