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Ordinary Joe

Terry Callier
Version1
90

Chords in this song

Strum
D-DU-UDU
:  320003 or 355433
 Terry Callier - Ordinary Joe (from the album Occasional Rain - 1972)
 2 x
 And for my opening line
 I'm not trying to indicate  my state of mind.
 I turn you on,
 I tell you that I'm laughing  just to keep from crying
 And bringing music  when you hear  it,
 Keep on trying  to get near  it.
 A little rhythm  for your spirit
 Oh but that's  what it's for
 Come on in,  here's the door
 And I've  seen a sparrow get high
 And waste  his time in the sky
He  thinks it's easy to fly
 He's just a little  bit freer than I
 Continue with the same pattern:
 Now here's a mystery
 And maybe you can help to make it clear to me
 When you're fast asleep
 Then what is it that's lighting up the dreams you see
 Only your tears can't conceal it
 And only your prayers may not reveal it
 You've got soul so you can feel it
 And when you make the scene
 Well you know what I mean
 Hey I've seen a sparrow get high
 And waste his time in the sky
 He thinks it's easy to fly
 He's just a little bit freer than I
 Doo doo dee doo doo doo doo doo dee da da da
 doo doo doo doo doo doo dee do da do da
 doo doo dee doo doo da
 doo doo dee doo doo da
 Down here on the ground
 When you find folks are giving you the runaround
 Keep your game uptight
 And if you must just take your secrets underground
 Now politicians are trying to speech you
 Mad colour watchers are trying to teach you
 Very few will really try to reach you
 If you're lost in a stack
 That's OK, come all black
 Now I'd be the last to deny
 That I'm just an average guy
 And don't you know each little bird in the sky
 Is just a little bit freer than I
 Hey ordinary Joe
 Although they say you're just a lazy so-and-so
 What they think is real
 Is nothing but an animated puppet show
 So don't let time and space confuse you
 And don't let name and form abuse you
 Let that Big Joe Williams blues you
 In the light of the sun you can see how they burn
 Oh I've seen a sparrow get high
 And waste his time in the sky
 He thinks it's easy to fly
 He's just a little bit freer than I
 Doo doo dee doo doo doo doo doo dee doo doo dooo
 dee doo doo doo doo doo dee doo daa doo daa ...
 Have fun!

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Readable chord sheet for Ordinary Joe by Terry Callier

[G]:   320003 or 355433

Terry Callier - Ordinary Joe (from the album Occasional Rain - 1972)

[Fm7]  [Em]  [Fm7]  [Em]  2 x

And for my opening [Fm7]line

I'm not trying to [Em]indicate my state of mind.

I turn you [Fm7]on,

I tell you that I'm [Em]laughing just to keep from crying

And bringing [Fm7]music when you [Em]hear it,

Keep on [Fm7]trying to get [Em]near it.

A little [Fm7]rhythm for your [Em]spirit

Oh but [Am]that's what it's [G]for

Come on [F]in, here's the d[G]oor

And [Fm7]I've seen a sparrow get [Em]high

And [Fm7]waste his time in the [Em]sky

[Fm7]He thinks it's easy to f[Em]ly

He's just a [Fm7]little bit freer than [Em]I

Continue with the same pattern:

Now here's a mystery
And maybe you can help to make it clear to me
When you're fast asleep
Then what is it that's lighting up the dreams you see
Only your tears can't conceal it
And only your prayers may not reveal it
You've got soul so you can feel it
And when you make the scene
Well you know what I mean

Hey I've seen a sparrow get high
And waste his time in the sky
He thinks it's easy to fly
He's just a little bit freer than I

Doo doo dee doo doo doo doo doo dee da da da
doo doo doo doo doo doo dee do da do da
doo doo dee doo doo da
doo doo dee doo doo da

Down here on the ground
When you find folks are giving you the runaround
Keep your game uptight
And if you must just take your secrets underground
Now politicians are trying to speech you
Mad colour watchers are trying to teach you
Very few will really try to reach you
If you're lost in a stack
That's OK, come all black

Now I'd be the last to deny
That I'm just an average guy
And don't you know each little bird in the sky
Is just a little bit freer than I

Hey ordinary Joe
Although they say you're just a lazy so-and-so
What they think is real
Is nothing but an animated puppet show
So don't let time and space confuse you
And don't let name and form abuse you
Let that Big Joe Williams blues you
In the light of the sun you can see how they burn

Oh I've seen a sparrow get high
And waste his time in the sky
He thinks it's easy to fly
He's just a little bit freer than I

Doo doo dee doo doo doo doo doo dee doo doo dooo
dee doo doo doo doo doo dee doo daa doo daa ...

Have fun!

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