A Better Place To Be

#----------------------------------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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From twartman@phoenix.isn.net Thu May  8 14:11:02 1997
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 14:32:35 -0300
From: Tim Wartman 
To: Guitar@olga.net
Cc: Acoustic@olga.net
Subject: Chords:  A better place to be by Harry Chapin

This is my favorite Harry Chapin tune.  I thought others might like it too.
It’s pretty simple to play.

            D           Dmaj7           D7              G

It was an early morning barrom and the place just opened up

        EM                                              A7
and the little man came in so fast and he started at his cup

        D                       DMAJ7       D7               G
and the broad who served the whiskey was a big old friendly girl

        EM                                              A7
who tried to fight her empty nights by smiling at the world

           G          A                 F#M             B7
and she said hey bub it’s been a while  since you’ve been around

            EM                  A       G               D
where the hell have you been hiding and why you look so down

           G              A             G               A       D
Well the little man just sat there like he’d never heard a sound

        CM              G               Bb              F
the waitress she gave out with a cough and acting not the least put off

        EM       A
she spoke once again

             D             G            EM
She said I don’t want to bother you consider it’s understood

    A               EM                  A   EM          D
I know I’m not no beauty queen but I sure can listen good.

        G                    A                          EM              D
And the little man took his drink in his hand and he raise it to his lips

     G            D             EM              A          D
He took a couple of sips and he told the waitress his story.

   D            AM                   C       G          D
I am the midnight watchman down at Miller’s tool and dime

      G              F#M        BM              Cmaj7
I watch the metal rusting, I watch the time go by

    A                G          F#M             B7
a week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite

        EM              A               G  EM        D
and this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right

      G      G    EM A,G,G              D
And lord, lord, lord       she was alright.


She was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winter’s frost
but she look long past lonely and I, I was lost
I’m not much of a mover or a pick em up easy guy
but I decided to glide on over and give it one good try
and lord lord lord she was worth a try

Tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammerred out some words
it did not seem to matter much, cause I don’t think she heard
She just looked clear on through me, to a place back in my head
It shamed me into silence as quietly she said

(chorus)
If you want me to come with you than that’s alright with me
cause I know I’m going nowhere and anywhere’s a better place to be

Well I drove her to my boarding house and I took her up to my room
and I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom

              DM                       GM
but she said please leave the light on, I don’t mind the dark

            F                             A
and as her clothes all tumbled round her, I could hear my heart.

The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed
it was the kind of thing I only had imagined in my head
I just could not believe it , to think that she was real
and as I tried to tell her, she said, shhh I know just how you feel
and lord, lord, lord, she was alright.

Well the morning came so swiftly as I held her in my arms
She slept like a baby snug and safe from harm
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood
so before she woke I went out to buy us both some food
I came back with my paper bag
to find that she was gone
she’d left a six word letter saying
it’s time that I moved on.

You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes
and as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh
She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind
I wish I weren’t so goddamned fat, I wish that you were mine
and I wish that you’d come with me when I leave for home
for we both know all about emptiness and living all alone.

And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand
and he smile a crooked grin
He said, I, I guess I’m outta gin
and I know we both have been so lonely.

(chorus)