Category: acoustic

Big Dark Cloud

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

no capo | notes
E E D D G G E E
E G D E
coming into Tucumcari out of the north lightning crackled air
E G D E
Quality Inn at the end of town seventeen minutes I’m there
E E D D E E
big dark cloud big dark cloud

map shows a road crossing the lake East Saxon Avenue
lake’s been dry as long as I’ve seen dust is greyish blue
big dark cloud big dark cloud

E E D D E
big dark cloud let it down
E D D E
fill that lake and soak the ground
E D D A
rinse me off so I don’t drown
A E E E
big dark cloud
D D E E

this isn’t a place anyone goes, all just passing through
no one’s ever gonna cross that lake on East Saxon Avenue
big dark cloud big dark cloud
chorus

just play E
I met a girl and she was made of clouds
but there was nothing light and fluffy about this one
she was dark, she was strong
and when she sang you couldn’t hear the sun
big dark cloud big dark cloud

eleven hours from Dalhart Texas, nine more gets me to you
turn right around and cross that lake on East Saxon Avenue
big dark cloud big dark cloud
chorus x2

big dark cloud x3

Dark clouds always symbolize something bad. All my travels, all the places I’ve lived, clouds are a good thing, dark or otherwise.

Came across a picture I took on travels with Best Beloved of a sky-wide black cloud over Tucumcari. Flood of memories, good ones.

bass notes

fingered bass T-C P-F 2nd octave

intro G G F F Bb Bb G G
G                     Bb               F                  G
coming into Tucumcari out of the north lightning crackled air
G                  Bb          F                     G
Quality Inn at the end of town seventeen minutes I’m there
G   G    F    F         G      G
big dark cloud big dark cloud

map shows a road crossing the lake East Saxon Avenue
lake’s been dry as long as I’ve seen dust is greyish blue
big dark cloud big dark cloud

G   G    F     F      G
big dark cloud let it down
G         F        F        G
fill that lake and soak the ground
G        F      F       C
rinse me off so I don’t drown
C        G      G  G
big dark cloud

F F G     G    

isn’t a place anyone goes all just passing through
no one’s ever gonna cross that lake on East Saxon Avenue
big dark cloud big dark cloud

chorus
G G F G
met a girl
G G F G
and she was made of clouds
G G G G F G
but there was nothing light and fluffy about this one
G G F G
she was dark
G G F G
she was strong
G G F G
and when she sang
G x8
you couldn’t hear the sun
G   G    F    F         G      G
big dark cloud big dark cloud

eleven hours from Dalhart Texas nine more gets me to you
turn right around and cross that lake on East Saxon Avenue
big dark cloud big dark cloud

G   G    F     F      G
big dark cloud let it down
G         F        F        G
fill that lake and soak the ground
G        F      F       C
rinse me off so I don’t drown
C        G      G  G
big dark cloud
repeat chorus

F   F    G    G
big dark cloud
F   F    G    G
big dark cloud
Bb  Bb   G    G  vamp G
big dark cloud


E E D G G E
capo 3
G G F Bb Bb G
C 2 0 2
G 0 2 3
D 0 3 3
A 2 3 3

Home

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Am G F E7 [2122]
I’ve sailed upon this wilderness all my life
This sea has taught me everything I’ve learned
It’s taken from me everything I ever had
And all I ever had has been returned

Hard weather howled horizon to horizon
Tackle overboard and lost for good
Fearsome creatures prowling in my wake each day
Sun and stars still found me when they could

So many islands green and fair crossed my bow
So many times I thought to go ashore
But not one held the port I knew awaited me
One by one they fell astern forevermore

The time has come to furl my sails and ship the oars
Time to end this life on brine and foam
My time’s been spent in just the way it should have been
And now’s the time, and now, oh now I’m home

might be about life

might just be about sailing

Do the Math

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Best Beloved’s feet are even itchier than mine. We’ve driven all over two countries and we’ll never really settle down.

Seed for the song (this version, #3 I think) came from the discovery that Best Beloved’s favorite client was born in the tiny hamlet of Valentine Nebraska, a place we considered moving after driving through, just because it was so beautiful.

like I said last night it’s time to go
ain’t sayin nothin you don’t already know
can’t do the math to stay in one place too long
I’ll tell you something so you know nothing’s wrong

gear’s loaded, truck’s warming up
good strong coffee, poured you a cup
guitar behind the seat, backpacks in the bed
so get your boots on, we gotta go just like I said

can’t do the math where you and I get divided
pluses and minuses are all pretty one-sided
you’ve already seen some action
but I’m telling you it’s only a fraction
add it all up you’ll get the same answer I did

valley in north Nebraska near Valentine
couple of minutes from the South Dakota state line
peaceful quiet and green where the river winds through
I’ve seen it before but now I wanna see it with you

can’t do the math where you and I get divided
pluses and minuses are all pretty one-sided
you’ve already seen some action
but I’m telling you it’s only a fraction
add it all up you’ll get the same answer I did

middle of the country the tall grass covers the plains
speed limit means we can have some fun racing the trains
sit behind the Flint Hills see the sunset silhouette
I’ve seen it before, but I haven’t seen it with you yet

can’t do the math where you and I get divided
pluses and minuses are all pretty one-sided
you’ve already seen some action
but I’m telling you it’s only a fraction
add it all up you’ll get the same answer I did

follow the ocean San Diego up to Vancouver
water left, dirt right; not a complicated maneuver
head across to Newfoundland take a ferry over the sea
how you do the math doesn’t make any difference to me

except I can’t do the math where you and I get divided
pluses and minuses are all pretty one-sided
you’ve already seen some action
but I’m telling you it’s only a fraction
add it all up you’ll get the same answer I did

Dark of Night

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

capo 3 in A
You’re the dark of night
You steal the sun from the sky
You’re the dark of night
Make the songbirds cry
You’re the dark of night
And I don’t understand why

You told me you loved me
Sweet as a slice of peach pie
You told me you loved me
Intoxicating as rock and rye
You told me you loved me
You knew all along it was a lie

You took my heart
Made me think I could fly
You took my heart
Told me I was your guy
You took my heart
Was just a piece of meat for you to fry

You’re the dark of night
You steal the sun from the sky
You’re the dark of night
Make the songbirds cry
You’re the dark of night
I’ll never understand why

I Don’t Want to Sleep

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Needed to jot some notes about a song and this is as good a place as any

I’m tired, but I don’t want to sleep
One more thing I need to do
Almost done
It’s something for someone
Only take a minute or two

I’m tired but I don’t think I can sleep
Rather play with my friends than shut my eyes
It’s just a song
It won’t take long
We’ll sing a while and then say our goodbyes

I’m so tired, might be time to go
There’s one more thing I have to say
I look at you
You’re tired too
So I love you, now I’ll be on my way

Yeah I’m tired, but I don’t want to sleep

Okay, that’s all I’ve got right now, but the bones are there and I’ll flesh it out on our drive to Tucson. [Edit: I had a few more minutes. Pretty much done.]