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Estelle

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Gmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

The lyrics just kinda flow, nearly conversationally. You'll have to listen to the recording a few times,
to get a good feel for how they go.
Lyrics from The Dan Bern Lyrics Archive
GI was painting a still life this morning
Of a Amthroat lozenge sitting on a copy
Of Tropic of Cancer
The Conly thing weird about it
Is that a Dyear ago, 
I never Gthought I'd paint anything again
I Gdecided I wasn't ever gonna paint again
It didn't Ambother me too much
Warhol's dead, 
David CHockney's still alive
I don't Dneed to paintG  
I painted Gover ten thousand paintings
Sad ones, Amfunny ones, dark ones, and light ones
I've done Chaystacks
And rich old Dladies by their pools 
Wearing Gnothing but a scarf
I've painted Geverything there was to paint
Now it was Amtime to sit back
Give interviews, get on the Cinternet
Hang out at club Dmed
Take stock of what I've Gdone
You know, the best Gfriend I ever had was a dog
It Amsounds like a cliche unless it's happened to you
Some Cdays that dog was the only Dreason I even got out of Gbed
That dog went Geverywhere with me
And then I heard the Amcrack addicts
Were stealin' dogs and selling them for animal research
It sounded Clike an urban myth to me
DLike the mouse in the Coke bottle
But I started Gleavin' her at home after that
You know, GPaula was my wife for a while
She ran off to AmParis with the great grandson of Van Gogh
CA cartoonist who did Dfashion graphics for Le GMonde
When GPaula left she took my dog
I never Amsaw her again
Except in the court during the custody battle
CShe won and got to Dkeep the dog
And I didn't speak to Ganyone for months
You know Gsometimes it feels
Like there's Bmso much that you need
CSometimes the Bmworld is upside Gdown
GSometimes it feels 
Like the Bmonly thing you need
Is Choldin' someone's Bmhand as you walk through AmtownC  G  
GI started hanging around with Dino
He used to run a poker Amgame back east
Now he sells Ccappuccino to his old Dpals
Tommy GChicago and Jimmy the Wig and Ugly Rose
You know the Gbest person I ever knew
Was a Mormon woman named AmEstelle
She still calls me drunk every few months
And Casks me stuff I don't want to Dtalk about
You can't Gtalk to her very long unless you're drunk yourself
Then we go Gall nightAm  C  D  G  
She says, G"Why baby, why baby, why baby, why
Have you Amturned your back on love?
You had Cso many chances
DWhy have you let 'em all go Gby?"
Well, one Gmorning I was sitting in front of Dino's place
with Jake the AmShears, a guy from Philly
Who gives free mohawks
CThere were a couple of young painters
I was Dhopin' to come by
So I could Ggive 'em some advice
Yeah, I was Gsittin' there updating my list of enemies
When this Amgirl walks in 
And the universe kind of stops
CTurned out she drank the same tea as Dme
It don't take Gmore than that to start a conversation sometimes
She believed Gcollage was the greatest of all the arts
And was Ambusy pasting pictures of horses
Next to ads for Claundry soap
Next to Mohammed DAli
She had a Gturquoise in her ear
And said Rachmaninoff was always in her Ghead
Later that day I was trying to describe her to AmJimmy the Wig
I couldn't Cfind any words
And I Drealized I'd started to Gsketch her chin
SomeGhow it didn't look right
I scratched it out and Amtried it again
I filled an Centire pad
I threw it Daway, I never even came Gclose
For six Gdays I sat at Dino's place
The Amrain wouldn't quit and no one came in
CFinally on the seventh day it Dcleared
And in she Gwalked
I asked her to Gsit with me 
And I bought her a cup of tea
And I Amasked her to model for me sometime
That Cafternoon I was at a canvas
She was wearing a yellow Ddress
I Gswore if she let me, I'd get it right
I've painted Gover ten thousand paintings
AmSad ones, funny ones, dark ones, and light ones
CBut sitting there, it was like I Dcouldn't even
Write my own Gname
I aGpologized and said, "It's been a few months
If you have Ampatience, I'll get the hang of it again"
In the Cnext few weeks, I Dpainted her hundreds of Gtimes
If I get the Gnose right, the chin's too long
If I get 'em Amboth right, the face is too thin
But I keep Cafter it and Done day
I get it all Gright
[harmonica solo]
G Am C D G
G Am C D G
I painted a stiGll life this morning
Of a Amthroat lozenge 
sitting on a copy of Tropic of Cancer
The Conly thing that's funny
Is I Dnever thought
I'd paint anything Gagain
I think I Gmight go visit Estelle
Those Utah Ammountains are good for the soul
I'll bring my Cbrushes 
And some Jack DDaniels
And we can make up for Glost time
She said, G"Why baby, why baby, why baby why?
AmHave you turned your back on love
You had Cso many chances
Why Ddo you let 'em all go Gby?
GWhy baby, why baby, why baby Amwhy?
Have you turned your back on love
You had Cso many chances
DWhy do you let 'em all go Gby?"
GSometimes it seems like there's Bmso much that you need
CSometimes the Bmworld is upside Gdown
GSometimes it seems like the Bmonly thing you need
CIs holdin' someone's Bmhand as you walk through AmtownC  G  

All chords in this song (5)

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Estelle

by Dan Bern

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

The lyrics just kinda flow, nearly conversationally. You'll have to listen to the recording a few times,

to get a good feel for how they go.

Lyrics from The Dan Bern Lyrics Archive

I was painting a still life this morning

Of a throat lozenge sitting on a copy

Of Tropic of Cancer

The only thing weird about it

Is that a year ago,

I never thought I'd paint anything again

I decided I wasn't ever gonna paint again

It didn't bother me too much

Warhol's dead,

David Hockney's still alive

D G

I don't need to paint

I painted over ten thousand paintings

Sad ones, funny ones, dark ones, and light ones

I've done haystacks

And rich old ladies by their pools

Wearing nothing but a scarf

I've painted everything there was to paint

Now it was time to sit back

Give interviews, get on the internet

Hang out at club med

Take stock of what I've done

You know, the best friend I ever had was a dog

It sounds like a cliche unless it's happened to you

C D G

Some days that dog was the only reason I even got out of bed

That dog went everywhere with me

And then I heard the crack addicts

Were stealin' dogs and selling them for animal research

It sounded like an urban myth to me

Like the mouse in the Coke bottle

But I started leavin' her at home after that

You know, Paula was my wife for a while

She ran off to Paris with the great grandson of Van Gogh

C D G

A cartoonist who did fashion graphics for Le Monde

When Paula left she took my dog

I never saw her again

Except in the court during the custody battle

C D

She won and got to keep the dog

And I didn't speak to anyone for months

You know sometimes it feels

Like there's so much that you need

C Bm G

Sometimes the world is upside down

Sometimes it feels

Like the only thing you need

C Bm Am C G

Is holdin' someone's hand as you walk through town

I started hanging around with Dino

He used to run a poker game back east

C D

Now he sells cappuccino to his old pals

Tommy Chicago and Jimmy the Wig and Ugly Rose

You know the best person I ever knew

Was a Mormon woman named Estelle

She still calls me drunk every few months

C D

And asks me stuff I don't want to talk about

You can't talk to her very long unless you're drunk yourself

G Am C D G

Then we go all night

She says, "Why baby, why baby, why baby, why

Have you turned your back on love?

You had so many chances

D G

Why have you let 'em all go by?"

Well, one morning I was sitting in front of Dino's place

with Jake the Shears, a guy from Philly

Who gives free mohawks

There were a couple of young painters

I was hopin' to come by

So I could give 'em some advice

Yeah, I was sittin' there updating my list of enemies

When this girl walks in

And the universe kind of stops

C D

Turned out she drank the same tea as me

It don't take more than that to start a conversation sometimes

She believed collage was the greatest of all the arts

And was busy pasting pictures of horses

Next to ads for laundry soap

Next to Mohammed Ali

She had a turquoise in her ear

And said Rachmaninoff was always in her head

Later that day I was trying to describe her to Jimmy the Wig

I couldn't find any words

D G

And I realized I'd started to sketch her chin

Somehow it didn't look right

I scratched it out and tried it again

I filled an entire pad

D G

I threw it away, I never even came close

For six days I sat at Dino's place

The rain wouldn't quit and no one came in

C D

Finally on the seventh day it cleared

And in she walked

I asked her to sit with me

And I bought her a cup of tea

And I asked her to model for me sometime

That afternoon I was at a canvas

She was wearing a yellow dress

I swore if she let me, I'd get it right

I've painted over ten thousand paintings

Sad ones, funny ones, dark ones, and light ones

C D

But sitting there, it was like I couldn't even

Write my own name

I apologized and said, "It's been a few months

If you have patience, I'll get the hang of it again"

C D G

In the next few weeks, I painted her hundreds of times

If I get the nose right, the chin's too long

If I get 'em both right, the face is too thin

C D

But I keep after it and one day

I get it all right

[harmonica solo]

G Am C D G

I painted a still life this morning

Of a throat lozenge

sitting on a copy of Tropic of Cancer

The only thing that's funny

Is I never thought

I'd paint anything again

I think I might go visit Estelle

Those Utah mountains are good for the soul

I'll bring my brushes

And some Jack Daniels

And we can make up for lost time

She said, "Why baby, why baby, why baby why?

Have you turned your back on love

You had so many chances

D G

Why do you let 'em all go by?

G Am

Why baby, why baby, why baby why?

Have you turned your back on love

You had so many chances

D G

Why do you let 'em all go by?"

G Bm

Sometimes it seems like there's so much that you need

C Bm G

Sometimes the world is upside down

G Bm

Sometimes it seems like the only thing you need

C Bm Am C G

Is holdin' someone's hand as you walk through town

About Estelle Chords by Dan Bern

Learn how to play Estelle by Dan Bern with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Estelle chords”, “Estelle guitar chords”, or “Dan Bern Estelle 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 Estelle chords and for experienced players who want accurate Estelle lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Am, C, D, A, Bm.

FAQ — Estelle by Dan Bern

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