Townes Van Zandt – To Live Is To Fly (Guitar)
Key
-
Versions
(2)
Guitar
Ukulele Live
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Speed:
1.0x
Chords
To Live Is To Fly (live at The Old Quarter)
**Notes** On the verse, Townes often slides up and down the neck between
a G major (Gmaj) chord on the 7th & 8th frets and an open D chord.
It's a D shape open chord on the 7th fret. Just play a D on the first
4 strings with the "D" (4th) string played open. Don't strum the "A" (5th), and big E (6th) strings.
Gmaj
6th 7th 8th
e|----]--2--]-----|
B|----]-----]--3--|
G|----]--1--]-----|
D|----]--0--]-----|
A|----]-----]-----|
E|----]-----]-----|He also plays a little riff when going from G to D at end of the verse.
The tab for the riff...
e|--x------------------2-| B|--x------------------3-| G|--x--------------2---2-| D|--0---0-2-0----0-------| A|--2----------2---------| E|--3--------------------|
Also, remember, Townes fingerpicked so to get it real close you have to do that. Playing live, he also
improvised slightly on different recordings.
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[Intro]
e|--------7----------2-------------------------2--| B|--------8----------3-------------------------3--| G|-----7--7------2---2----------------------2--2--| D|--0---------0----------0-----0-2-0-----0--------| A|--------------------------0---------2-----------| E|------------------------------------------------|
[Verse 1]
Gmaj D Won't say I love you babe, Gmaj D Won't say I need you babe, D A G D But I'm gonna get you babe, and I will not do you wrong. Gmaj D Livin's mostly wasting time, Gmaj D And I waste my share of mine, D A G D But it never feels too good, so let's don't take too long.
[Bridge 1]
G D G A Well you're soft as glass, and I'm a gentle man, D A G D A G D And we got the sky to talk about, and the world to lie upon.
[Verse 2]
Gmaj D Gmaj D Days up and down they come, like rain on a conga drum, D A G D Forget most, remember some but don't turn none away. Gmaj D Gmaj D Everything is not enough, and nothin' is too much to bear, D A G D Where you've been is good and gone all you keep is the gettin' there.
[Chorus 1]
G D G A Well to live is to fly, all low and high, D A So shake the dust off of your wings, G D A G D And the sleep out of your eyes.
[Verse 3]
Gmaj D Gmaj D It's good-bye to all my friends, it's time to go again, D A G D I'll think of all the poetry, and the pickin' down the line. Gmaj D Gmaj D I'll miss the system here, the bottom's low and the treble's clear, D A G D But it don't pay to think too much on the things you leave behind.
[Bridge 2]
G D G A Well I may be gone, but it won't be long, D A G D A G D A G D I'll be a-bringing back the melody, and the rhythm that I find.
[Verse 4]
Gmaj D Gmaj D We all got holes to fill, and them holes are all that's real, D A G D And some fall on you like a storm, sometimes you dig your own. Gmaj D Gmaj D The choice is yours to make, and time is yours to take, D A G D Some dive into the sea, some toil upon the stone.
[Final chorus]
G D G A Well to live is to fly, all low and high, D A So shake the dust off of your wings, G D and the sleep out of you eyes. D A Well shake the dust off of your wings, G D A G D And the tears out of your eyes...