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The Fairest Way

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"The Fairest Way" by Midlake
a brilliant yet not very well-known song by good old Midlake
(I still wonder why it´s meant to belong to "The trials of Van Occupanther" and not to "Courage of others",
for it sounds a lot more similar to it)
[Intro with flute]  x2
Am G F G
[Vers 1]
(soft picking)
The Amfairest way for Gany man to Fhave his ownG  
Is fAmorty years of Gundisturbed wForkG  
And Amwhile the rest are Gburied under sFtoneG  
AmWhen do you want to go Goff on our Fown?G  
[Instrumental] x2
Am G F G
[Vers 2]
AmRolling towns of Gpastures green and FmountainsidesG  
RefAmlected light off Gwinding streams that rFun for milesG  
I wAmanted to try my Ghand but I am FoldG  
And Amnow it's too late, you'll Gnever get to FgoG  
[Instrumental] x2
Am G F G
[Vers 3]
(strumming)
AmFinding the Gpath to be FtakenG  
Was Amforced by a Gdesperate FrulerG  
Who gAmave mostly hGardships and Fearful nGews
But Amthought himself Ggenerous and FfairG  
[Vers 4]
(harder picking)
AmLay me besGi--de the FmountainG  
Whose sAmhelter incGi--tes the FmoonG  
But Amwho dares distGurb those that Frest nearGby
The Ammountain?G  F  G  
[Outro with flute] x2
Am G F G

All chords in this song (3)

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The Fairest Way

by Midlake

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

"The Fairest Way" by Midlake

a brilliant yet not very well-known song by good old Midlake

(I still wonder why it´s meant to belong to "The trials of Van Occupanther" and not to "Courage of others",

for it sounds a lot more similar to it)

[Intro with flute] x2

Am G F G

[Vers 1]

(soft picking)

Am G F G

The fairest way for any man to have his own

Am G F G

Is forty years of undisturbed work

Am G F G

And while the rest are buried under stone

Am G F G

When do you want to go off on our own?

[Instrumental] x2

Am G F G

[Vers 2]

Am G F G

Rolling towns of pastures green and mountainsides

Am G F G

Reflected light off winding streams that run for miles

Am G F G

I wanted to try my hand but I am old

Am G F G

And now it's too late, you'll never get to go

[Instrumental] x2

Am G F G

[Vers 3]

(strumming)

Am G F G

Finding the path to be taken

Am G F G

Was forced by a desperate ruler

Am G F G

Who gave mostly hardships and earful news

Am G F G

But thought himself generous and fair

[Vers 4]

(harder picking)

Am G F G

Lay me besi--de the mountain

Am G F G

Whose shelter inci--tes the moon

Am G F G

But who dares disturb those that rest nearby

Am G F G

The mountain?

[Outro with flute] x2

Am G F G

About The Fairest Way Chords by Midlake

Learn how to play The Fairest Way by Midlake with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Fairest Way chords”, “The Fairest Way guitar chords”, or “Midlake The Fairest Way 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 The Fairest Way chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Fairest Way lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, G, F.

FAQ — The Fairest Way by Midlake

How do I play "The Fairest Way" by Midlake on guitar?

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Are the chords for "The Fairest Way" by Midlake free?

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Can I transpose "The Fairest Way" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Fairest Way"?

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

Is "The Fairest Way" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "The Fairest Way" in?

The chords for "The Fairest Way" show the original chord names (including Am, G, F). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.