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Sat on this one for years, and could never quite figure it out. But then I saw a YouTube video that gave me a hint,
and it turned out to be much easier than I thought. The intro section and the bit after the chorus is also deceptively
easy, but because I can’t write TAB, I’ll just offer up a basic easy suggestion that should at least get you close.
There are also three non-standard “chords” (really just finger positions) whose names I don’t know,
so I’m just calling them (X) and (Y) and (Z). This isn’t perfect, but close enough to honor my "95% accurate" rule.
DADGAD
(A): x02200
Intro: (A)(C) . . .(A)(C) . . .(A)(C)(G)(Z) . . .(A)(C)(G)(Z)
(A)I know this view so (G)well, he said
CHORUS
(A)The stranger shifted (G)in his chair
CHORUS
(A)There are houses in the (G)valley now
CHORUS
Asus2: 002200
On the "Not Far Now" CD, Richard plays this on the bouzouki. However, these guitar chords (which is how he plays it on the "Mariana's EP" version) will let you play along just fine.
Intro: (Em)(Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)(Em) (C)(Em)(C)
That (Em)nice easy (G)mark at the (C)edge of the (G)park
This old (Em)town is my (G)home, and I'm (C)not so far (G)gone
If (C)not now then when I was (D)asking my(Em)self
So I went (Em)down to the (G)clinic on a (C)hundred and (G)tenth
It was (Em)going o(G)kay, I was (C)feeling al(G)right
If (C)not now then when I was (D)asking my(Em)self
I (Em)can't say for (G)sure how it (C)all fell a(G)part
Must have (Em)lost the old (G)touch, 'cause I (C)blew through a (G)toll
Some (C)shred of my soul could (D)almost be(Em)lieve
At the (Em)halfway (G)house we're (C)sitting a(G)round
'Cause the (Em)President's (G)up there, (C)grinning that (G)grin
If (C)not now then when we're all (D)asking our(Em)selves
Richard sometimes plays this on bouzouki, sometimes on guitar, sometimes DADGAD and sometimes regular tuning, and the "Not Far Now" version does not have a prominent acoustic guitar part. But this transcription (which is the way I play it, and which has a chord pattern closer to the "Mariana's EP" version) will let you play along with the CD. Just for fun, I've included the wonderful last verse, which only appears on the EP.
I'm (D)standing outside on the (G)balcony
Bal(D)loon man's a little bit (G)ragged
(A)And you're so (G)far away
His (D)rig is a marvel of (G)equipoise
He's (D)wearing a flag-bearer's (G)harness
(A)And you're so (G)far away
But it's (D)cold up here on the (G)balcony
There's a (D)wind that whips 'round that (G)corner
The bal(D)loons are pulling him (G)backwards
(A)And you're so (G)far away
Capo V
(G): 550000
(C): x32030
(X): 303000
(Y): 202000
(Z): 454000
The(X) field, that line of (Y)trees
The (A)way the sun burns (G)orange-red
On (X)days as clear as (Y)these
So (A)close you'd swear it (G)might ignite
That (X)oak there on the (C)hill (G)
(A)And even though it (G)never does
Some(X)day I (G)know it (A)will
(C)Each man keeping (G)to himself
Just (X)what he thought he (C)saw (G)
They (A)sat in (C)silence (G)looking out (Z)
At (X)one man's (G)Arkan(A)sas (C)(G)(Z) . . .(A)(C)(G)(Z)
And (X)cleared his throat to (Y)speak
"I (A)think our offer's (G)more than fair
Shall I (X)call this time next (Y)week?"
Just (A)then, as if they'd (G)heard a gun
Or as (X)if they'd heard (C)enough (G)
(A)A flock of sparrows (G)rose and flew
Aw(X)ay in(G)to the (A)sun
(X)And newly planted (Y)trees
(A)Sod green lawns and (G)swimming pools
(X)Children in the (Y)streets
(A)Zero down was (G)just the trick
To (X)fill the place right (C)up (G)
(A)And the backend keeps 'em (G)on the farm
Right (X)out to (G)Kingdom (A)Come
A (C)slam dunk if (G)ever I (C)saw (D)one
I (Em)don't know what (G)happened; I just (C)let it go (G)by
I (C)guess maybe (D)out of res(Em)pect (C)(Em)(C)
But I (C)don't feel like (G)anyone (C)else (D)
And it (Em)didn't seem (G)right to (C)add to the (G)wrong
I de(C)cided to (D)get me some (Em)help
(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gain
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junk
I've (C)heard it can (D)happen that (Em)way (C)(Em)(C)
And I (C)got on the (G)methadone (C)pro(D)gram
I (Em)waited on (G)line every (C)morning at (G)nine
For my (C)little white (D)cup, my re(Em)prieve (C)(Em)(C)
I (C)even got (G)back with my (C)daughter(D)
I (Em)lost a few (G)friends, they were (C)anything (G)but
I just (C)took it one (D)day at a (Em)time
(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gain
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junk
They (C)say it can (D)happen that (Em)way (C)(Em)(C)
(C)One thing just (G)led to an(C)other(D)
(Em)Next thing I (G)knew, I had (C)stolen a (G)car
And was (C)flying straight (D)up through the (Em)Bronx (C)(Em)(C)
They (C)caught me just (G)outside of (C)Rye(D)
Sporting (Em)all that re(G)mained of my (C)new-found re(G)solve
A (C)shirt that said (D)NYP(Em)D
That the (C)Lord sent those (G)cruisers for (D)me
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junk
But it (C)don't always (D)happen that (Em)way (C)(Em)(C)
(C)Watching the (G)State of the (C)Union(D)
Me I'm (Em)rolling that (G)stone right (C)back up the (G)hill
(C)Watch out for the (D)shit coming (Em)down (C)(Em)(C)
(C)Thinking he's (G)some kind of (C)John (D)Wayne
And we're (Em)howling and (G)cheering all his (C)talk about (G)drilling
And (C)shooting our (D)way out of (Em)this
(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gain
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junk
But it (C)don't always (D)happen that (Em)way (C)(Em)(C)(Em)
Bal(D)loon man is passing be(G)low
(D)Making his way to the (G)park by the church
He (A)goes where the little ones (G)go
His (D)glasses are slightly a(G)skew
(D)One lens is cracked
And his (G)shoes never match
And he (A)might have a screw loose or (G)two
On the (D)other side of the (G)world
I just (Em)thought you should know
That bal(A)loon man lives in it (G)too (D)(G)
Leo(D)nardo might have de(G)signed
Bam(D)boo for the wide hori(G)zontals
(A)Pine for the vertical (G)rise
He's (D)holding the whole thing a(G)loft
Bal(D)loons all arrayed
He's a (G)one-man parade
If he(A) ran, he'd surely take off
On the (D)other side of the (G)world
Thought you (Em)might like to know
That bal(A)loon man lives in it (G)too (D)(G)
And it's (D)time that I went back in(G)side
Bal(D)loon man waits for the (G)light at the corner
I'll (A)watch 'til he goes out of (G)sight
And he's (D)having a hell of a (G)time
He (D)staggers and it looks like he (G)might just go over
But (A)balloon man he puts up a fight
If he (D)cut them all loose, he'd be (G)free
But he (D)doesn't, he can't, and he (G)never will
With(A)out them, what man would he be
On the (D)other side of the (G)world
I just (Em)thought you should know
That bal(A)loon man lives in it (G)too (D)
I just (Em)thought you should know
That bal(A)loon man lives in it (D)too (G)(D)