John Allyn Smith Sails


This is all my original work. It was transcribed both by ear and by examining live performances of Will Sheff and his band playing this song, so naturally it is consistent with what he plays live. This is a fantastic song despite the dark subject matter and I hope all of you enjoy playing and singing this song! At the beginning I've drawn up a general outline of the chord progressions for each part, to ease memorization. This song can get a little convoluted given Will Sheff's writing style, but I've tried to minimize that as much as possible. To do this, I have attempted to label the parts as verses, choruses, etc. but don't hold it against me if those aren't the correct names of the parts, this song is a little unconventional in that it's hard to determine the parts of it. IMPORTANT: Capo at 2nd fret Tuning: Standard Verses: D A Bm G A D Ending of each verse: Em Bridge: Bm G A Ending of 3rd bridge: Em F# G A Pre-chorus and chorus: D G D G D G D G D G D A D G D G D A D Intro: e|--------------------| B|--------------------| G|--------------------| D|--------------0-----| A|--0--2--4--0--------| E|--------------------| Verse 1: D A By the second verse, dear friends Bm G My head will burst, my life will end A So, I'd like to start this one off by saying D "Live and love" D A I was young and at home in bed Bm G And I was hanging on the words some poem said A In '31 D I was impressionable Em I was upsettable Bridge: Bm G A I tried to make my breathing stop, my heart beat slow Bm G A So, when my mom and John came in, I would be cold Verse 2: D A From a bridge on Washington Avenue, Bm G The year of 1972 A Broke my bones and skull, D and it was memorable D A It was half a second in; I was halfway down- Bm G Do you think I wanted to turn back around A and teach a class D Where you kiss the ass Em that I've exposed to you? Bridge: Bm G A And at the funeral, the University Bm G A Cried at three poems they'd present in place of a broken me Verse 3: D A I was breaking in a case of suds Bm G At the Brass Rail, a fall-down drunk A with his tongue torn out D and his balls removed D A And I knew that my last lines were gone, Bm G while stupidly I lingered on, A Oh, but wise men know D when it's time to go Em And so I should, too Bridge: Bm G A And so I fly into the brightest winter sun Bm G A Of this frozen town. I'm stripped down to move on, Em F# G A my friends: I'm gone Pre-chorus and Chorus: D G D G Well, I hear my father fall D G D G And I hear my mother call D G D A And I hear the others all whisper "Come home" D G D I'm sorry to go D G I loved you all so D A D G D But this is the worst trip I've ever been on D G D G So, hoist up the John B. sail D G D G See how the main sail sets D G D A I'm full in my heart and my head and I wanna go home D G D With a book in each hand D G In the way I had planned D A D Well, this is the worst trip I've ever been on D G D G So, hoist up the John B. sail D G D G See how the main sail sets D G D A I'm full in my heart and my head and I wanna go home D G D With a book in each hand D G In the way I had planned D A D I feel so broke up, I wanna go home. That's it, enjoy!