THE COURIER

Capo II

This is my absolute favorite Richard Shindell song. I've transcribed it in an easy version, although on Sparrows Point, and live, he plays it Capo IV, with a (Dm) as the anchor chord and the (B^b) chord played x13030. If you want to try it that way, capo up two frets higher, and make the following changes:

Change all (Em) to (Dm)
Change all (D) to (C)
Change all (C) to (B^b)
Change all (G) to (F)

Intro: (Em)

(C)I am a (D)couri(Em)er
(C)Crawling (D)in the (Em)dirt
(C)Toward the front line
(D)As the crow flies
(Em)A note stashed in my (C)shirt

From the (D)Prince of (Em)Wales
(C)Far abo(D)ve the (Em)field
(C)With his marshalls
(D)And their chain-mail
(Em)Their banners taut and (C)high

(G)I did not ask him what the (D)note said
(Em)He did not offer to ex(C)plain
It's not my job to ask the (D)questions
(C)I'm just the (D)couri(Em)er
(C)I'm just the (D)couri(Em)er

(C)A flare-shot (D)leaves a (Em)scar
(C)Burning (D)in the (Em)dark
(C)On my forearms
(D)Through the barbed-wire
(Em)Another fifty yards

(C)Crouching (D)in the (Em)trench
(C)Clutching (D)bayo(Em)nettes
(C)A hundred men all
(D)Knee-to-chest
(Em)A hundred marionettes

(G)I am the string pulled by the (D)sure hand
(Em)Animating what was (C)still
I am invisible and (D)faithful
(C)I am a (D)couri(Em)er
(C)Just a (D)couri(Em)er

(C)The Captain (D)breaks the (Em)seal
(C)And quickly (D)reads the (Em)note
(C)On your feet boys
(D)Make your peace boys
(Em)Pass those letters down

(C)To this (D)couri(Em)er
(C)Guardian (D)of the (Em)word
(C)Hand him all you've seen
(D)Hand him all you've heard
(Em)Hand him all your (C)pearls

(G)Now l'll go back to where I (D)came from
(Em)I will deliver each by (C)hand
I take this as a point of (D)honor
(C)To be a (D)couri(Em)er
(C)To be a (D)couri(Em)er
(C)To be a (D)couri(Em)er

SPARROWS POINT

Capo IV

C/G: 332010

Play the (F) chord with a high G note fretted (003213) and hold the G note there with your pinky for the (C*) chord (032013)

Intro: (Am) (G) (Am). . . alternate picking bass notes on open 5th and 6th strings.

(Am)My name (C)is William (G)Taylor(Am)
I was (C)born in twenty four(G)
Too (Am)late to (C/G)know the great (G)fallen(Am)
But in (C)time to know the great fall(G)
When my (F)father (C*)died of (G)money(Am)
My (F)mother (C*)lived in spite(G)
We (F)laughed when (C*)nothing was (G)funny(Am)
But how we wept when (C/G)nothing was left(G)

So I (Am)left her (C)there in (G)boom town(Am)
When I (C)reached fifteen years(G)
And I (Am)travelled (C?G)mostly (G)northeast(Am)
With my (C)head held mostly down(G)
Cause they (F)said there was (C*)more in (G)Baltimore(Am)
Where those (F)shipyards (C*)never close(G)
You can (F)sell the (C*)man your (G)labor(Am)
And send the (C/G)money home(G)

(Am)Broadway (C)found me (G)penniless(Am)
And the (C)mission found me last(G)
They (Am)gave me a (C/G)coat and (G)three days rest(Am)
And when (C)I awoke and left(G)
A (F)shroud of (C*)steam sur(G)rounded me(Am)
And (F)I was (C*)borne away(G)
I (F)found my(C*)self at (G)Sparrows Point(Am)
With a sling-shot (C/G)in my hand(G)

And (Am)standing (C)there a(G)round me(Am)
Two (C)thousand idle hands(G)
With their (Am)heads bowed (C/G)low
Their (G)hopes not high(Am)
Their (C)hearts weaned of their homes(G)
And their (F)pockets (C*)full of (G)photographs(Am)
And their (F)eyes full (C*)of goodbyes(G)
I took (F)my (C*)place a(G)mong my kind(Am)
And I held my (C/G)place in line(G)

Now I'm (Am)twenty one(C) and (G)well employed(Am)
And I (C)send home most my pay(G)
Which leaves (Am)plenty (C/G)left for (G)cigarettes(Am)
To (C)help me pass the days(G)
With be(F)loved friends(C*) sur(G)rounding me(Am)
The cold (F)street so (C*)far away(G)
(F)Three days (C*)west of (G)Normandy(Am)
With a rifle (C/G)in my hand(G)

THE KENWORTH OF MY DREAMS

Capo IV

Dsus2/F#: 200230
Asus4: 002230
G6add9: 320230
G6add9/F#: 200230
G*: 320023

This one's a little tricky if you want to play it just as Richard does. All the the way through each of the verses, you'll keep your fingers glued to the second fret on the third (G) string and the third fret of the second (B) string , with all the actual changes taking place on the lower strings.

However, in order to do this without breaking your fingers, use your pinky to fret the B string and your middle finger on the G string. Now don't move 'em.

1. For the Dsus2/F# chord, use your index finger for the second fret on the sixth string.
2. For the Asus4, use your index finger for the second fret on the fourth string.
3. And for the G6add9, use your ring finger for the third fret on the sixth string, and your index finger for the second fret on the fifth string.

Please note: To make the transcription easier to read, I'm going to use (D) when I mean (Dsus2/F#), (A) when you should play (Asus4), and (G) when you should play (G6add9) as described up top. However, just to confuse you a little bit more, the (G*) chord in the bridge is a standard (G). And technically, you can play all the chords in their standard versions; it just won't sound exactly right.

Like I said, it's tricky, but pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

Intro: (D)(A)(G) . . . 4x

I (D)sold my (A)old Ca(G)maro
I (D)sold my (A)fishing (G)boat
A (D)friend said (A)he would (G)co-sign
On a (D)small com(A)mercial (G)loan
So I shopped around un(A)til I found
A (D)rig with(A)in my (G)means (A)
And I put (D)fifteen (A)thousand (G)dollars down
On the (D)Kenworth (A)of my (G)dreams

My (D)sister's (A)husband (G)helped me out
When we(D) took the (A)thing a(G)part
And (D)every (A)bolt and (G)piston
I (D)knew them (A)all by (G)heart
We cleaned her out and (A)painted her
And (D)brought her (A)up to (G)speed (A)
And I (D)proudly (A)put my (G)name upon
The (D)Kenworth (A)of my (D)dreams

Now sometimes(Em) (G*)late out on some (A)interstate
I hear those (D)sad country (G)songs (G6add9/F#)
True love (Em)found, (G)true love (A)gone
(Em)Lately (D)I just (G)turn the (D)damn thing (A)off

A (D)lot of (A)folks just (G)shook their heads
Con(D)vinced that (A)I'd lost (G)mine
They said (D)living (A)in a (G)god-damned truck
Is (D)just a (A)waste of (G)time
That to spend your life be(A)hind the wheel
Ain't as (D)great as (A)it might (G)seem (A)
I just (D)thanked them (A)all and (G)left one night
In the (D)Kenworth (A)of my (G)dreams

Now sometimes(Em) (G*)late out on some (A)interstate
I hear those (D)sad country (G)songs (GaddD/F#)
True love (Em)found, (G)true love (A)gone
(Em)Lately (D)I just (G)turn the (D)damn thing (A)off

(D)Business (A)it's been (G)pretty good
And I've (D)no cause (A)to com(G)plain
I haul (D)bourbon (A)up to (G)Buffalo
And (D)frozen (A)foods to (G)Maine
Toxic waste or (A)Quaker State
It's (D)all the (A)same to (G)me (A)
I'll go (D)any(A)where for (G)anything
In the (D)Kenworth (A)of my (G)dreams
I'll go (D)any(A)where for (G)anything
In the (D)Kenworth (A)of my (G)dreams
I'll go (D)any(A)where for (G)anything
In the (D)Kenworth (A)of my (D)dreams

ON A SEA OF FLEUR-DE-LIS

DADGAD
Capo I

On "Sparrows Point," Richard plays this in standard tuning, but in concert, often plays it in DADGAD, and that's the version I've done here. If you want, you can, of course, play all these chords in their regular version and capo at the first fret.

D: 000200
A: 002000
G: 550000
Bm: 024000

I (D)adore thee Mother (G)Mary
But would you (D)change me back to a (A)witch
And let me live in the arms of a sorry old elm
Give the (G)gypsy moths a (D)realm of their (A)own
For a (D)postman's fee would I (G)work for thee
From that (D)tree would I swoop down and (A)leave
A billion blue eggs of eternity
And in (G)no time you'd (D)have your own (A)See

Don't (Bm)just (G)stare, I mean it really
(A)Hear (Bm)my (G)prayer, I give it freely
(A)Are (Bm)you (G)there (D)Fleur-de-(A)Lis?

I (D)adore thee Mother (G)Mary
But would you (D)change me back to a (A)witch
And let me live in the arms of a willow
And fly a(G)round not (D)wearing a (A)stitch
For so (D)long has this room been so (G)hollow
We (D)wait at the gate for an (A)echo
In the flesh of your newly cleaned frescoes
Where (G)Jesus holds (D)John to his (A)breast

Wrapped (Bm)a(G)round, and rocking slowly
(A)No (Bm)one (G)bound to be so holy
(A)In (Bm)your (G)gown of (D)Fleur-de-(A)Lis

I (D)adore thee Mother (G)Mary
But would you (D)change me back to a (A)witch
As a witch would I love you more than any man
So give a (G)wink, give a (D)nod, give a (A)damn
Be a (D)sport Mary and (G)don't tell Dad
He (D)need never know how he's been (A)had
And never you mind about those seven seals
'Cause (G)Daddy was a (D)one shot (A)deal

But one, (Bm)two, (G)three - it could be that easy
(A)There (Bm)we'd (G)be, I with my baby
(A)On (Bm)a (G)sea of (D)Fleur-de-(A)Lis

Do-(Bm)re-(G)mi - it could be that easy
(A)There (Bm)we'd (G)be, I with my baby
(A)On (Bm)a (G)sea of (D)Fleur-de-(A)Lis

YOU AGAIN

The magic "What The Heck Is THAT?" chord in this song is the second one, the Cm. Don't strum all the strings, though, but rather use it as a walk down from the C chord to the G chord. Everything else is actually pretty standard, and easier than it looks. It's particularly easy to play along with the CD, because the acoustic guitar is pretty distinctive in the mix.

Cm: 03100x
D/F#: 200230
G: 320033
G/F# 200033
G/E 000033
A7sus4: 002233
B7: 021200

C/B: 020020
Am/G: 302210

The (G)-(G/F#)-(G/E) in the intro and over the third line in each verse is a sixth string walk down. In the bridge, the (C)(C/B)(Am)(Am/G)(D/F#) sequence is also a bass line walk down on which you should accentuate the C/B/A/G/F# notes on the fifth and sixth strings.

Intro:
(C)(Cm)(G)(Bm)
(C)(Cm)(G)(Bm)
(C)(D/F#) (G)-(G/F#)-(G/E) (A7sus4)(Am)(B7)

(C)You a(Cm)gain (G)(Bm)
(C)I (Cm)dreamed of (G)you a(Bm)gain
(C)This (D/F#)time you (G)seemed (G/F#)so (G/E)real
(A7sus4)Winking (Am)back at me (B7)

(C)My old (Cm)friend (G)(Bm)
(C)I (Cm)feel your (G)ghost (Bm)again
(C)When I (D/F#)thought you'd (G)gone (G/F#)for (G/E)real
(A7sus4)I'd never (Am)say for good (B7)

But now I (Em)catch my (D/F#)breath and (C)wait
(C/B)Wide (Am)eyed (Am/G)and half (D/F#)awake

(C)Just the (Cm)wind (G)(Bm)
(C)Blows (Cm)through my (G)dreams (Bm)again
(C)Thought (D/F#)I had (G)closed (G/F#)the (G/E)window (A7sus4)tight
(Am)Against the (B7)night

But now I (Em)catch my (D/F#)breath and (C)wait
(C/B)Wide (Am)eyed (Am/G)and wide (D/F#)awake

But you are (G)half a (G/F#)world (Em)away (C)
And there is (G)little now that (G/F#)I can (Em)say (C)
But that I'll (G)always (D/F#)love you
(C)And I'll always (C/B)miss you (Am)
And you are always (Am/G)welcome (D/F#)here
You are (C)always (D/F#)welcome (C)here (Cm)(G)(Bm)

(C)(Cm)(G)(Bm) . . . (C)(Cm)(G)

NORA

Capo II

It's taken me a while to get this song right (with a little help from Richard himself, who alerted me to the Bm fingering), but it's well worth the time it might take you to work it out. Take note of the chord structures: as you can see, a lot of the the chord fingerings in the song are not "full" chords, with the high E string either open or not played.

Bm: x24430
Bm/A: x04430
G: 32003x
Gadd9: 32023x
D/F#: 200230
F#: 244300
A: x02200

Intro: (Bm)(Bm/A)(G)(D/F#)(F#)

(Bm)New York (Bm/A)(G)has been buried in (D/F#)snow since last (F#)Saturday
(Bm)The papers (Bm/A)said (G)the storm had (D/F#)passed over (F#)you
(Bm)Thank you (Bm/A)(G)for the play you (D/F#)wrote about (F#)Heloise
And her (Bm)injury (Bm/A)(G)at the hand of an (D/F#)almighty (F#)memory

And I might have (G)guessed
That you'd (D/F#)pressed (A)a rose in the (G)pages (A)
(Bm)Where Abelard (Bm/A)confesses (G)
His love(D/F#) and his pain(Em)
To her (D/F#)lips (Em)(D/F#)

(G)And Nora, (D/F#)it was no (Em)sin (D/F#)
They could (G)turn the other cheek(D/F#)
Or (Em)take it on the (G)chin (D/F#)
(Em)But Nora, (D/F#)it was no (G)sin (A)

(Bm)(Bm/A)(G)(D/F#)(F#)

(Bm)So Christmas (Bm/A)(G)was as blue for (D/F#)you as it (F#)was for me
All those (Bm)angels (Bm/A)(G)trum(D/F#)peting their (F#)ecstasy
(Bm)Your husband (Bm/A)(G)has accepted the (D/F#)parish in (F#)Greenland
(Bm)I met him (Bm/A)(G)drowning his (D/F#)vows at the (F#)bar

And there we raised
The (G)first and the (D/F#)next
And a (A)third glass to (G)you (A)
(Bm)Hunched on our (Bm/A)bar-stools
(G)Call(D/F#)ing our (Em)truce
By your (D/F#)name (Em)(D/F#)

(Gadd9)And Nora, (D/F#)there is no (Em)sin (D/F#)
We can (Gadd9)turn the other cheek(D/F#)
Or (Em)take it on the (Gadd9)chin (D/F#)
(Em)But Nora, (D/F#)there is no (Gadd9)sin (D/F#)
(Em)Nora, (D/F#)there is no (Gadd9)sin (D/F#)
(Em)Nora, (D/F#)there is no (Gadd9)sin

HOWLING AT THE TROUBLE

Capo I

Dsus2: 000230
Dsus4/F#: 200233

Intro: (Am)(Dsus2) . . . 4x

(Am)Somewhere (Dsus2)out there in the trees(Am)
Dry leaves (Dsus2)stirred up by the breeze(Am)
Sleeping (Dsus2)dog picks up the scent(Am)
In the (Dsus2)wind he senses . . .

(Am)The cracking (Dsus2)branch, the swinging gate(Am)
The distant (Dsus2)thunder on the way(Am)
But all of (Dsus2)this can be explained(Am)
As but the (Dsus2)trappings of the . . .

(G)(C)Trouble(C/B) . . . (Am)all the (Am/G)trouble in our (D/F#)hearts (Dsus4/F#)
(G)(C)Trouble(C/B) . . . (Am)all the (Am/G)trouble in our (D/F#)hearts (Dsus4/F#)

(Am)The house so (Dsus2)still, the moon so bright(Am)
You a(Dsus2)wake, I catch your eye(Am)
You take my (Dsus2)hand to touch your thigh(Am)
It's time we (Dsus2)took hold of the . . .

(Am)Curtains (Dsus2)blown in by the wind(Am)
Without a (Dsus2)word you take me in(Am)
Sleeping (Dsus2)dog picks up the scent(Am)
As we (Dsus2)chase away the . . .

(G)Trouble(C)(C/B) . . . (Am)all the (Am/G)trouble in our (D/F#)hearts (Dsus4/F#)
(G)Trouble(C)(C/B) . . . (Am)all the (Am/G)trouble from our (D/F#)hearts (Dsus4/F#)

(Am)The night is (Dsus2)hot, the dog has gone(Am)
Gone out (Dsus2)prowling for the dawn(Am)
You and (Dsus2)I are left alone(Am)
Alone and (Dsus2)howling at the(Am) (Dsus2)trouble
Howling at the(Am) (Dsus2)trouble
Laughing at the(Am) (Dsus2)trouble
Chasing off the(Am) (Dsus2)trouble

(Am)(Dsus2) . . . repeat and fade

BY NOW

There's a bizarre chord in this song, and I don't have a clue what it's called, so I'm just going to write it as (X). It's played 100030. Everything else is standard.

Capo V

(Am)Window open (X)wide
(C)Blowing throught the (G)north woods
(Am)No radar gun in (X)sight
(C)Moon shines on the (G)asphalt
(Am)Two eyes in the (X)dark
(C)Young doe in the (G)high-beams
(Am)She don't stand a (X)chance
(C)If she ain't already (G)got there by (Fmaj7)now
By (Em)now . . . by (Fmaj7)now . . . by (Em)now

(Am)Is that you Mary (X)Ann
(C)I almost drove right (G)by you
(Am)Can I give you a (X)hand
Is there (C)somewhere I can (G)take you
(Am)The road is dark and (X)cold
(C)No place for a (G)young girl
(Am)Shouldn't you be at (X)home
Your (C)Mama's probably (G)missed you by (Fmaj7)now
By (Em)now . . . by (Fmaj7)now . . . by (Em)now

(Am)Put your bags in (X)back
(C)Don't bother with the (G)seatbelt
(Am)Take a ciga(X)rette
(C)What station do you (G)like
(Am)How far do you (X)go?
What (C)time are you ex(G)pected
(Am)Did you leave a (X)note
(C)Telling where you (G)might be by (Fmaj7)now
By (Em)now . . . by (Fmaj7)now . . . by (Em)now

(Am)Window open (X)wide
(C)Blowing throught the (G)north woods
(Am)No radar gun in (X)sight
(C)Moon shines on the (G)asphalt
(Am)Two eyes in the (X)dark
(C)Young doe in the (G)high-beams
(Am)She don't stand a (X)chance
(C)If she ain't already (G)got there by (Fmaj7)now
By (Em)now . . . by (Fmaj7)now . . . by (Em)now