#----------------------------------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. #
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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) E7sus4E ----------------|--------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) E7sus4E ----------------|--------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 ampines 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) E7sus4E ----------------|----------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) E7sus4E ----------------|----------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) E7sus4E ----------------|----------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) E7sus4E ----------------|----------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) E7sus4E ----------------|----------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
