Better Place To Be
Harry ChapinVersions2
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
It was an early morning barrom and the place just opened up
and the little man came in so fast and he started at his cup
and the broad who served the whiskey was a big old friendly girl
who tried to fight her empty nights by smiling at the world
and she said hey bub it's been a while since you've been around
where the hell have you been hiding and why you look so down
Well the little man just sat there like he'd never heard a sound
the waitress she gave out with a cough and acting not the least put off
she spoke once again
She said I don't want to bother you consider it's understood
I know I'm not no beauty queen but I sure can listen good.
And the little man took his drink in his hand and he raise it to his lips
He took a couple of sips and he told the waitress his story.
I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's tool and dime
I watch the metal rusting, I watch the time go by
a week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite
and this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right
And lord, lord, lord she was alright.
She was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winter's frost
but she look long past lonely and I, I was lost
I'm not much of a mover or a pick em up easy guy
but I decided to glide on over and give it one good try
and lord lord lord she was worth a try
Tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammerred out some words
it did not seem to matter much, cause I don't think she heard
She just looked clear on through me, to a place back in my head
It shamed me into silence as quietly she said
(chorus)
If you want me to come with you than that's alright with me
cause I know I'm going nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be
Well I drove her to my boarding house and I took her up to my room
and I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom
but she said please leave the light on, I don't mind the dark
and as her clothes all tumbled round her, I could hear my heart.
The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed
it was the kind of thing I only had imagined in my head
I just could not believe it , to think that she was real
and as I tried to tell her, she said, shhh I know just how you feel
and lord, lord, lord, she was alright.
Well the morning came so swiftly as I held her in my arms
She slept like a baby snug and safe from harm
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood
so before she woke I went out to buy us both some food
I came back with my paper bag
to find that she was gone
she'd left a six word letter saying
it's time that I moved on.
You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes
and as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh
She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind
I wish I weren't so goddamned fat, I wish that you were mine
and I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home
for we both know all about emptiness and living all alone.
And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand
and he smile a crooked grin
He said, I, I guess I'm outta gin
and I know we both have been so lonely.
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Readable chord sheet for Better Place To Be by Harry Chapin
[D] [Dmaj7] [D7] [G] It was an early morning barrom and the place just opened up a[Em]nd the little man came in so fast and he started [A7]at his cup a[D]nd the broad who served t[Dmaj7]he whiskey wa[D7]s a big old friend[G]ly girl w[Em]ho tried to fight her empty nights by smiling at [A7]the world a[G]nd she said [A]hey bub it's been a[F#m] while since you[B7]'ve been around w[Em]here the hell have yo[A]u been hi[G]ding and why you [D]look so down W[G]ell the little m[A]an just sat the[G]re like he'd neve[A]r heard a[D] sound t[Cm]he waitress she g[G]ave out with a co[Bb]ugh and acting no[F]t the least put off s[Em]he spoke o[A]nce again S[D]he said I don't[G] want to bothe[Em]r you consider it's understood I[A] know I'm not no [Em]beauty queen but I su[A]re ca[Em]n listen good[D]. A[G]nd the little man took[A] his drink in his hand and h[Em]e raise it to his[D] lips H[G]e took a coupl[D]e of sips and h[Em]e told the waitre[A]ss his story[D]. I[D] am the midnig[Am]ht watchman down at Mi[C]ller's to[G]ol and dime [D] I[G] watch the metal[F#m] rusting, I [Bm]watch the time go[Cmaj7] by a[A] week ago at the d[G]iner I stopp[F#m]ed to get a bite [B7] a[Em]nd this here love[A]ly lady she sat t[G]wo s[Em]eats from m[D]y right [G] [G] [Em] [A] [G] A[G]nd lord, lord, l[D]ord she was alright. She was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winter's frost but she look long past lonely and I, I was lost I'm not much of a mover or a pick em up easy guy but I decided to glide on over and give it one good try and lord lord lord she was worth a try Tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammerred out some words it did not seem to matter much, cause I don't think she heard She just looked clear on through me, to a place back in my head It shamed me into silence as quietly she said (chorus) If you want me to come with you than that's alright with me cause I know I'm going nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be Well I drove her to my boarding house and I took her up to my room and I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom b[Dm]ut she said please leave t[Gm]he light on, I don't mind the dark a[F]nd as her clothes all tumbled r[A]ound her, I could hear my heart. The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed it was the kind of thing I only had imagined in my head I just could not believe it , to think that she was real and as I tried to tell her, she said, shhh I know just how you feel and lord, lord, lord, she was alright. Well the morning came so swiftly as I held her in my arms She slept like a baby snug and safe from harm I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood so before she woke I went out to buy us both some food I came back with my paper bag to find that she was gone she'd left a six word letter saying it's time that I moved on. You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes and as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind I wish I weren't so goddamned fat, I wish that you were mine and I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home for we both know all about emptiness and living all alone. And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand and he smile a crooked grin He said, I, I guess I'm outta gin and I know we both have been so lonely.