Grateful Dead – Terrapin Station (Guitar)

G                  Dm            Am     G          F
Let my inspiration flow in token rhyme, suggesting rhythm,

F              C                  F                C  C F G C Dm7
That will not forsake me, till my tale is told and done.

G                     Dm                     Am       G
While the firelight’s aglow, strange shadows from the flames will

F
grow,

F                       C              F
Till things we’ve never seen will seem familiar.

G                     Dm                 Am        G        F
Shadows of a sailor, forming winds both foul and fair all swarm.

F                     C             F       C  C F G C Dm7
Down in Carlisle, he loved a lady many years ago.

G                        Dm              Am        G       F
Here beside him stands a man, a soldier from the looks of him,

F                       C                  F
Who came through many fights, but lost at love.

G                     Dm               Am         G     F
While the storyteller speaks, a door within the fire creaks;

F               C           F                  C  C F G C Dm7
Suddenly flies open, and a girl is standing there.

G                          Dm              Am     G       F
Eyes alight, with glowing hair, all that fancy paints as fair,

F                       C                 F
She takes her fan and throws it, in the lion’s den.

G                         Dm               Am         G     F
Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?

F                   C           F                     C  C F G C Dm7
I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance.

G                           Dm               Am     G        F
The sailor gave at least a try, the soldier being much too wise,

F                   C                 F
Strategy was his strength, and not disaster.

G                        Dm               Am     G     F
The sailor, coming out again, the lady fairly leapt at him.

F                     C             F              C  C F G C Dm7
That’s how it stands today. You decide if he was wise.

G                          Dm               Am       G        F
The storyteller makes no choice. Soon you will not hear his voice.

F                     C                 F
His job is to shed light, and not to master.

F                      Dm      C7                     C
Since the end is never told, we pay the teller off in gold,

F                            Dm    E
In hopes he will return, but he cannot be bought or sold.

E    A               D         E                   A
Inspiration, move me brightly. Light the song with sense and color;

A                  E         A               E
Hold away despair, more than this I will not ask.

E          F#m       A        D C#m Bm E                    A
Faced with mysteries dark and vast,    statements just seem vain

   D C#m Bm
at last.

A    Bm    A    Bm    A    Bm               A
Some rise, some fall, some climb, to get to terrapin.

E        A              E              F#m     A      D C#m Bm
Counting stars by candlelight, all are dim but one is bright;

E                   A             D                 E
The spiral light of Venus, rising first and shining best,

E   A                  E            F#m       A        D C#m Bm
On, from the northwest corner, of a brand new crescent moon,

E                  A       D A E
While crickets and cicadas sing, a rare and different tune,

E        B  A
Terrapin station.

E             B      E              B  A
In the shadow of the moon, terrapin station.

A                D        E
And I know we’ll be there soon, terrapin…

E
I can’t figure out, terrapin, if it’s the end or beginning, terrapin,

E
But the train’s put it’s brakes on, terrapin,

E                             D
And the whistle is screaming, terrapin.