Open D (DADF#AD)
Capo II

The (G) chord here is really a (Gadd9/B), but for purposes of easier reading, I'll just write it as a (G). Also, the (A) is not technically an (A) . . . it's more like an (A7sus4/add9) or something like that, but who wants to read hieroglyphics?

D: 000300
G: 020100
A: 002300
Bm: 024000

There's also a guy on You Tube who has worked up a tutorial video for the song; it's not exactly the way Richard plays it, but it sounds pretty close and the guy does a nice job.

Intro: (D)(G)(A) . . . 4x

(D)I was (G)hers(A)
(D)And you (G)were (A)his
(D)The night we (G)met (A)
(D)Out on (G)that (A)bridge
(D)You knew (G)then (A)
(D)What I (G)know (A)now
(D)That love put (G)down (A)
Gets (D)up some(G)how

(D)The comet (G)came (A)
(D)And the co(G)met (A)went
(D)And hid its (G)face (A)
(D)In the fir(G)ma(A)ment
(D)I looked (G)once (A)
(D)Then turned (G)a(A)way
(D)When I looked (G)again (A)
It was (D)much too (G)late

(A)A summer wind, (Bm)a cotton (G)dress
(D)This is (G)how I (Bm)remem(A)ber you (G)best
(A)A glance held long and a (Bm)sto(G)len (D)kiss
This is (G)how I remem(Bm)(G)(A)ber you (D)best

(D)(G)(A) . . . 4x

(D)The fool I (G)was (A)
(D)Is the fool (G)I (A)am
(D)I've got a (G)wife (A)
(D)I'm a fam(G)ily (A)man
(D)But when I (G)lay (A)
(D)In (G)our (A)bed
(D)I sometimes (G)dream I'm (A)holding (D)you in(G)stead

CHORUS

(D)The kids are (G)fine (A)
(D)They're six (G)and (A)nine
(D)I think you'd (G)pro(A)bably (D)like (G)my (A)wife
(D)But the kitchen (G)light (A)
(D)Is much (G)too (A)bright
(D)For what I (G)find (A)myself (D)thinking (G)tonight

(A)A summer wind, (Bm)a cotton (G)dress
(D)This is (G)how I (Bm)remem(A)ber you (G)best
(A)A glance held long and a (Bm)sto(G)len (D)kiss
This is (G)how I remem(Bm)(G)(A)ber you (D)best
This is (G)how I remem(Bm)(G)(A)ber you (D)best
This is (G)how I remem(Bm)(G)(A)ber you (D)best

(D)(G)(A) . . . 4x . . . (D)

FISHING

Capo IV

This one's real easy. C-D-Em-G. But you'll play D two different ways. So when I write D, I mean D in the normal 000232 position. But when I write D*, what you'll do is do a C fingering moved up to the third fret . . . just slide it up. It's still a D, just a different voicing. Try it, you'll like it. He does some simple hammer-ons and stuff here and there, but just start with the basics and you can get funky later. It may look a lot more complicated than it is, but do it slowly and it will all make sense.

Intro: (C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C) . .
.
(C)Please (D*)have a (Em)seat (D)
(C)Sorry (D*)I'm (Em)late (D)
(C)I (D*)know how (Em)long (D)you've had to (C)wait
(C)I did (D*)not for(Em)get (D)
(C)your (D*)docu(Em)ments (D)
(C)No (D*)time to (Em)waste, (D)why not (C)begin

(C)Here's (D*)how it (Em)works, I've (D)got these (C)faces (D*)
You give them (Em)names, (D)I won't (C)deport you
(D*)Make sure you (Em)face (D)my tape re(C)corder

(C)Make (D*)no mi(Em)stake (D), (C)this (D*)fountain (Em)pen (D)
(C)Could (D*)put you (Em)on (D)a plane by (C)ten
(C)And (D*)by the (Em)way (D), (C)your (D*)next of (Em)kin (D)
(C)I (D*)know which (Em)house (D)she's hiding (C)in

(C)So now (D*)that you (Em)know whose (D)skin you're (C)saving
In (D*)this photo(Em)graph, (D)who's this one (C)waving
I (D*)think you (Em)know, so (D)speak up, (C)amigo

It says (G)here by trade you were a (D)fisherman
Well I'll bet you (Em)Indians can really real 'em (C)in
And if you get the (D)chance
You should (G)try to get up to Lake (D)Michigan
Maybe but (C)then again, (D*)anyway . . .

(C)Where (D*)were we (Em)then (D), (C)is (D*)he your (Em)friend (D)
(C)I (D*)recom(Em)mend (D)you look (C)again
(C)Where (D*)does he (Em)stay (D), (C)what (D*)is his (Em)name (D)
(C)There (D*)is no (Em)shame, (D)he'd do the (C)same
(C)So what (D*)do you (Em)say, I (D)don't have all (C)day
It's (D*)up to (Em)you (D)
Which will it (C)be, good (D*)citi(Em)zen or (D)poor campe(C)sino?

My (G)dad used to rent us this place in On(D)tario
He showed us (Em)how to cast the line and tie the (C)flies
He used to (D)say that God re(G)wards us for letting the (D)small ones go
Maybe but (C)I don't know, (D*)anyway . . .

(C)It's ea(D*)sy to (Em)bite, (D)just take the (C)bait
Don't (D*)snap the (Em)line, (D)don't fight . . .
The (C)hook hurts (D*)less if (Em)you (D)don't try to (C)dive (D*)(Em)(D)(C)

Se(G)nor, as you know, I was a (D)fisherman
How full the (Em)nets came in
We hauled them up (C)by hand
But when we (D)fled, I (G)left them just out past the (D)coral reefs
They're waiting (C)there for me . . . (D*)running deep . . .

(C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C)(D*)(Em)(D) . . . (C) . . .

THE BALLAD OF MARY MAGDALENE (Standard)

Richard ordinarily performs this song in DADGAD, but until I was finally able to figure it out in that open tuning, I'd never been totally satisfied with the version I'd been doing, which was in standard tuning, D fingering. But then I realized that on the promo CD "Scenes from a Blue Divide," he does it in standard tuning with a basic straight C fingering (with some embellishments, as you'll see), so that's the version I've transcribed here.

That CD, by the way, is a real treasure. Live versions of "Fishing," "The Things That I Have Seen," "Mary Magdalene," "Arrowhead" and "Are You Happy Now?" (all recorded at the Treestar Coffeehouse in Mt. Kisco, N.Y.), plus the studio version of "AYHN."
_ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ __

This is even easier than it looks. On the promo CD, he frets the G note (third fret) on the high E string as he plays many of the C, Am and F chords, and it provides a nice high drone. (Where he plays it with the drone, I'll indicate it with an asterisk. Just keep your pinky glued to the first string, third fret.) It also allows him to make the ordinarily straightforward chords work harder, since it allows him to play them in various versions, that is, with and without the high G, and in the case of the F, as a standard F as well as an Fmaj7. (At this point, non-guitar players are asking themselves "Exactly what the hell is Ron talking about?" For that matter, some Actual Guitar Players may be asking themselves the same question. Sorry, I'm a detail-oriented purist. Look in the dictionary under "anal.") Also, when going from the verse to the chorus, walk down from the C* to the Am: third fret (on the C chord), second fret, open (on the Am).

Finally, for beginners and those who don't insist on total accuracy, feel free to play all C*, Am* and F* chords as regular C, AM and F chords. But try to stay with the Fmaj7 where indicated.

Capo III

C*: 032013
Am*: 002213
F*: 003213

C: 032010
Am: 002210
F: 033211 (or barre it as 133211)
Fmaj7: 033210
G: 320033

Intro: (C*)(Am*)(G)(F*)(G) (repeat)

(C*)My name (Am*)is Mary (F*)Magdalene
I come (G)from Pale(C*)stine (F*)(G)
(C*)Please (Am*)excuse these (F)rags I'm in
(Fmaj7)But I've fallen (G)on hard (C*)times
(F*)Long a(G)go I (F*)had my (C*)work
(F)When I(Fmaj7) was in my (G)prime (F*)(G)
(C*)But I gave it (Am)up, and (F)all for love
(Fmaj7)It was his ca(G)reer or (C*)mine

(Am)Jesus (G)loved me, (F)this I (C)know
(F)Why on earth did I ever let him (G)go
He was (Am)always (G)faithful
He was (F)always (C)kind
But he (F)walked off (Fmaj7)with this (G)heart of (C*)mine

(C*)(Am*)(G)(F*)(G) (repeat)

(C*)I re(Am*)member (F)nights we spent
(Fmaj7)Whisper(G)ing our (C*)creed (F*)(G)
(C*)Our ritu(Am*)als, our (F*)sacrament
The stars (G)our cano(C*)py
(F)There be(G)neath (F)an olive (C)tree
(F)We'd offer up our (G)plea (F)(G)
(C)God's (Am)creation (F)innocent
(Fmaj7)His arms (G)surrounding (C*)me

CHORUS

(C*)A love like (Am*)this will (F*)come but once
This I (G)do be(C*)lieve (F*)(G)
(C*)And I'll not (Am)see his (F)like again
(Fmaj7)As I (G)live and (C*)breathe
(F)I'm sorry (G)if I (F)might (C)offend
But (F)I will never (G)see (F*)(G)
(C*)How the tender(Am*)ness I (F*)shared with him
Became (G)a her(C*)esy

(Am)Jesus (G)loved me, (F)this I (C)know
(F)Why on earth did he ever have to (G)go
He was (Am)always (G)faithful
He was (F)always (C)kind
But he (F)walked off (Fmaj7)with this (G)heart of (C*)mine
He was (Am)always (G)faithful
He was (F)always (C)kind
But he (F)walked off (Fmaj7)with this (G)heart of (C*)mine

(C*)(Am*)(G)(F*)(G) (repeat and out . . . )

THE BALLAD OF MARY MAGDALENE (DADGAD)

OK, this is how Richard usually plays the song, and it's actually easier to play (and sounds WAY cooler and fuller) than the version from the "Scenes From a Blue Divide" CD.

DADGAD
Capo II

D: 000200
Bm: 024000
G: 550000
A: 002000
Em: 220000

*walk up from the D to the G: 200000/400000/550000
**walk down from the G to the Em: 550000/400000/220000

Intro: (D)(Bm)(A)(G)(A) (repeat)

(D)My name (Bm)is Mary (G)Magdalene
I come (A)from Pale(D)stine (G)(A)
(D)Please (Bm)excuse these (G)rags I'm in
But I've fallen (A)on hard (D)times *
(G)Long a(A)go I (G)had my (D)work
(Em)When I(G) was in my (A)prime (G)(A)
(D)But I gave it (Bm)up, and (G)all for love
It was his ca(A)reer or (D)mine

(Bm)Jesus (A)loved me, (G)this I (D)know
(G)Why on earth **did I (Em)ever let him (A)go
He was (Bm)always (A)faithful
He was (G)always (D)kind
But he (G)walked off (Em)with this (A)heart of (D)mine

(D)(Bm)(A)(G)(A) (repeat)

(D)I (Bm)remember (G)nights we spent
Whisper(A)ing our (D)creed (G)(A)
(D)Our ritu(Bm)als, our (G)sacrament
The stars (A)our cano(D)py *
(G)There be(A)neath (G)an olive (D)tree
(Em)We'd offer (G)up our (A)plea (G)(A)
(D)God's (Bm)creation (G)innocent
His arms (A)surrounding (D)me

CHORUS

(D)A love like (Bm)this will (G)come but once
This I (A)do be(D)lieve (G)(A)
(D)And I'll not (Bm)see his (G)like again
As I (A)live and (D)breathe *
(G)I'm sorry (A)if I (G)might (D)offend
(Em)But I (G)will never (A)see (G)(A)
(D)How the tender(Bm)ness I (G)shared with him
Became (A)a her(D)esy

(Bm)Jesus (A)loved me, (G)this I (D)know
(G)Why on earth **did he (Em)ever have to (A)go
He was (Bm)always (A)faithful
He was (G)always (D)kind
But he (G)walked off (Em)with this (A)heart of (D)mine
He was (Bm)always (A)faithful
He was (G)always (D)kind
But he (G)walked off (Em)with this (A)heart of (D)mine

(D)(Bm)(A)(G)(A) (repeat and out . . . )

THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN

Capo III

E7: 020100
E7sus: 020200
Am/B This isn't really a chord, it's really a bass-line walk-up from the Am to the C, which means that on the 5th (D) string, you'll play it open (on the Am chord), pick the second fret (on the Am/B "chord"), then the third fret (on the C chord).

Intro: (Am)(Am/B)(C)(G) (repeat 4x and hang on last G)

I was (Am)proud to be the (C)soldier
I had (G)been since '83
When I (Am)joined to pay for (Fmaj7)college
Like my (E7sus)brothers before (E7)me
I was (Am)proud to (Am/B)serve my (C)country
And to (G)be a fine Marine
But (Am)pride cannot (Fmaj7)protect me
From the (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (Am)seen

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G) (2x, hang on last G)

When they (Am)shipped us out of (C)Norfolk
My (G)family came to wave
My (Am)Mama stood there
(Fmaj7)Choking back the (E7sus)tears and looking (E7)brave
And (Am)though we never (C)spoke of it
We all (G)feared it just the same
Now they (Am)tell me I should (Fmaj7)talk about
The (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (Am)seen

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G)

I was (F)trained to take the good shot
I was (G)trained to clean my (Am)gun
They (F)trained me not to talk back
And they (E7sus)trained me not to (G)run
I was (Am)trained to (Am/B)be as (C)silent
As the (G)shadow of a hawk
But no one (Am)trained me for the (Fmaj7)silence
Of the (E7sus)things(E7) that I have seen

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G) (2x, hang on G)

(Am)Once I saw an (C)accident
On (G)old Route 17
Mama (Am)told me not to (Fmaj7)look at it
As we (E7sus)slowly passed the (E7)scene
Though the (Am)image (Am/B)of that (C)wreckage
Was (G)burned into my brain
(Am)That did not pre(Fmaj7)pare me
For the (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (Am)seen

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G)

I (F)thought I was a good man
I (G)thought I was e(Am)lite
I (F)thought I'd fight the good fight
That I'd (E7sus)never see de(G)feat
Then we (Am)won that (Am/B)bloody (C)war
And how we (G)laughed at their retreat
Now I (Am)wage a losing (Fmaj7)battle
Against the (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (Am)seen

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G) (8x, hang on G)

So be (Am)glad that modern (C)science
Has (G)given us so much
We can (Am)rifle through the (Fmaj7)channels
Without (E7sus)ever standing (E7)up
But (Am)I can't (Am/B)find a (C)station
That's (G)finally had enough
With this (Am)morbid fascin(Fmaj7)ation
With the (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (Am)seen (Am/B)(C)(G)
And (Am)me, I can't stop (Fmaj7)dreaming
Of these (E7sus)things(E7) that I have (F)seen (G)

(Am)(Am/B)(C)(G) (4x, hang on last G)

TV LIGHT

Capo III

Asus: 002230
Bm: 224432 (barre chord)
Bm/A: 004432 or 004430
F#: 244322 (barre chord, basically, play an F chord on the second fret)
*between Em and G, play F# walk-up bass-line note on 6th string
**between G and Em, play F# walk-down bass-line note on 6th string

Intro: Strum (A) chord and hold . .

Let's pull the plug on this old (D)movie
We both already know the (Em)end
Any fool can *see it (G)coming
Garbo always get her (Asus)man (A)

He acts as if he doesn't (D)love her
And she gives him an icy (Em)stare
He lets her think *he loves a(G)nother
She acts as if she doesn't (Asus)care (A)

Time is passing (Bm)in (Bm/A)the TV (G)light
It's **such a (Em)shame to waste another (A)night
When there ain't (F#)nothing on the (Bm)sil(Bm/A)ver (G)screen
**Can hold a (Em)candle (G)to you (A)and (D)me

(A)I see this picture and I (D)wonder
Will we let the years go (Em)by
Growing farther *from each (G)other
Though we sit here side by (Asus)side (A)

So I'll do the dishes in the (D)morning
This time I swear I won't (Em)forget
I know it's still a *little (G)early
But I think it's time to go to (A)bed

Time is passing (Bm)in (Bm/A)the TV (G)light
It's **such a (Em)shame to waste another (A)night
When there ain't (F#)nothing on the (Bm)sil(Bm/A)ver (G)screen
**Can hold a (Em)candle (G)to (A)you and (D)me
There ain't no (F#)romance on the (Bm)sil(Bm/A)ver (G)screen
**Can hold a (Em)candle, darlin', (G)to (A)you and (D)me
(G)To (A)you and (D)me
(G)To (A)you and (D)me

ARROWHEAD

Open D (DADF#AD)
Capo III

D: 000300
G: 020100
A: 002300 (occasionally embellished as 002302)

Intro: For the intro, just play the chords to one of the verses one time through.

(D)Mama, if (A)you could see me (D)now (G)
(D)I'm not the boy you knew in Macon (A)town (G)
(D)Found a uniform about my size
(G)It's a little big, I guess, but that's all right
(D)Mama, if (A)you could see me (D)now (G)

(D)Mama, they're (A)treating me right (D)well (G)
(D)The men all say I brought this good luck (A)spell (G)
(D)I am the mascot of the 9th Brigade
(G)They will not march unless I lead the way
(D)Mama, they're (A)treating me right (D)well (G)

(D)Mama, I (A)do not have a (D)gun (G)
(D)I'm only lucky when I'm banging on my (A)drum (G)
(D)But I skinned a rabbit for the cook last night
(G)He said that I could keep his Bowie knife
(D)Mama, I (A)do not have a (D)gun (G)

(D)Mama, I (A)lost my arrow(D)head (G)
(D)It was big enough to strike a bobcat (A)dead (G)
(D)It must have fallen when I climbed that tree
(G)Yankee fires as far as I could see
(D)Mama, I (A)lost my arrow(D)head (G)

(D)Mama, the (A)troops are falling (D)in (G)
(D)We must move while we've still got the (A)wind (G)
(D)The scouts are fanning out like whipperwhools
(G)Today we're marching over Bloody Hill
(D)Mama, the (A)troops are falling (D)in (G)

(D)Mama, I (A)never thought I'd (D)run (G)
(D)But something happened when I saw those Yankees (A)come (G)
(D)Now I've been running now a week or two
(G)Too ashamed to run back home to you
(D)Mama, I (A)never thought I'd (D)run (G)
Oh (D)Mama, I (A)never thought I'd (D)run (G)
Oh (D)Mama, I (A)never thought I'd (G)run (D)

ASCENT

Capo I

C/G: 332010
D/F#: 20023x
D/F: 10023x
C/B: x20010
E7sus: 020200

Intro: (Am)(C/G)(D/F#)(D/F)(G)(Am)

I have no (C/G)explan(D/F#)ation
(D/F)I cannot (G)be of (Am)help (C/B)
But you (C/G)see my situation
I don't (Fmaj7)recognize my(E7)self
It (Am)happened without (Em)reason
(Fmaj7)It happened just like (C)that (C/B)
I've (Am)no more (C/G)inform(D/F#)ation
(D/F)Beyond the simple (G)fact

There was (Fmaj7)never any (C/G)warning
There was (E7sus)never (E7)any (Am)sign (Fmaj7)
It's just that I(C) woke (C/B)up this (Am)morning
And eterni(C/G)ty was (D/F#)mine

(Am)(C/G)(D/F#)

(Am)Search my (C/G)family (D/F#)history
And (D/F)ana(G)lyze my (Am)dreams (C/B)
Ex(C/G)pose my contradictions
Re(Fmaj7)duce me to the (E7sus)mean (E7)
What you (Am)find might be (Em)revealing
It might (Fmaj7)very well be (C)true (C/B)
But you (Am)don't know (C/G)what you're (D/F#)dealing with
(D/F)You haven't got a (G)clue

There was (Fmaj7)never any (C/G)warning
There was (E7sus)never (E7)any (Am)sign (Fmaj7)
It's just that I(C) woke (C/B)up this (Am)morning
And eterni(C/G)ty was (D/F#)mine

(Am)God knows I (C/G)don't de(D/F#)serve this
After (D/F)all the (G)pain I've (Am)caused (C/B)
But (C/G)do me one last service
Be(Fmaj7)fore I take that (E7sus)walk(E7)
Before my (Am)soul flies from this (Em)chamber
And heaven(Fmaj7) beckons me ac(C)ross (C/B)
(Am)Read me (C/G)what the (D/F#)Savior said
To that (D/F)thief upon the (G)cross

There was (Fmaj7)never any (C/G)warning
There was (E7sus)never (E7)any (Am)sign (Fmaj7)
It's just that I(C) woke (C/B)up this (Am)morning
And eterni(C/G)ty was (D/F#)mine

There was (Fmaj7)never any (C/G)warning
There was (E7sus)never (E7)any (Am)sign (Fmaj7)
It's just that I(C) woke (C/B)up this (Am)morning
And eterni(C/G)ty was (D/F#)mine

BLUE DIVIDE

Capo: III

Intro: (G)(D)(Em)(C)(D)

(G)Once I tried to (D)row
(Em)Cause you know I hate to (C)fly (D)
(G)So I set out from the (D)coast
(Em)But got battered by the (C)tide (D)
(Em)As I glided back to (A)shore
I raised an angry (D)oar
And (C)cursed that blue di(G)vide (D)

(G)As if it weren't (D)enough
(Em)To still be stranded on the (C)wrong (D)side
(G)I landed in the (D)surf
(Em)When a breaker hit my (C)blind (D)side
(Em)And when my clothes had (A)dried
I hung my head and (D)cried
Be(C)side that blue di(G)vide

(Bm)Cause all that time I (C)thought
(Bm)That you and I were (C)lost
(Bm)A toss long fallen (C)wide
In that blue di(G)vide
(C)That endless blue di(G)vide (C)(D)

(G)So I climbed up on a (D)dune
(Em)And found Marconi with his (C)radio (D)
(G)He was looking kind of (D)blue
(Em)Cause his antenna rusted (C)long (D)ago
(Em)And sitting on a (A)cliff
We shared a handker(D)chief
A(C)bove that blue di(G)vide
(Em)I waved it in the (A)hope
That you owned a tele(D)scope
That could (C)pierce that blue di(G)vide

(Bm)I thought I was (C)marooned
(Bm)Til I caught site of your (C)balloon
(Bm)Rising with the (C)moon
Across that blue di(G)vide
That (C)endless blue di(G)vide . . .