I Am A Town


#----------------------------------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. # #------------------------------------------------------------------------------# I AM A TOWN (Mary Chapin Carpenter) ----------------------------------- [Actually in C; capo 3. Tuning: D A C# E A E.] [Mary Chapin plays this with a thumbpick; I'd recommend trying that.] [I'm sorry if this is a little hard to follow; it seemed to be the best way to do it.] [INTRO:] D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|--------0-------|----------------|--------0-------| A ------0-------0-|----------0-----|------0-------0-|----------0-----| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| [repeat intro as necessary] I'm a [VERSE:] || A/E A/E E(4)/D D(9) || E ----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----| ||* A --------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| || E ------0---------|------0---------|------4---------|------2---------| || C#----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----3-------0---|----1-------1---| ||* A --0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-| || D 2---------------|2---------------|0---------------|0---------------| town in Carolina, I'm a detour on a ride; For a peaches in September, and corn from a roadside stall; I'm the church beside the highway where the ditches never drain; I'm a town in Carolina, I am billboards in the fields; I'm an A/E A/E E(4)/D D(9) E ----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----| A --------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| E ------0---------|------0---------|------4---------|------2---------| C#----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----3-------0---|----1-------1---| A --0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-| D 2---------------|2---------------|0---------------|0---------------| phone call and a soda, I'm a blur from the driver's side; I'm the language of the natives, I'm a cadence and a drawl; I'm the Baptist like my daddy, and Jesus knows my name; I am old truck up on cinder blocks, missing all my wheels; I am D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|--------0-------|----------------|--------0-------| A ------0-------0-|----------0-----|------0-------0-|----------0-----| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| last gas for an hour if you're going twenty-five; I am pines behind the graveyard, and the cool beneath their shade, where the memory and stillness, I am lonely in old age; I am Pabst Blue Ribbon, American, and "Southern Serves the South"; I am D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 || E ----------------|--------0-------|-----(0)--------|----------0-----| || A ------0-------0-|----------0-----|---(0)0-------0-|--------0-------| *|| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| || C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| || A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| *|| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| || Texaco and tobacco, I am dust you leave behind. I am [repeat] boys have left their beer cans; I am weeds between the graves. [to bridge] not your destination; I am clinging to my ways; I am a town. [to solo] tucked behind the Jaycees sign, on the rural route. [to ending] [BRIDGE:] F#m9 F#m9 D(9) D(9) E ----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----| A --------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| E ------4---------|------4---------|------2---------|------2---------| C#----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----1-------1---|----1-------1---| A --0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-| D 4---------------|4---------------|0---------------|0---------------| My porches sag and lean with old black men and children; F#m9 F#m9 D(9) D(9) E --------0-------|----------0-----|--------------0-|----------0-----| A ------0---0-----|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| E ----4-----------|------4---------|------2---2-----|------2---------| C#--0---------0---|----0-------0---|----1-------1---|----1-------1---| A --------------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-------------|--0-----------0-| D 4---------------|4---------------|0---------------|0---------------| Their sleep is filled with dreams, I never can fulfill them; I am a D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|----------------|----------0-----| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|------0-------0-|--------0-------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| town. D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|----------------|----------0-----| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|------0-------0-|--------0-------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| [Back to beginning of verse 3...] [SOLO:] F#m9 F#m9/E D(9) D(9) E ----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----| A --------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| E ------4---------|------4---------|------2---------|------2---------| C#----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----1-------1---|----1-------1---| A --0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-----------0-| D 4---------------|2---------------|0---------------|0---------------| F#m9 F#m9/E D(9) D(9) E ----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----| A --------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------|--------0-------| E ------4---------|------4---------|------2---------|------2---------| C#----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----1-------1---|----1-------1---| A --0-----------0-|--0-----------0-|--0-------------|--0-----------0-| D 4---------------|2---------------|0---------------|0---------------| D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|----------------|--------0-------| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|------0-------0-|------0---------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------------0---| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-----------| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-------------| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| Ahhhhh..... I'm a [ENDING:] D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|----------------|----------0-----| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|------0-------0-|--------0-------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| I am a town. I am a town. I am a D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|----------------|----------0-----| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|------0-------0-|--------0-------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|----0-------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| town. Southbound. D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 D(9)/F# D(9) E7sus4 E ----------------|----------0-----|------0---------|----------0-----| A ------0-------0-|--------0-------|----0---------0-|--------0-------| E ----0-------0---|------0---------|------------0---|------0---------| C#----------------|----1-------0---|----------------|----1-------0---| A --5-------5-----|--2-----------0-|--5-------5-----|--2-----------0-| D 4-------0-------|2---------------|4-------0-------|2---------------| [repeat these four measures several times, then end on A (200000).] - Adam Schneider, schneider@pobox.com