Tuning: Standard
I was there the first time Sam played this song live, in the Open Air Theater at SDSU.
didn't sound too difficult, and I was lucky enough to get a fantastic recording of the
show.
UPDATE: Having watched some more recent videos of Sam playing this song (namely a
video from the 2009 Newport Folk Festival), I'm certain he adds a little flourish occasionally
playing the E by simply putting his pinky on the 2nd fret of the G string (022200)
verses. Also, Sam has taken to playing this song capoed at the first fret. Also, some
the lyrics may have been changed.
The whole song is 3 chords: E, F#m, and Asus2. And take note of the slight variation in
last measure of the chorus.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
God - less brother in love, you might as well
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
lay down that rose and fold the flag
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------------------|
G|----------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2--------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------------------|
G|----------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2--------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
She is money and tabs
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
that broken freedom in
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
See her big children burning rags
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------------------|
G|----------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2--------------------|
by the river -
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------------------|
G|----------2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----2------2------2------2------2------2------2------2--------------------|
- side
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
Chorus:
You can hear them on the hilltop laughing,
e|-------------------0-------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------0------------------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|--------2-----------------------------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|------------2--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----0----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------0------0------0------0--------------------|
cursin' every bird in the air
e|-------------------0-------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------0------------------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|--------2-----------------------------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|------------2--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----0----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------0------0------0------0--------------------|
tell of all the fun they're having
e|-------------------0-------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------0------------------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|--------2-----------------------------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|------------2--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----0----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------0------0------0------0--------------------|
Dri - vin' eyes
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------------------|
closed
e|-------------------0-------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------0-----0------------0------0------0------0------------------|
G|--------2----------------2------------1------1------1------1---------------|
D|------------2---------------2----------------------------------------------|
A|----0----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------0------0------0------0--------------------|
Repeat for second verse and chorus, end with this:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------0---------|
B|-------0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0--------0---------|
G|----------1------1------1------1------1------1------1------1-----1---------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------2---------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------2---------|
E|-----0------0------0------0------0------0------0------0----------0---------|
Here are the lyrics in their entirety:
Godless brother in love
you might as well
lay down that rose
and fold the flag
She is money and tabs
that broken freedom in
See her big children burning rags
You can hear them on the hilltop laughing,
cursin' every bird in the air
tell of all the fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
Godless brother
as far as I can tell
and I won't compensate the blight
She looks lovely
as lightening all,
but what the hell
her big kids all run down the road
with no memories at all
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing,
cursin' every bird in the air
tell of all the fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
PLAY TOO ..