Cahoots

Went to the movie matinee
To see the blue coats try to get away
From a smoke signal
Above the trees
A smoke signal
Shifting in the breeze
Some folks think it's make believe
Other folks ain't so naive
About a smoke signal
Could see it coming
A smoke signal
Hear the drums drumming

You don't believe what you read in the paper
You can't believe the stranger at your door
You don't believe what you hear from your neighbor
Your old neighborhood ain't even there no more

Indian maid will plant the seed
And cultivate a whole new breed
There's a smoke signal
Over your head
A smoke signal
You know what it said?
When they're torn out by the roots
Young brothers join in cahoots
To send a smoke signal
Near and far
A smoke signal
No matter where you are

You don't believe what they say on the radio
You don't believe what you see on the video
Living in the shadow of a doubt today
Still waiting for the smoke to clear away

Tried to get in touch with you
Tried to get my message through
By smoke signal
Honey, do ya read me
Smoke signal
Call me if you need me
There you were all in white
Standing out in the broad daylight
Lookin' like a smoke signal
From heaven above
Smoke signal
Oh, my love

Did you hear about the eagle of distinction
The one that came on every friday afternoon
Well, it seems that eagle has near flown into extinction
Descending to the sand
His biggest enemy being man
Have you ever seen the freedom on the wing

Where do we go from here? i asked my woman
Where do we go from here? oh woman, my woman
La la la la la la la la la, she said, nowhere

Did you hear about the railroad going under
How it seems its days are numbered on the board
Well, i feel sad about the railroad and it's no wonder
It'd run right by my door
I can't hear it anymore
How can you get to sleep when the whistle don't moan

Where do we go from here? is there no way of knowing
Where do we go from here? oh, i need to be shown
La la la la la la la la la, they said, somewhere

Have you heard about the buffalo on the plain
And how at one time they'd stampede a thousand strong
Now that buffalo's at the zoo standing in the rain
Just one more victim of fate
Like california state
You sure do miss the silence when it's gone

Where do we go from here? i hear from no one
Where do we go from here? could you tell me, someone
La la la la la la la la la, i'd go anywhere

(the | means a new measure and the / means the bass note on the current chord.)

Intro: |bb eb9 |bb eb9 |bb eb9 |bb eb9 |
|g-7 |g-7 |d-7 |d-7 |
Julie and little john tyler lived in the house next door
G-7 d-7 |g-7 d-7 |e-7b5 |eb-j7 |
We would be the great triangle and to this we swore
D- |ebj7 |bb d-/a |g- |
Julie was my sweetheart, little john was my cohort
C /bb |/a /g |f |f |
And all the wild horses in the world couldn't keep us apart
Gb |gb |bb ebadd2 |bb ebadd2
Once we went for a swim in the noonday sun
|gb |gb |bb ebadd2 |bb ebadd2 |
And promised to return before the moon struck one
Bb ebadd2 |bb ebadd2 ||gb |gb |eb-7 |eb-7 ||

Julie came running through the pasture--she was screaming at the sky
She fell down to her knees and the tears did fly
Little john was stung by a snake over by the lake
And it looked like he s really, really hurt--he was lying in the dirt
Who, we went it as fast as we could run
|bb ebadd2 |bb ebadd2 |
But we lost little john as the moon struck one
Bb ebadd2 |bb ebadd2 ||gb |gb |eb-7 |eb-7

I was vacant, julie was a bird with a broken wing
We were always afraid of what tomorrow might bring
We'll drive down to durango--up and leave this place
And maybe forget the triangle with a change of pace
The car broke down when we had just begun
|bb ebadd2 |
And we walked back to the house while the moon struck one
Bb ebadd2 |[7x] then g-7

(the | means a new measure and the / means the bass note on the current chord.)

[piano intro slow gospel thang]

Starts 3/4

Improv/no time
F |bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
The ladies would put the baskets on the table
F |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a
And the men would sit beneath a shady tree
|bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
The children would listen to a fable
Bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
While something else came through to me
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
The river got no end, just roll around the bend
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
Then pretty soon the women would all join in
|f |f
On the river hymn...

|c/g /e |/c / |f/a / |f/f / |
The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
C/g /e |/c / |f/a |c |f
We are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks

|3/4 bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
The voice of the rapids will echo
F |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a |
And ricochet like an old water well
Bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
Who d ever want to let go
Bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
Once you sit beneath its spell
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
It's dark and wide and deep, towards the sea it creeps
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
I'm so glad i brought along my mandolin
|f |f d |
To play the river hymn...

G |g c |
You can ride on it or drink it
F |/ / g g/b |
Poison it or dam it
C |/ / f f/a |
Fish in it and wash in it
Bb |c
Swim in it and you can die in it
|f |c |f ||
Run, you river, run

3/4 bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
Son, you ain't never seen yourself
F |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a |
No crystal mirror can show it clear, come over here instead
Bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
Son, you ain't never eased yourself
Bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
Til you laid it down in a river bed
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
If you hear a lonesome drone, it's as common as a stone
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
And gets louder as the day grows dim
|f |f
That's the river hymn...
|c/g /e |/c / |f/a / |f/f / |
The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
C/g /e |/c / |f/a |c ||f |f ||
We are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks

(intro) c f f#dim c am d7 f c f

[c]bessie was [c/g#)more than [am]just a [d7]friend of mine [f] [g]
[c]we shared the [e]good times with the [am]bad [d7] [f]
[c]now [c/g#]many a [am]year has [d7]passed me by [f] [g]
[c]i still re[e]call the best [am]thing i ever had [f] [g]

[c]i'm just goin' down the road t' see [f]bessie
[c]oh, see her soon [g] (riff)
[c]goin' down the road t' see [f]bessie [f#dim]smith
When i [c]get [am]there i [d7]wonder [f]what she'll do [c] [f]

Now all the crazy things i had to try
Well i tried them all and then some
But if you're lucky one day you find out
Where it is you're really comin' from

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

Now in my day i've made some foolish moves
But back then, i didn't worry 'bout a thing
And now again i still wonder to myself
Was it her sweet love or the way that she could sing

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

There's so much time has gone right on by
I didn't think one could be so wrong
And then one night i was drinkin' and a-thinkin'
In the bottom of the glass i could see bessie's face so strong

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

When she sees me will she know what i've been through?
Will old times start to feelin' like new?
When i get there will our love still feel so true?
Yet all i have, i'll be a-bringin' it to you
Oh bessie, sing them old-time blues

I was thinkin' out loud
Talking to myself
I was up on a cloud
There was nobody else
No, no i did not call
I never was allowed
To speak up at all
I was just thinkin' out loud

Transylvania train, circus never came
The heroes are all gone
No trampoline, fell without a scream
Who's looking for a job

Before i realized, i was hypnotized
Flashback to the past
Cross-eyed jack, monkey on his back
We knew it would not last

Room service gone off duty
The bellman has retired
This hotel is a beauty
Even the house dick's been fired
Then the sky came crashing down
And knocked me off this cloud
When i fell to the ground
I was just thinkin' out loud

D a d a e
(no chord) a d a
Oh, the streets of rome are filled with rubble,
E a d
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
A d a
You could almost think that your seeing double,
E a
On the cold, dark night on the spanish stairs.
E a
Gotta hurry on back to my hotel room,
E a d
Where i got me a date with a pretty little girl from greece.
A d a
She promised she'd be there with me,
E a
When i paint my masterpiece.
D a d a e
(no chord) a d a
Oh, the hours we spent, inside the coliseum.
E a
Dodging lions, and a-wasting time,
D a d a
Oh those mighty kings of the jungle, i could hardly stand to see'em
E a
Yes it sure has been a long, hard drive.
E a
Train wheels a-running thru the back of my memory,
E a d
When i ran on a hilltop following a pack of wild geese,
A d a
Someday everything is gonna sound like a rhapsody
E a
When i paint my masterpiece.
Am c#m
Sailing round the world in a dirty gondola,
D bb e d c#m d e
Oh to be back in the land of, coca-cola.
D a d a
Well i left rome, and landed in brussels,
E a
On a plane ride so bumby that i almost cried,
D a d a
Clergy men in uniform, and young girls pulling mussels,
E a
Everyone was there to greet me when i stepped inside,
E a
Newspaper men eating candy,
E a d
Had to be held down by big police.
A d a e a
Someday, its gonna be different, when i paint my masterpiece.