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12 Bar Blues

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[Verse]
   GThere's only Bone bar in this Emtown I get drunk at,
   Cstill I have open Dtabs at two.
  G   BI dated the waitress Emat the third bar I'm thinking of,
   Aand there's four bars Din this town I can't even go into.
  G   BMy friend KeEmnny used to tend bar at the fifth one,
   Cstill tends bar at the Dsixth one too.
   GThe seventh bBar on this block has a Emkick-ass jukebox,
   Athe eighth one will let you smoke Dinside after two.
   GI've sung sBongs in about nine Embars in east Nashville, Tennessee,
   Cbut I know I've been to at Dleast ten.
   GI'll always go back to Bgood ol' eleventh street Embar in New York City,
   when the Atwelve bar blues has got me Ddown again.
[Chorus]
  I got, GtwBelve bar Emblues,
  Ctoo many Dbars to Gchoose.
  GWell I will Bdrink toEmnight,
  Aand get me Dfeeling alGright
[Verse]
   GHow many Broads must a man Emwalk down,
   Cto find an affordable bar in the Dcity of Los Angeles
   GOr even Bmore so to find some afEmfordable company,
   seems you Ahave to pay for the conversation there in Done way or another 
   even if you're not directly involved.
   GYou're always overBhearing that story aEmbout the one that got away,
   Cor the movie script that one is Dwriting that's gonna change everything.
  G   BFeel like if Emwriting stuff down really changed anything,
   Aa lot more people would know who Philip LeDvine is.
   GHe was an American Bpoet laureate,Em  
   CWonder why my teachers forgot to tell me aDbout him in school,
   Gprobably 'cause his Bpoems got bad words Emin them.
   Talk about Aboard of education, DAmerican style.
[Chorus]
  I got, GtwBelve bar Emblues,
  Ctoo many Dbars to Gchoose.
  GWell I will Bdrink toEmnight,
  Aand get me Dfeeling alGright
[Verse]
   GSo hang some tBaxidermy up on the Emwall, mute the TV.
   CThat pool table over Dthere gives out every other game for free.
   GDon't tell anybody BthoughEm, the manager doesn't know anything about it.
   AThat's kind of the way it is at our bar,
   Dit's a little broken and it ain't that great
   Gbut hell man, Bit's ours.Em  
   One time this Cguy came into our bar,
   Dsang karaoke style Hootie and the GBlowfish.B  
   EmWe had to ask that guy to leave.
   CNot cause we don't Dlike Hootie though.
   GHell man, I hear Hootie is an Balright guy.Em  
   So CHootie this beer is for you my friend,
   Dshine on you crazy diamond.
   GDon't Blet the bastards Emget you down,
   hold my hand, AI only wanna be with you.D  
[Chorus]
  I got, GtwBelve bar Emblues,
  Ctoo many Dbars to Gchoose.
  GWell I will Bdrink toEmnight,
  Aand get me Dfeeling alGright
[Chorus]
  I got, GtwBelve bar Emblues,
  Ctoo many Dbars to Gchoose.
  GWell I will Bsleep toEmnight,
  Aand get me Dfeeling alGright

All chords in this song (6)

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12 Bar Blues

by Aaron Lee Tasjan

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse]

G B Em

There's only one bar in this town I get drunk at,

C D

still I have open tabs at two.

G B Em

I dated the waitress at the third bar I'm thinking of,

A D

and there's four bars in this town I can't even go into.

G B Em

My friend Kenny used to tend bar at the fifth one,

C D

still tends bar at the sixth one too.

G B Em

The seventh bar on this block has a kick-ass jukebox,

A D

the eighth one will let you smoke inside after two.

G B Em

I've sung songs in about nine bars in east Nashville, Tennessee,

C D

but I know I've been to at least ten.

G B Em

I'll always go back to good ol' eleventh street bar in New York City,

A D

when the twelve bar blues has got me down again.

[Chorus]

G B Em

I got, twelve bar blues,

C D G

too many bars to choose.

G B Em

Well I will drink tonight,

A D G

and get me feeling alright

[Verse]

G B Em

How many roads must a man walk down,

C D

to find an affordable bar in the city of Los Angeles

G B Em

Or even more so to find some affordable company,

A D

seems you have to pay for the conversation there in one way or another

even if you're not directly involved.

G B Em

You're always overhearing that story about the one that got away,

C D

or the movie script that one is writing that's gonna change everything.

G B Em

Feel like if writing stuff down really changed anything,

A D

a lot more people would know who Philip Levine is.

G B Em

He was an American poet laureate,

C D

Wonder why my teachers forgot to tell me about him in school,

G B Em

probably 'cause his poems got bad words in them.

A D

Talk about board of education, American style.

[Chorus]

G B Em

I got, twelve bar blues,

C D G

too many bars to choose.

G B Em

Well I will drink tonight,

A D G

and get me feeling alright

[Verse]

G B Em

So hang some taxidermy up on the wall, mute the TV.

C D

That pool table over there gives out every other game for free.

G B Em

Don't tell anybody though, the manager doesn't know anything about it.

That's kind of the way it is at our bar,

it's a little broken and it ain't that great

G B Em

but hell man, it's ours.

One time this guy came into our bar,

D G B

sang karaoke style Hootie and the Blowfish.

We had to ask that guy to leave.

C D

Not cause we don't like Hootie though.

G B Em

Hell man, I hear Hootie is an alright guy.

So Hootie this beer is for you my friend,

shine on you crazy diamond.

G B Em

Don't let the bastards get you down,

A D

hold my hand, I only wanna be with you.

[Chorus]

G B Em

I got, twelve bar blues,

C D G

too many bars to choose.

G B Em

Well I will drink tonight,

A D G

and get me feeling alright

[Chorus]

G B Em

I got, twelve bar blues,

C D G

too many bars to choose.

G B Em

Well I will sleep tonight,

A D G

and get me feeling alright

About 12 Bar Blues Chords by Aaron Lee Tasjan

Learn how to play 12 Bar Blues by Aaron Lee Tasjan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “12 Bar Blues chords”, “12 Bar Blues guitar chords”, or “Aaron Lee Tasjan 12 Bar Blues 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 12 Bar Blues chords and for experienced players who want accurate 12 Bar Blues lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, B, Em, C, D, A.

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