#----------------------------------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. # #------------------------------------------------------------------------------## From: dsb@osustat.mps.ohio-state.edu (David S. Blumenthal) Stranger With The Melodies Harry Chapin As recorded (approximately :) ) on Legends of the Lost and Found Information: TAB: one space equals one eigth note main pattern repeats through out song (note variations at end of choruses): D D/G D/E D/A e|----3---|2---0---|----3---|2---0---|----3---|2---0---|----3---|2---0---| B|--3---3-|--2---3-|--3---3-|--2---3-|--3---3-|--2---3-|--3---3-|--2---3-| G|-2-2-2-2|-3-3-2-2|-2-2-2-2|-3-3-2-2|-2-2-2-2|-3-3-2-2|-2-2-2-2|-3-3-2-2| D|0-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------| A|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|0-------|--------| E|--------|--------|3-------|----(2)-|0-------|--------|--------|--------| end of verse progression: A A7 A6 A E A D G B E E A D G B E E A D G B E E A D G B E o-o-------o o-o-------- o-o-------- o-o-------o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 2 2 | | | 2 2 2 | | | 2 2 2 2 | | 2 2 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | other verse pattern (I don't know the pick pattern, so I just strum these): Bm F Am Em F Em G A A7 A6 A last chord: D (final) E A D G B E x o o | | | | | | | | | 7 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRO: D D/G D/E D/A D D/G D/E D/A D It was my first night in that roomin' house, D/G in the last room down the hall. D/E I heard a hoarse voice, and an old guitar, D/A comin' through the paper thin walls. D A crazy nonsense nursery rhyme, D/G it did not mean a thing. D/E But for the first of what was to be a thousand times, D/A this is what I heard him sing. CHORUS: D Hold that "D" chord on the old guitar, D/G 'till I find the "G." D/E Drop it down to old "E" minor, D/A D D/A 'till the "A" chord rolls back home around to "D." D D/G I had to lay there listening, it seemed he was in the room. D/E D/A The stranger with the melodies, singin' there in the gloom. Bm F And he repeated it over and over again, such a soft and sinking sound. Am Em It was kind of like a music box that was slowly windin' down. F Em And he sang it, he hummed it, he whistled it, and he strummed it. G A A A7 A6 He laughed it, and he cried it. He did anything but hide it. CHORUS: A D Hold that "D" chord on the old guitar, D/G 'till I find the "G." D/E Drop it down to old "E" minor, D/A D D/A 'till the "A" chord rolls back home around to me. D D/G So I lay there in that lumpy bed, counted choruses instead of sheep, D/E D/A 'till I banged on the wall and out I called, "Hey bub, I need some sleep." (D) (stop pattern, just base) (G) A sudden void of silence, then I heard that hoarse voice say, (E) (A) D (resume pattern) D/A "It weren't so long ago, boy, they paid me to play. D D/G So I said, "It's kind of late for music, sir. Two hours 'till it's daylight." D/E D/A He answered, "I need my music most in these dark hours of the night. Bm F You see I've tried gettin' high on somethin', son; it only brings me down. Am Em Stayin' dry don't work out better, boy, 'cause my eyes get wet and I drown. F Em Won't you please let me continue, and I'll be in your debt. G A A A7 A6 You see I'm not singin' to remember, son. I'm just singin' to forget. CHORUS: A D Hold that "D" chord on the old guitar, D/G 'till I find the "G." D/E Drop it down to old "E" minor, D/A D D(strum) D(strum) A 'till the "A" chord rolls back home around to me. C G That's when I said, if I'm supposed to listen to you, sir, C G one quick question, then. F C A Why in the hell do you sing one song, over and over again? (spoken) And this is what he said. D D D D/G I gave her the music, son. She gave me the words. D/E D/A Together we'd write the kinds of songs the angels must have heard. D D/G Of course, we'd fight like cats and dogs; life ain't no rosebud dream. D/E D/A Still, where ever we'd go, everybody'd know, we were truly a team. D D/G I can't remember now if I'd done her wrong, or if she'd done wrong to me. D/E D/A Still, all I know is when I let her go, it did not set me free. Bm That's when I said, "You sound like what's-his-name." F He said, "That's who I am. Am But you can't wrap a name around you boy, Em 'cause it really don't mean a damn. F Em You see, a song don't have no meanin', when it don't have nothin' to say. G A A A7 A6 A What she could do was magic, son. All I can do is play. D He started singin' again, that's when I drifted off, D/G and maybe I'd dreamed what I'd heard, D/E about the stranger with the melodies, D/A who'd gone and lost the words. CHORUS: D Hold that "D" chord on the old guitar, D/G 'till I find the "G." D/E Drop it down to old "E" minor, D/A D D(final) 'till the "A" chord rolls back home around to "D." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ | Dave Blumenthal | | _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | dsb@osustat.mps.ohio-state.edu | | _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/_/ | The Ohio State University | | _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ | Statistical Computing Laboratory | | _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ | (614) 292-5535 | ------ There is a fine difference between insight and insanity. -------