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A Better Place To Be
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Subject: Chords: A better place to be by Harry Chapin
It was an eaDrly morning Dmaj7barrom and the pD7lace just opened Gup
and the EMlittle man came in so fast and he started at his A7cup
and the Dbroad who served the whiDmaj7skey was a bD7ig old friendly gGirl
who trieEMd to fight her empty nights by smiling at the woA7rld
and she saiGd hey bub iAt's been a while F#Msince you've beeB7n around
where the heEMll have you been hidAing and Gwhy you look so Ddown
Well the liGttle man just sAat there like Ghe'd never heard Aa soundD
the waitCMress she gave ouGt with a cough aBbnd acting not thFe least put off
she spokEMe once agAain
She said I doDn't want to boGther you consEMider it's understood
I knAow I'm not no beEMauty queen but I surAe caEMn listen gooDd.
And the Glittle man took his dArink in his hand and he raiEMse it to his lipDs
He toGok a couple oDf sips and he EMtold the waitresAs his storyD.
I aDm the midnighAmt watchman down at MiCller's tGool and diDe
I watcGh the metal rusF#Mting, I watBMch the time go bCmaj7y
a weAek ago at the dinGer I stoppeF#Md to get a biteB7
and this EMhere lovely ladAy she sat two seGats EMfrom my rDight
G G EMA,G,G D
And lord, lord, lord she was alright.
DYou see she was so damn Ambeautiful that she could Cwarm a Gwinter's fDrost
but Gshe look long past lF#monely and Bmwell nigh onto Cmaj7lost
Now AI'm not much of a Gmover or a pF#mick em up easy gB7uy
but I Emdecided to glide on Aover and give Gher Em7one good Dtry
and Glord lGord Em7lord, Gshe wGas wEm7orth a tDry
DWell I was tongue tied like a sAmchoolboy, I sCtammerred oGut some Dwords
it did Gnot seem to F#mmatter much, cause BmI don't think she Cmaj7heard
She jAust looked clear on tGhrough me, to a F#mspace back in my B7head
It sEmhamed me into sAilence as qGuietly Em7she sDaid
(chorus)
If you Dwant me to come wGith you then tEmhat's alright with Emme
Acause I know IEm'm going nowhere and aAnywhere's a Embetter A7sus4place to Dbe
AAnywhere's a bEmetter A7sus4place to Dbe
Well I Ddrove her to my Dmaj7boarding house and I D7took her up to my Groom
and I Emwent to turn on the Emonly light to brighten up the gA7loom
but she said pDMlease leave the light off, GMI don't mind the dark
and as her cFlothes all tumbled round her, Asus4I could hear my Aheart.
The Dmoonlight shone Amupon her as she Clay back Gin my Dbed
it was the kGind of scene I F#monly had imBmagined in my Cmaj7head
I Ajust could not Gbelieve it , to tF#mhink that she was B7real
and aEms I tried to Atell her, she said, sGhhh I Em7know just how you fDeel
And if you Dwant to come here Gwith me Then tEmhat's all right with me
Cause AI've been so lonEmely Lovin' Asomeone is a Embetter A7sus4way to Dbe
AAnywhere's a Embetter A7sus4place to Dbe
Well the Dmorning came so sAmwiftly as I Cheld her Gin my aDrms
and SGhe slept like a F#mbaby sBmnug and safe from Cmaj7harm
I Adid not want to sGhare her or F#mdare to break the B7mood
so bEmefore she woke I Awent out to bGuy us both some fDmood
I cDmame back with my paper bag to fGmind that she was gone
she'd Fleft a six word letter saying it's Gmtime that I moved Don.
You know the wDaitress she took her Dmaj7bar rag and she D7wiped it across her Geyes
and Emas she spoke her voice came out as something like a sA7igh
She said I Dwish that I was bDmaj7eautiful or that yD7ou were halfway Gblind
EmI wish I weren't so goddamned fat, I wish that you were A7mine
A7and I wish Gthat you'd come wAith me F#mwhen I leave for B7home
for we Emboth know all about eAmptiness and lGiving aEmll aloDne.
DAnd the lEm7ittle man looked at the emF#mpty glass in his hand
and he smile Em7a crooked grin He said, I, I guess I'm outta Dgin
and I know Em7we both have Dbeen so GloneEm7ly.A
(chorus)
And if you Dwant me to come Gwith you then that's alright with Emme
A Em A Em7 A7 D D- G- D
'Cause I know I'm going no-where and anywhere's a better place to be
All chords in this song (21)
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A Better Place To Be
by Harry Chapin
Chords in this song · guitar
D
Dmaj7
D7
G
EM
A7
A
F#M
B7
CM
Bb
F
Am
C
BM
Cmaj7
Em7
A7sus4
DM
GM
Asus4
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Subject: Chords: A better place to be by Harry Chapin
D Dmaj7 D7 G
It was an early morning barrom and the place just opened up
EM A7
and the little man came in so fast and he started at his cup
D Dmaj7 D7 G
and the broad who served the whiskey was a big old friendly girl
EM A7
who tried to fight her empty nights by smiling at the world
G A F#M B7
and she said hey bub it's been a while since you've been around
EM A G D
where the hell have you been hiding and why you look so down
G A G A D
Well the little man just sat there like he'd never heard a sound
CM G Bb F
the waitress she gave out with a cough and acting not the least put off
EM A
she spoke once again
D G EM
She said I don't want to bother you consider it's understood
A EM A EM D
I know I'm not no beauty queen but I sure can listen good.
G A EM D
And the little man took his drink in his hand and he raise it to his lips
G D EM A D
He took a couple of sips and he told the waitress his story.
D Am C G D
I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's tool and die
G F#M BM Cmaj7
I watch the metal rusting, I watch the time go by
A G F#M B7
a week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite
EM A G EM D
and this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right
G G EM D
A,G,G
And lord, lord, lord she was alright.
D Am C G D
You see she was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winter's frost
G F#m Bm Cmaj7
but she look long past lonely and well nigh onto lost
A G F#m B7
Now I'm not much of a mover or a pick em up easy guy
Em A G Em7 D
but I decided to glide on over and give her one good try
G G Em7 G G Em7 D
and lord lord lord, she was worth a try
D Am C G D
Well I was tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammerred out some words
G F#m Bm Cmaj7
it did not seem to matter much, cause I don't think she heard
A G F#m B7
She just looked clear on through me, to a space back in my head
Em A G Em7 D
It shamed me into silence as quietly she said
(chorus)
D G Em Em
If you want me to come with you then that's alright with me
A Em A Em A7sus4 D
cause I know I'm going nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be
A Em A7sus4 D
Anywhere's a better place to be
D Dmaj7 D7 G
Well I drove her to my boarding house and I took her up to my room
Em Em A7
and I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom
DM GM
but she said please leave the light off, I don't mind the dark
F Asus4 A
and as her clothes all tumbled round her, I could hear my heart.
D Am C G D
The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed
G F#m Bm Cmaj7
it was the kind of scene I only had imagined in my head
A G F#m B7
I just could not believe it , to think that she was real
Em A G Em7 D
and as I tried to tell her, she said, shhh I know just how you feel
D G Em
And if you want to come here with me Then that's all right with me
A Em A Em A7sus4 D
Cause I've been so lonely Lovin' someone is a better way to be
A Em A7sus4 D
Anywhere's a better place to be
D Am C G D
Well the morning came so swiftly as I held her in my arms
G F#m Bm Cmaj7
and She slept like a baby snug and safe from harm
A G F#m B7
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood
Em A G Dm
so before she woke I went out to buy us both some food
Dm Gm
I came back with my paper bag to find that she was gone
F Gm D
she'd left a six word letter saying it's time that I moved on.
D Dmaj7 D7 G
You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes
Em A7
and as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh
D Dmaj7 D7 G
She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind
Em A7
I wish I weren't so goddamned fat, I wish that you were mine
A7 G A F#m B7
and I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home
Em A G Em D
for we both know all about emptiness and living all alone.
D Em7 F#m
And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand
Em7 D
and he smile a crooked grin He said, I, I guess I'm outta gin
Em7 D G Em7 A
and I know we both have been so lonely.
(chorus)
D G Em
And if you want me to come with you then that's alright with me
A Em A Em7 A7 D D G D
- -
'Cause I know I'm going no-where and anywhere's a better place to be
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About A Better Place To Be Chords by Harry Chapin
Learn how to play A Better Place To Be by Harry Chapin with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “A Better Place To Be chords”, “A Better Place To Be guitar chords”, or “Harry Chapin A Better Place To Be 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 A Better Place To Be chords and for experienced players who want accurate A Better Place To Be lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, D, Dmaj7, D7, G, EM.
FAQ — A Better Place To Be by Harry Chapin
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The chords for "A Better Place To Be" show the original chord names (including A, D, Dmaj7, D7, G, EM). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.