Terrarium
Words and music by Dar Williams
From I Have No History

Transcription by: Ron Greitzer
Date: May 2001

(First verse is sung a cappella, second verse just picks the bass note of each chord, and the rest of the song is fingerpicked.)

It's another world we live in here so radical and clean
Every Saturday we protest things out on the campus green
And we came from far to find this place where hearts and minds are free
And we walk together on the grass in peaceful anarchy

Where the (F)things we've a(G)massed are unde(C)niably sur(Am)passed
By the (F)value of our (G)goals and how (C)high we can (Am)reach
So when (F)no one can (G)pass Professor (C)Leon Siegel's (Am)class
It's o(F)kay because we (G)still absorb the (F)great things (G)he can (C)teach

We send our (F)greetings (G)from the (C)terrari(Am)um
That (F)earthy college (G)paradise where (C)kids can work and (Am)play
But you know that (F)when we leave (G)from this ter(C)rari(Am)um
We're told that (F)we are going to (G)save the (F)world some(C)day

It's an(C)other world we live in 'midst the (Am)placid greenery
We can (F)talk about disaster and admire the scen(C)ery
When we cannot find an answer to our (Am)Nicaraguan war
We can (F)order out for pizza and deliver it some (C)more

But while (F)nothing much gets (G)done and what we (C)do just (C/B)looks like (Am)fun
You must re(F)member what we (G)do is more (C)important (C/B)than it (Am)sounds
For when a (F)case is well (G)done in Consti(C)tution (C/B)10(Am)1
We know that (F)bigger trials are (G)possible to (F)win on bigger (C)grounds

We extend our (F)greetings (G)from the ter(C)ra(C/B)ri(Am)um
That (F)earthy college (G)paradise where (C)kids can (C/B)work and (Am)play
But you know that (F)when we leave (G)from this ter(C)ra(C/B)ri(Am)um(F)
We're told that we are going to (G)save the (F)world some(C)day

There's a (C)fear that you will sell your dreams for (Am)stock and cut your hair
As you (F)throw your graduation cap up in the real world (C)air
Then you see a man in uniform ap(Am)proaching your best friend
As he (F)shakes the woman's hand he says "We need a few good (C)men"

And it (F)really breaks your (G)heart to know she (C)majored (C/B)in Greek (Am)art
And now your (F)pacifistic (G)friend asks for his (C)card just (C/B)like a (Am)queen
Yeah, but (F)then you'll watch her (G)smile and start to (C)shred that little (Am)card apart
And the (F)small white pieces (G)flutter down like (F)doves upon the (C)green

We still get (F)greetings (G)from the ter(C)ra(C/B)ri(Am)um
That (F)earthy college (G)paradise that (C)we all (C/B)loved and (Am)ran
And you know that (F)now that we're (G)gone from the ter(C)ra(C/B)ri(Am)um(F)
We may not save the world but (G)we know that we'll (F)do the best we (C)can


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 © 1990 Burning Field Music (administered by Bug Music).


Last updated May 9, 2001
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