The Blessings
Words and music by Dar Williams
From Mortal City

Transcription by:  Brian Weiland <weiland@vineyard.net>

     Throughout this transcription, major chords are designated by upper case letters, and minor chords are designated by lower 
case letters.  Also, if you're panicking at all those f# minor and b minor chords, go to the end and I will tell you how to 
cheat.  =)

Intro:     G       D    f#      b       G    A


If you're (G) gonna get your heart broke, you'd better do it (D) just right, (f#) 
It's gotta be (b) raining, and you gotta move your (G) stuff thaiyat (A) night,
And the (b) only friend you can reach isn't a (G) good friend at (A) all,
and you (b) know when he says "Now, who dumped who?"
that you (G) never should have made that (A) call.

I had (G) blessings, there's nobody (D) there, there's nobody (f#) home,
Yeah the (b) blessings, at the (G) moment I was (A) most alone
And (b) aimless as a full time fool, the (D) joke was on (A) me,
I've got (b) all those birds flying (G) off of that tree, (A)
and that's a (G) blessing.     (D)     (f#)          (b)     (G)   (A)

And the (G) blessings were like poets that we (D) never find time to (f#) know.
But (b) when time stopped I found the place where the (G) poiyeiets (A) go.
And they (b) said, "Here, have some coffee, 
It's straight, (G) black and very (A) old."
And they (b) gave me sticks and rocks and stars 
And (G) all that I could (A) hold,
I had the (G) blessings, a moment of (D) peace even when the night (f#) ends,
Yeah the (b) blessings, can we (G) meet?  Can we (A) meet again,
At the (b) crossroads of disaster and the (D) imperfect (A) smile,
With the (b) angel in the streetlamp that blinks (G) on as I walk (A) on a mile,
the (G) blessings.     (D)     (f#)          (b)          (G)     (A)

And the (b) best ones were the ones I got to (G) keep as I grew (A) strong,
And the (b) days that opened up until my (G) whole life could (A) belong,
It's like getting the (G) answers, when I don't (D) need them anymore (f#),
I'm finding the (b) pictures, and I finally (G) know what I (f#) kept them for.
I  (b) remember, I can (D) see them (A), 
See them (b) smiling, see them stuck.  See them (G) try, I wish them (A) luck
and all the (G) blessings.     (D)     (f#)          (b)          (G)     (A)
                                   
I was (G) fast asleep at three in the morning 
when I (D) got the pay phone (f#) call,
And she (b) said "Did I wake you up?" I said, "Hey, (G) no, not at (A) all."
And she (b) said, "I got this suitcase and I (G) don't know what to (A) pack,"
And I (b) said, "You can take anything you want.  (G)     (A)
Just wait and (G) see,  it's not a release (D), not a reward (A), 
It's the (b) blessings, it's the (G) gift of what you (A) notice more,"
And I (b) walked out and I watched her kick the (D) big pile of the (A) night,
And we (b) sat down and we waited for that (G) strange and empty (A) light.
Yeah, the (G) blessings...   (D)     (f#)
See them (b) smiling, see them stuck, see them (D) try, I wish them (A) luck 
and all the (G) blessings.     (D)     (f#)     (b)

==========================================================
          Dar's guitar is mixed pretty low for this, and there 
is one thing I'm not absolutely sure about.  In the places where 
I've written Bm, D, A instead of the Bm, G, A that is the prevailing 
pattern, it is possible that only Zev Katz' bass line plays this 
variation, while Dar kept playing Bm, G, A.  If you're used to 
hearing the recorded version, though, the D chord sounds right.
          Now, about that cheat I promised...don't tell your guitar 
teacher I suggested this, but...
          1 - Put a capo on your second fret
          2 - Transpose all written chords down one whole step; that is:
                    When you see a G, Play F
                    When you see a D, Play C
                    When you see an f# minor, Play e minor
                    When you see a b minor, Play a minor
                    When you see an A, Play G
          3 - Enjoy playing!

Transcription By: Paul Pfaffenberger

  D                          A                      D      A
Tonight was just great, she taught us the sign for peace
           D                         A               
Now she's made us some popcorn we've turned out the lights
           Bm       F#m
And we're watching movies
   G                        Em         A
I don't understand and she tries to explain
       G                           Em         A
How a spaceship is riding through somebody'y brain
             D         A     G   A
And there's blood and guts, Oh

 D                       Bm         A
She's the best one that we've ever had
     G                          Em         A
She sits on her hair and she's tall as my dad
         G                          A
And she tie-dyed my shirt, and she pierced her own ear
          Bm         F#m           G    A       D      A
And it's peace man, cool yah, the babysitter's here

     D                       A                      D       A
Her boyfriend is Tom but we call him "the king of romance"
    D                 A                       Bm        F#m
He wears an American flag on the butt of his ripped up pants   and
 G                          Em            A
Will they get married with kids of their own
         G                     Em          A
He says not if she's going to college we won't and he
 D      A    G    A 
Kisses her  oh

 D                       Bm         A
She's the best one that we've ever had
     G                          Em         A
She sits on her hair and she's tall as my dad
         G                      A
And she got mad at dinner when Tom drank a beer
     Bm         F#m           G   A        D
But peace man, cool hey, the babysitter's here

        G                      A
And we all went to see her go dance at the high school
    Bm        F#m
We made her a big card
         G                         A                   Bm    F#m
And she told us that she'd be the unicorn wearing the pink leotard  and
 G                        Em            A
There she was leaping up just like she said
        G                     Em         A
With a sparkling horn coming out of her head
           D      A    G     A  
And she's   ...   oh  ....

 

          D                       A                          D    A
But it's Saturday night, I can't sleep and I'm watching the news
         D                   A                        Bm       F#m
She says do me a favor don't go with a guy who would make you choose  and 
   G                        Em         A
I don't understand and she tries to explain
     G                      Em          A               D      A    G   A
And all that mascara runs down in her pain cause she's leaving me

D                        Bm          A
You're the best one that we've ever had
     G                           Em         A
You sit on your hair and you're tall as my dad
          G                      Em           A
And I'll make you a picture for college next year
    Bm        F#m            G   A        D    Bm
So hush now, peace man, the babysitter's here
     G        A        D
The best babysitter's here

This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song.
You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.
Words and music copyright © 2000- Burning Field Music (administered by Bug Music).