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I Was Alive Back Then

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Gmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Tuning: Eb
[Chords]
eb|-G---C---D---D7/F#2-----Am---B7---Em---A7---|
Bb|-0--1--3--1------1--0--0--2-|
Gb|-0--0--2--2------2--2--0--0-|
Db|-0--2--0--0------2--1--2--2-|
Ab|-x--3--0--0------0--2--2--0-|
Eb|-3--3-----2------------0----|
GAll my lives are Ccoming through
And, Geven though there D7/F#isn’t room
               Am   D7         GFill 1
I save seats for my selves
                   Am     D7       GFill 1
Invite them in, wish them well
                   Am               G       DFill 2
The way I feel & the way I guess I felt
CI was 23 & Gcrazy
CFrightened, overwhelmed, and Gangry
CYou said, “That’s not B7how I see you
You Emtreat yourself unA7fairly
Don’t Emtreat yourself unA7fairly.”
[Chorus]
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
           C      G      D7/F#Fill 3
I was alive back then
           G     Fill 4
GIt was Christmas
CWe were wrestlers
GBay Ridge Parkway
D7/F#Our apartment
             Am     D7        GFill 1
We were fast & best friends
           Am       D7        GFill 1
We were just little kids
AmYou were Lenny DykstraG  
            D      Fill 2
CThis was before I got so Glonely
CWith my lovers, with my Gfamily
CScared of living
B7Scared of dying
EmScared of being A7happy
I couldn't Emlet myself be A7happy
[Chorus]
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
           C      G      D7/F#Fill 3
I was alive back then
           G     Fill 4
GI was 20
CKolankowski
GAsked me who I D7/F#thought I’d marry
         Am     D7      GFill 1
I answered your name
              Am      D7      GFill 1
Years before we would date
                Am               G         DFill 2
Years before he’d officiate our wedding
You Cnever “know”
You’re never “Gready”
CBut all your fear is just conGfetti
CLet it blow all 'B7round your bedroom
EmWhen it gets too A7heavy
Don’t Emlet it get too A7heavy
[Chorus]
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
CNo one asks you if you’re Gready
CWhen they’re handing you the Gbaby
CMy mother said, “Son, you B7can’t imagine
You’ll Emhave your mind blown, A7honey
You’ll be Emcrazy in love, A7honey.”
[Chorus]
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
I was aClive Gback D7/F#then
           C      G    D7/F#Fill 3
I was alive back then
I remember EmwhenB7  G  A7  
           C      G     DFill 3
I was alive back then
            Fill 4     G
eb|-------|
Bb|-------|
Gb|-----0-|
Db|-0h2---|
Ab|-------|
Eb|-------|
eb|------------|
Bb|-3---1p0----|
Gb|---------2--|
Db|------------|
Ab|------------|
Eb|------------|
eb|-----------0---3---2---|
Bb|---1---3---------------|
Gb|-----------------------|
Db|-0---0---0---0---0-----|
Ab|-----------------------|
Eb|-----------------------|
eb|-------------------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------------------------0-|
Db|-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-0-0-4-4-4-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-----0h2---|
Ab|-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-0h2-------|
Eb|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------|

All chords in this song (9)

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I Was Alive Back Then

by Kevin Devine

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

D7/F#

Tuning: Eb

[Chords]

G C D D7/F# Am B7 Em A7

eb|----------2-----------------|

Bb|-0--1--3--1------1--0--0--2-|

Gb|-0--0--2--2------2--2--0--0-|

Db|-0--2--0--0------2--1--2--2-|

Ab|-x--3--0--0------0--2--2--0-|

Eb|-3--3-----2------------0----|

G C

All my lives are coming through

G D7/F#

And, even though there isn’t room

Am D7 G

Fill 1

I save seats for my selves

Am D7 G

Fill 1

Invite them in, wish them well

Am G D

Fill 2

The way I feel & the way I guess I felt

C G

I was 23 & crazy

C G

Frightened, overwhelmed, and angry

C B7

You said, “That’s not how I see you

Em A7

You treat yourself unfairly

Em A7

Don’t treat yourself unfairly.”

[Chorus]

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

Fill 3

I was alive back then

G Fill 4

It was Christmas

We were wrestlers

Bay Ridge Parkway

D7/F#

Our apartment

Am D7 G

Fill 1

We were fast & best friends

Am D7 G

Fill 1

We were just little kids

Am G

You were Lenny Dykstra

D Fill 2

C G

This was before I got so lonely

C G

With my lovers, with my family

Scared of living

Scared of dying

Em A7

Scared of being happy

Em A7

I couldn't let myself be happy

[Chorus]

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

Fill 3

I was alive back then

G Fill 4

I was 20

Kolankowski

G D7/F#

Asked me who I thought I’d marry

Am D7 G

Fill 1

I answered your name

Am D7 G

Fill 1

Years before we would date

Am G D

Fill 2

Years before he’d officiate our wedding

You never “know”

You’re never “ready”

C G

But all your fear is just confetti

C B7

Let it blow all 'round your bedroom

Em A7

When it gets too heavy

Em A7

Don’t let it get too heavy

[Chorus]

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G

No one asks you if you’re ready

C G

When they’re handing you the baby

C B7

My mother said, “Son, you can’t imagine

Em A7

You’ll have your mind blown, honey

Em A7

You’ll be crazy in love, honey.”

[Chorus]

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

I was alive back then

C G D7/F#

Fill 3

I was alive back then

Em B7 G A7

I remember when

C G D

Fill 3

I was alive back then

Fill 4 G

eb|-------|

Bb|-------|

Gb|-----0-|

Db|-0h2---|

Ab|-------|

Eb|-------|

eb|------------|

Bb|-3---1p0----|

Gb|---------2--|

Db|------------|

Ab|------------|

Eb|------------|

eb|-----------0---3---2---|

Bb|---1---3---------------|

Gb|-----------------------|

Db|-0---0---0---0---0-----|

Ab|-----------------------|

Eb|-----------------------|

eb|-------------------------------------------------|

Bb|-------------------------------------------------|

Gb|-----------------------------------------------0-|

Db|-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-0-0-4-4-4-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-----0h2---|

Ab|-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-0h2-------|

Eb|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------|

About I Was Alive Back Then Chords by Kevin Devine

Learn how to play I Was Alive Back Then by Kevin Devine with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Was Alive Back Then chords”, “I Was Alive Back Then guitar chords”, or “Kevin Devine I Was Alive Back Then 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 I Was Alive Back Then chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Was Alive Back Then lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Eb, G, C, D, D7/F#, Am.

FAQ — I Was Alive Back Then by Kevin Devine

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What key is "I Was Alive Back Then" in?

The chords for "I Was Alive Back Then" show the original chord names (including Eb, G, C, D, D7/F#, Am). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.