Music From Big Pink Chords

Standard (EADGBE)

 We Ccarried you in our Amarms on FIndependence DmDay

A♯ And now you'd throw us all Faside and Cput us all away

 Oh, what dear daughter 'neath the Amsun could Ftreat a father so?Dm

A♯ To wait upon him Fhand and foot and Calways tell him "No"

(Chorus:)

E7 Tears of rage,Am tears of grief

F Why must I alwaysC be the thief?

E7 Come to me now, you know we'reAm so low

F And life is C7brief F7M C

It was all very painless

When you went out to receive

All that false instruction

Which we never could believe

And now the heart is filled with gold

As if it was a purse

But, oh, what kind of love is this

Which goes from bad to worse?

(Chorus)

We pointed you the way to go

And scratched your name in sand

Though you just thought it was nothing more

Than a place for you to stand

I want you to know that while we watched

You discovered no one would be true

And I myself was among

The ones who thought

It was just a childish thing to do

(Chorus)

Track 2. To Kingdom Come

by J.R.Robertson. Album: Music from Big Pink

The "Robbie Lick" for the end of every fourth line in a verse is an E chord, and then an

D7 chord, and then that D7 chord slid up two frets. Robbie also does this in "Caledonia

but in G instead of E. Also, the piano puts in chords that the guitar doesn't play.

BForefather pointed to kingdom come

F♯Sadly told his only son

AJust be careful what you do

"Robbie Lick"

It all comes back on you.

False witness spread the news

Somebody's gonna lose

Either she or me or you,

Nothing we can do.

(Chorus)

ADon't you say aE word

 Or reveAal a thing Eyou've learned

ATime will telG♯ml you weC♯mll

 If you trF♯muly, truAly feBll

Tarred and feathered, yea!

Thistles and thorns,

One or the other

He kindly warns.

Now you look out the window tell me

What do you see?

I see a golden calf pointing

Back at me.

I been sitting in here for so darn long

Waitin' for the end to come along.

Holy roaster on the brink

Take a chance, swim or sink.

False witness, cast an evil eye

said I cannot tell a lie,

Haints and saints don't bother me

I'm not alone you see.

(Chorus)

haints: dialect word for haunts i.e. ghosts.

Track 3. In A Station

by Richard Manuel. Album: Music from Big Pink

C Once I Emwalked through the Fhalls of a Dmstation

G Someone called your C7name

C In the Emstreet I heard Fchildren Dmlaughing

G They all sound the C7same

C Wonder, could you ever Fknow me

C Know the reason why I Glive

C Is there nothing you can Fshow me

D♯Life seems so F/Glittle to Cgive

Once I climbed up the face of a mountain

And ate the wild fruit there

Fell asleep until the moonlight woke me

And I could taste your hair

Isn't everybody dreaming!

Then the voice I hear is real

Out of all the idle scheming

Can't we have something to feel

Once upon a time leaves me empty

Tomorrow never comes

I could sing the sound of your laughter

Still I don't know your name

Must be some way to repay you

Out of all the good you gave

If a rumour should delay you

Love seems so little to save

Track 4. Caledonia Mission

by J.R. Robertson. Album: Music from Big Pink

For an analysis of the lyrics, and more, see Peter Viney's article on "Caledonia Mission".

 She Greads the leaves and she Cleads the life

 That she Glearned so well from the Dold wives

 It's so Emstrange to arDrange it,C you know I wouldn't Dchange it

 But Emhear me if you're Dnear me,C can I just rearDrange it?

G7 The watchman covers me

G7With his remedy

G7I can't see and it's hard to feel

D I think his magic Cmight be Dreal G

I can't get to you from your garden gate

You know it's always locked by the magistrate

Now he don't care why you cry, he thinks it's just a lie

To get out, I don't doubt that you'd make a try

If the good times get you through

I know the dogs won't bother you

We'll be gone in moonshine time

I've got a place they'll never find

You know I do believe in your hexagram

But can you tell me how they all knew the plan?

Did you trip or slip on their gifts, you know you were just a con?

You knew it, why d'you do it, I've been hiding in the dark

Now I must be on my way

I guess you really have to stay

Inside the mission law

Down in Modock, Arkansas

Track 5. The Weight

by J.R.Robertson. Album: Music from Big Pink

A I pulled into NC♯mazareth, was Dfeelin' about half pastA dead;

 I just need some C♯mplace whereD I can lay myA head.

 "Hey, mister, can you C♯mtell me where a Dman might find a bAed?"

 He just grinned and C♯mshook my hand, and D"No!", was all he said.A

(Chorus:)

A Take a Eload off DFanny,A take a Eload for Dfree;

A E D

  Take a loAadD off Fanny, And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me.

A E D A D

I picked up my bag, I went lookin' for a place to hide;

When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side.

I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on, let's go downtown."

She said, "I gotta go, but m'friend can stick around."

(Chorus)

Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say

It's just ol' Luke, and Luke's waitin' on the Judgement Day.

"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"

He said, "Do me a favor, son, woncha stay an' keep Anna Lee company?"

(Chorus)

Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog.

He said, "I will fix your rack, if you'll take Jack, my dog."

I said, "Wait a minute, Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man."

He said, "That's okay, boy, won't you feed him when you can."

(Chorus)

Catch a cannon ball now, t'take me down the line

My bag is sinkin' low and I do believe it's time.

To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one.

Who sent me here with her regards for everyone.

(Chorus)

Track 6. We Can Talk

by Richard Manuel. Album: Music from Big Pink

For more about this song, see Peter Viney's article on "We Can Talk".

DWe can talk aEm7bout Dit Gnow

 It's that Asame old riddle only starting from the middle

 I'd Dfix it but I Emdon't Dknow Ghow

 Well, we Acould try to reason but you might think it's treason

G One voice for all

F E7Echoing across the Ahall

BmDon't give up on Gfather clock

AWe can talk about it nowD A

DCome, let me Emshow Dyou Ghow

 To Akeep the wheels turnin' you've got to keep the engine churnin'

 DidD you ever Emmilk Da Gcow

 I Ahad the chance one day but I was all dressed up for Sunday

G Everybody, everyFwhere

E7Do you really Acare

BmPick up your heads and Gwalk

AWe can talk about it now D G7

 It Cseems to me we've been E7holding somethingF underneath our tongues

 I'm aCfraid if you ever got a E7pat on the back

 It would Flikely burst your Glungs

 Woh,A stop me, if E7I should sound kindaA down in the E7mouth

 But I'd Arather be burned in E7Canada than to Afreeze here in the south

DPulling that eEmternDmal Gplough

 We've got to Afind a sharper blade or have a new one made

DRest awhile and Emcool Dyour Gbrow

 Don't need it, Ano need to slave, the whip is in the grave

G No salt, no Ftrance

 It's E7safe now to take a Abackward glance

 The Bmleaves have turned to Gchalk

AWe can talk about it now,D A D

AWe can talk about it nowD

Track 6. Long Black Veil

by M.J.Wilkin and D.Dill. Album: Music from Big Pink

GTen years ago on a cool dark night

 There was Dsomeone killed 'neath the Ctown hall Glight

GThere were few at the scene and they all did agree

 That the Dman who ran looked a Clot like Gme

The judge said "Son, what is your alibi?

If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"

I spoke not a word although it meant my life

I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife

 She Cwalks these Ghills in a Clong black Gveil

 She Cvisits my Ggrave where the Cnight winds Gwail

GNobody knows, no, and Cnobody Gsees

CNobody Gknows Dbut Cme

The scaffold was high and eternity neared

She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear

But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans

In a long black veil she cries over my bones

Track 7. Chest Fever

by J.R. Robertson. Album: Music from Big Pink

For more about this song, see Peter Viney's notes on "Chest Fever".

E D/E A/E

E D/E A/E

 I kDnoEw she's a tracker, any scarlet would back her

A/E E D/E A

  E TheDy say she's a chooser, but I just can't refuse her

A/E She was just there, but then she can't be here no more

E B D E B

  AndD as my miEnd unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees

 But Bjust beDfore she Eleaves,F♯ she receives

She's been down in the dunes and she's dealt with the goons

Now she drinks from the bitter cup, I'm trying to get her to give it up

She was just here, I fear she can't be here no more

And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees

But just before she leaves, she receives

 ItG♯'s long, long when she's gone,C♯m I get weary holding on

  F♯m7 (F♯7?) B7

Now I'm coldly fading fast, I don't think I'm gonna last

Very much longer

"She's stoned" said the Swede, and the moon calf agreed

I'm like a viper in shock with my eyes in the clock

She was just there somewhere and here I am again

And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees

But just before she leaves, she receives

Track 9.Lonesome Suzie

by Richard Manuel. Album: Music from Big Pink

CLoneE7some AmSuzie, F7Mnever A♯got the Cbreaks

 She's E7always AmlosingG so she sits and cries and shakes

C It's E7so hard just to Amwatch her,F andA♯ if I Ctouch her

D♯ A♯ C Am C G

  Oh, Cpoor Suzie, I'm wondrin' what to do

She just sits there, hoping for a friend

I don't fit here, but I may have a friend to lend

Maybe I mistook her, but I can't overlook her

Must be someone who can pull her through

 AnyE7one who's Amfelt that bad could F7Mtell me A♯what to Csay

 Even E7if she'd justAm get mad,G she might be better off that way

C And where is E7all the Amunderstanding

F7M Her problems A♯can't be Cthat demanding

D♯ Why A♯is it she Clooks that wAmay

CEvery timeGsus4 she starts to Ccry?

Lonesome Suzie, I can't watch you cry no longer

If you can use me until you feel a little stronger

I guess just watching you has made me lonesome too

Why don't we get together,

Dm7 What elseG7 can we Cdo?

Track 10.This Wheel's On Fire

Rick Danko. Album: Music from Big Pink

See Peter Viney's article for more about this song.

 If your meAmmory serves you well

 We're going to mBo7eet again and wait

 So I'm goEing to unpack all my things

 And sit before iFt gets too latDme Am

 NoC man alive will cAmome to you

 With aCnother tale to tAmell

 And you knCow that we shall mAeet again

 If your meFmory seDmrves you wAmell

Chorus

DmThis wheel's on fFire, rolCling down the rGoadG7

 Best nCotifGy my neFxt of kCin

 TFhis wheel sGhall expAlode!

If your memory serves you well, I was going to confiscate your lace

And wrap it up in a sailor's knot and hide it in your case

If I knew for sure that it was yours, and it was oh so hard to tell

And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well

(CHORUS)

If your memory serves you well, you'll remember that you're the one

Who called on them to call on me to get you your favours done

And after every plan had failed and there was nothing more to tell

And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well

(CHORUS)

Track 11. I Shall Be Released

by Bob Dylan. Album: Music from Big Pink

E They say everything can be reF♯mplaced

G♯m They say everyA distance Bis not Enear

 So I remember every F♯mface

G♯m Of every Aman who Bput me Ehere B

(Chorus:)

E I see my light come F♯mshinin'

G♯m From the Awest unBto the Eeast

 Any day now,F♯m any day now

G♯m I Ashall beB reEleased

They say ev'ry man needs protection

They say that ev'ry man must fall

Yet I swear I see my reflection

Somewhere so high above this wall

(Chorus)

Now yonder standing there in this lonely crowd

A man who swears he's not to blame

All day long I hear him shouting so loud

Just crying out that he was framed

(Chorus)

Music from Big Pink - The Band - (41:35) - 1968 - Capitol SKAO-2955

Gatefold sleeve LP

Original Master Recording released on vinyl in 1980 (Mobile Fidelity MFSL-1-039)

Compact Disc: Capitol 46069-2 (1986)

Ultra Disc released in 198? (Mobile Fidelity UDCD-527)

Limited Edition CD: Capitol Japan M57626 (1998)

Remastered CD with bonus tracks: Capitol/EMI 50837 (2000)

DVD-Audio w/complete lyrics on screen, photo gallery and discography: Capitol/EMI

Products (2003)