Artist: Townes Van Zandt
Song: Waiting Around to Die
Transcribed by: Vegard Gilja (12th of april, 2007)
Comment:
There are at least 4 quite different versions of this song, but I believe this
qualifies as a BASIC version of how Townes plays it in the legendary clip from the
movie "Heartworn Highways". The clip is also to be seen in the newer documentary
about Townes' life; "Be Here To Love Me". Note that Townes plays with alot of
variations throughout the song, mostly by using hammer-ons on various positions.
The chords in the brackets assemble the shape of the chord when the capo is
assigned. In his own words, this was "the first serious song" Townes ever wrote.
Standard tuning (EADGBE) - 4/4
(Capo 4)
[Verse]
C#m (Am)
e|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
B|-------1-------1-------1-------1-|-------1-------1-------1-------1-|
G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------|
E|---------0---------------0-------|---------0---------------0-------|
F#m (Dm) C#m (Am)
e|---1-------1-------1-------1-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
B|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|-------1-------1-------1-------0-|
G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
D|-0---------------0---------------|---------------------------------|
A|---------0---------------0-------|-0---------------0---------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------0---------------0-------|
G#m (Em) C#m (Am)
e|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
B|-------0-------0-------0-------0-|-------1-------1-------1-------0-|
G|-----0-------0-------0-------0---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
D|---------2-----------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-2---------------2---------------|-0---------------0---------------|
E|-------------------------3-------|---------0---------------0-------|
F#m (Dm) C#m (Am) G#m (Em)
e|---1-------1-------1-------1-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
B|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|-------1-------1-------0-------0-|
G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------0-------0---|
D|-0---------------0---------------|---------2-----------------------|
A|---------0---------------0-------|-0---------------2---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------3-------|
C#m (Am)
e|---0-------0-------0---------0---||
B|-------1-------1-------1-------0-||
G|-----2-------2-------2-----------o|
D|---------------------------------o|
A|-0---------------0---------------||
E|---------0---------------0h3-----|| (repeat)
Lyrics:
C#m F#m
Sometimes I don't know where this dirty road is taking me
C#m G#m
Sometimes I don't even know the reason why
C#m
I guess I'll keep a'gambling
F#m
Lots of booze and lots of rambling
C#m G#m C#m
It's easier than just a-waitin' around to die
One-time friends I had a ma, I even had a pa
He beat her with a belt once cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
She headed down to Tennessee
It's easier than just a-waitin' 'round to die
I came of age and found a girl in a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit it on the sly
I tried to kill the pain
I bought some wine and hopped a train
Seemed easier than just a-waitin' 'round to die
A friend said he knew where some easy money was
We robbed a man and brother did we fly
The posse caught up with me
Drug me back to Muskogee
It's two long years, just a-waitin' 'round to die
Now I'm out of prison, I got me a friend at last
He don't steal or cheat or drink or lie
His name's codeine
He's the nicest thing I've seen
Together we're gonna wait around and die
