Music From Big Pink

A a/d a a/d a
(intro)
A bm e d
Ferdinand standing in the tower thinkin how to get the power

Empress knows that it would cost her
For ferdinand the imposter
Came to me to make a deal,
Dressed like general butterfield.
A bm d e
Couldnt wait to thank him for the stuffed birds and rubber door

A g d
Donated to him from the poor
D a
But its just his game
D a
And he carries no shame
A g d
Still, he done nobody wrong
D a
He knew he didn't belong
D a
But he went along
C#m
D e e7
Looking to see if there's somebody else he'd like to be

Benny the barber, luke and me,
Passed out tickets cautiously,
To see the burning of the soup,
Down at lucy's chicken coop.
Then of course ferdinand,
Started out doing charlie chan.
That last atlas honkey's fall,
He says he's gonna do them all.

A voice just said he's not for real,
But its just his game,
And he carries no shame.
Still he done nobody wrong,
He knew he didn't belong,
But he went along.
Lookin' to see if there's somebody,
Else he'd like to be.

C#m bm
Oh its hard, oh, don't you know
C#m bm
To be somebody that you dont even know
A d
But he's friendly, yes he's kind
B e e7
I can't help wonderin why they'd want to change his mind

Got a message in the mail,
Ferdinand was thrown in jail.
I left the snow with abigail,
Went on down to fix his bail.
They had him locked in a gunny sack,
His hands were tied behind his back.
He claimed he was a doukhobor (*)
But they never heard of that in baltimore.
The police said he'd better go home,
And he went back alone,
Back to the snow.

Still he done nobody wrong,
He knew he didn't belong,
But he went along.
Lookin' to see if there's somebody,
Else he'd like to be,
Mainly free.

C e7 am fmaj7 bb c
Lonesome suzie, never got the breaks
E7 am g
She's always losing so she sits and cries and shakes
C e7 am f bb c
It's so hard just to watch her, and if i touch her
Eb bb c am c g c
Oh, poor suzie, i'm wondrin' what to do

She just sits there, hoping for a friend
I don't fit here, but i may have a friend to lend
Maybe i mistook her, but i can't overlook her
Must be someone who can pull her through

E7 am fmaj7 bb c
Anyone who's felt that bad could tell me what to say
E7 am g
Even if she'd just get mad, she might be better off that way
C e7 am
And where is all the understanding
Fmaj7 bb c
Her problems can't be that demanding
Eb bb c am
Why is it she looks that way
C gsus4 c
Every time she starts to cry?

Lonesome suzie, i can't watch you cry no longer
If you can use me until you feel a little stronger
I guess just watching you has made me lonesome too
Why don't we get together,
Dm7 g7 c
What else can we do?

D em7 d g
We can talk about it now
A
It's that same old riddle only starting from the middle
D em d g
I'd fix it but i don't know how
A
Well, we could try to reason but you might think it's treason
G
One voice for all
F e7 a
Echoing across the hall
Bm g
Don't give up on father clock
A d a
We can talk about it now
D em d g
Come, let me show you how
A
To keep the wheels turnin' you've got to keep the engine churnin'
D em d g
Did you ever milk a cow
A
I had the chance one day but i was all dressed up for sunday
G f
Everybody, everywhere
E7 a
Do you really care
Bm g
Pick up your heads and walk
A d g7
We can talk about it now
C e7 f
It seems to me we've been holding something underneath our tongues
C e7
I'm afraid if you ever got a pat on the back
F g
It would likely burst your lungs
A e7 a e7
Woh, stop me, if i should sound kinda down in the mouth
A e7 a
But i'd rather be burned in canada than to freeze here in the south
D em dm g
Pulling that eternal plough
A
We've got to find a sharper blade or have a new one made
D em d g
Rest awhile and cool your brow
A
Don't need it, no need to slave, the whip is in the grave
G f
No salt, no trance
E7 a
It's safe now to take a backward glance
Bm g
The leaves have turned to chalk
A d a d
We can talk about it now,
A d
We can talk about it now

Chorus:
I've got the key to the highway,
Packed up and bound to go.
I'm gonna leave here running,
Cause walking is most too slow.

I'm going back down to the border
Where i must fairly go(?)
Cause you ain't done nothing but
Drive a good man away from home.

So give me one more, one more kiss, baby
Just before i go
I'll be back out on the highway,
That's the only place i know.

And when the moon creeps over my room, honey,
I'll be on my way.
I'm gonna roam this old highway
Until the break of day.

Chorus.

Well, its so long, so long, baby.
I must say goodbye.
I gotta roam, roam this highway
Until the day i die.

B
Forefather pointed to kingdom come
F#
Sadly told his only son
A
Just be careful what you do
"robbie lick"
It all comes back on you.


False witness spread the news
Somebody's gonna lose
Either she or me or you,
Nothing we can do.

(chorus)

A e
Don't you say a word
A e
Or reveal a thing you've learned
A g#m c#m
Time will tell you well
F#m a b
If you truly, truly fell


Tarred and feathered, yea!
Thistles and thorns,
One or the other
He kindly warns.

Now you look out the window tell me
What do you see?
I see a golden calf pointing
Back at me.

I been sitting in here for so darn long
Waitin' for the end to come along.
Holy roaster on the brink
Take a chance, swim or sink.

False witness, cast an evil eye
Said i cannot tell a lie,
Haints and saints don't bother me
I'm not alone you see.

(chorus)


Haints: dialect word for haunts i.e. ghosts.

G
Ten years ago on a cool dark night
D c g
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light
G
There were few at the scene and they all did agree
D c g
That the man who ran looked a lot like me

The judge said "son, what is your alibi?
If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"
I spoke not a word although it meant my life
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife

C g c g
She walks these hills in a long black veil
C g c g
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
G c g
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
C g d c
Nobody knows but me

The scaffold was high and eternity neared
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
In a long black veil she cries over my bones

Am
If your memory serves you well
Bo7
We're going to meet again and wait
E
So i'm going to unpack all my things
F dm am
And sit before it gets too late
C am
No man alive will come to you
C am
With another tale to tell
C a
And you know that we shall meet again
F dm am
If your memory serves you well

Chorus:
Dm f c g g7
This wheel's on fire, rolling down the road
C g f c
Best notify my next of kin
F g a
This wheel shall explode!

If your memory serves you well, i was going to confiscate your lace
And wrap it up in a sailor's knot and hide it in your case
If i knew for sure that it was yours, and it was oh so hard to tell
And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well

(chorus)

If your memory serves you well, you'll remember that you're the one
Who called on them to call on me to get you your favours done
And after every plan had failed and there was nothing more to tell
And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well

(chorus)

C em f dm
Once i walked through the halls of a station
G c7
Someone called your name
C em f dm
In the street i heard children laughing
G c7
They all sound the same
C f
Wonder, could you ever know me
C g
Know the reason why i live
C f
Is there nothing you can show me
Eb f/g c
Life seems so little to give

Once i climbed up the face of a mountain
And ate the wild fruit there
Fell asleep until the moonlight woke me
And i could taste your hair
Isn't everybody dreaming!
Then the voice i hear is real
Out of all the idle scheming
Can't we have something to feel

Once upon a time leaves me empty
Tomorrow never comes
I could sing the sound of your laughter
Still i don't know your name
Must be some way to repay you
Out of all the good you gave
If a rumour should delay you
Love seems so little to save

G c
She reads the leaves and she leads the life
G d
That she learned so well from the old wives
Em d c d
It's so strange to arrange it, you know i wouldn't change it
Em d c d
But hear me if you're near me, can i just rearrange it?
G7
The watchman covers me
G7
With his remedy
G7
I can't see and it's hard to feel
D c d g
I think his magic might be real

I can't get to you from your garden gate
You know it's always locked by the magistrate
Now he don't care why you cry, he thinks it's just a lie
To get out, i don't doubt that you'd make a try
If the good times get you through
I know the dogs won't bother you
We'll be gone in moonshine time
I've got a place they'll never find

You know i do believe in your hexagram
But can you tell me how they all knew the plan?
Did you trip or slip on their gifts, you know you were just a con?
You knew it, why d'you do it, i've been hiding in the dark
Now i must be on my way
I guess you really have to stay
Inside the mission law
Down in modock, arkansas