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Martha

Chords

5.0427 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
[Verse 1]
DOpeA7rator, Dnumber A7please, it's Bmbeen so Amany GyearsG  
Will Dshe reA7member Dmy old A7voice Bmwhile I Afight the Gtears?G  
HeDllo, heB7llo there, Emis this A7Martha? DThis is B7old Tom EmFrostA7  
And DI am B7calling Emlong A7distance, don't Bmworry aAbout the GcostG  
'Cause Dit's been B7fourty Emyears or A7more now, DMartha, B7please reEmcallA7  
And Dmeet me B7out for Emcoffee A7where we'll Bmtalk aAbout it Gall, Gand
[Chorus]
DThose were Ddays of Groses,  Gof DpoeDtry and Gprose
And GMartha, Bmall I Bmhad was Gyou, and Gall you Emhad Awas DmeG  
DThere was Dno toGmorrows,  Gwe Dpacked aDway our Gsorrows
GAnd we Bmsaved them Bmfor a GraiAny DdayG  D  
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
[Verse 2]
And DI feel A7so much Dolder A7now, Bmyou're much Aolder GtooG  
DHow's your A7husband, and Dhow's your A7kids? You know that BmI got Amarried GtooG  
  DLucky B7that you Emfound someA7one to Dmake you B7feel seEmcureA7  
'Cause Dwe were B7all so Emyoung and A7foolish, Bmnow we Aare maGture, Gand
[Chorus]
DThose were Ddays of Groses,  Gof DpoeDtry and Gprose
And GMartha, Bmall I Bmhad was Gyou, and Gall you Emhad Awas DmeG  
DThere was Dno toGmorrows,  Gwe Dpacked aDway our Gsorrows
GAnd we Bmsaved them Bmfor a GraiAny DdayG  
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
[Verse 3]
And DI was A7always Dso imA7pulsive, I Bmguess that AI still GamG  
  DAnd all that A7really Dmattered A7then was Bmthat IA-- was a GmanG  
I Dguess that B7our Embeing toA7gether was Dnever B7meant to EmbeA7  
DMartha,   B7  EmMartha,   A7I Bmlove you, Acan't you Gsee? GAnd
[Chorus]
DThose were Ddays of Groses,  Gof DpoeDtry and Gprose
And GMartha, Bmall I Bmhad was Gyou, and Gall you Emhad Awas DmeG  
DThere was Dno toGmorrows,  Gwe Dpacked aDway our Gsorrows
GAnd we Bmsaved them Bmfor a GraiAny DdayG  
D  A7  D  A7  Bm  A  G  G
[Outro]
And DI reA7member Dquiet A7evenings, Bmtrembling Aclose to Gyou

All chords in this song (7)

The story behind the song

This song paints a picture of a phone call to a long-lost love, Martha. It's a poignant reflection on a relationship from fifty years prior, filled with memories of youthful days and the passage of time. The lyrics delve into the bittersweet nature of looking back, wondering what might have been and acknowledging the changes that life brings. Playing this song is like stepping into a faded photograph, recalling a deeply personal and distant past.

AI-written from these sources:Tom Waits — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Martha

by Tom Waits

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

[Verse 1]

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

Operator, number please, it's been so many years

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

Will she remember my old voice while I fight the tears?

D B7 Em A7 D B7 Em A7

Hello, hello there, is this Martha? This is old Tom Frost

D B7 Em A7 Bm A G G

And I am calling long distance, don't worry about the cost

D B7 Em A7 D B7 Em A7

'Cause it's been fourty years or more now, Martha, please recall

D B7 Em A7 Bm A G G

And meet me out for coffee where we'll talk about it all, and

[Chorus]

D D G G D D G

Those were days of roses, of poetry and prose

G Bm Bm G G Em A D G

And Martha, all I had was you, and all you had was me

D D G G D D G

There was no tomorrows, we packed away our sorrows

G Bm Bm G A D G D

And we saved them for a rainy day

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

[Verse 2]

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

And I feel so much older now, you're much older too

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

How's your husband, and how's your kids? You know that I got married too

D B7 Em A7 D B7 Em A7

Lucky that you found someone to make you feel secure

D B7 Em A7 Bm A G G

'Cause we were all so young and foolish, now we are mature, and

[Chorus]

D D G G D D G

Those were days of roses, of poetry and prose

G Bm Bm G G Em A D G

And Martha, all I had was you, and all you had was me

D D G G D D G

There was no tomorrows, we packed away our sorrows

G Bm Bm G A D G

And we saved them for a rainy day

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

[Verse 3]

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

And I was always so impulsive, I guess that I still am

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

And all that really mattered then was that I-- was a man

D B7 Em A7 D B7 Em A7

I guess that our being together was never meant to be

D B7 Em A7 Bm A G G

Martha, Martha, I love you, can't you see? And

[Chorus]

D D G G D D G

Those were days of roses, of poetry and prose

G Bm Bm G G Em A D G

And Martha, all I had was you, and all you had was me

D D G G D D G

There was no tomorrows, we packed away our sorrows

G Bm Bm G A D G

And we saved them for a rainy day

D A7 D A7 Bm A G G

[Outro]

D A7 D A7 Bm A G

And I remember quiet evenings, trembling close to you

About Martha Chords by Tom Waits

Learn how to play Martha by Tom Waits with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Martha chords”, “Martha guitar chords”, or “Tom Waits Martha chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Martha chords and for experienced players who want accurate Martha lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, A7, Bm, A, G, B7.

FAQ — Martha by Tom Waits

How do I play "Martha" by Tom Waits on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Martha" by Tom Waits on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Martha" by Tom Waits free?

Yes. The chords for "Martha" by Tom Waits are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Martha" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Martha" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Martha"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Martha" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Martha" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Martha" by Tom Waits with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Tom Waits below.

What key is "Martha" in?

The chords for "Martha" show the original chord names (including D, A7, Bm, A, G, B7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.