From A Distance: The Very Best Of Nanci Griffith

The Complete MCA Studio Recordings

        Nanci Caroline Griffith, born July 6, 1953, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas, United States. Her career has spanned a variety of musical genres, predominantly country and folk, and what she terms &quot;folkabilly.&quot;   She won a 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Other Voices, Other Rooms, an album of Griffith covering the songs of artists who influenced her.  

        Read more about Nanci Griffith on Last.fm.
    

G  Gsus2  C    G

G                          Gsus2
   Rita was sixteen years, hazel eyes and chestnut hair
C                                              G
   She really made the Woolworth counter shine
G                             Gsus2
   Eddie was a sweet romancer, and a darn good dancer
C                                               G
   They'd waltz the aisles of the five and dime

G                              Am7
   Dance a little closer to me, dance a little closer now
G                            Am7
   Dance a little closer tonight
G                              Am7
   Dance a little closer to me, 'cause it's closing time
        Am7                                     G
   And love's on sale tonight at this five and dime


Eddie played the steel guitar, and his mama cried cuz he played in the bars
And kept young Rita out late at night
So they married up in Abilene, lost a child in Tennessee
Still that love survived, 'cause they'd sing

G                              Am7
   Dance a little closer to me, dance a little closer now
G                            Am7
   Dance a little closer tonight
G                              Am7
   Dance a little closer to me, 'cause it's closing time
        Am7                                     G
   And love's on sale tonight at this five and dime

One of the boys in Eddie's band took a shine to Rita's hands
So Eddie ran off with the bass man's wife
Oh but he was back by June, singin' a different tune
And sportin' miss Rita back by is side.  And he sang...

Dance a little closer to me, dance a little closer now
Dance a little closer tonight
Dance a little closer to me, 'cause it's closing time
And love's on sale tonight at this five and dime

Eddie traveled with the barroom bands till arthritis took his hands
Now he sells insurance on the side
Rita's got a house to keep, writes dimestore novels of a love so sweet
They dance to the radio late at night.  And they sing:

Dance a little closer to me, dance a little closer now
Dance a little closer tonight
Dance a little closer to me, hey it's closing time
And love's on sale tonight at this five and dime

Rita was sixteen years, hazel eyes and chestnut hair
She really made the Woolworth counter shine
Eddie was a sweet romancer, and a darn good dancer
And they'd waltz the aisles of the five and dime...

Love At The Five And Dime

Chorus:
G
Oh, I wish it would rain
         G  G
wash my face clean 

I wanna find some dark clouds
            D
to hide in here
                   G
Oh, the love in a memory
                 G G
It sparkles like diamonds

When the diamonds fall
D           Em  C
Burns like tears
                  G
When the diamonds fall
D
Burns like tears

G                           G    G
Once I had a love from the Georgia pines
     D             Em
who only cared for me
       C                G
Gonna find that love of 22
        D
here at 33
G                           G       G
Got a heart on my right and one on my left
     D                Em
but neither suits my needs
           C             G 
Cause the one I love is way out west
        D
and he never will need me.

(Chorus)

Gonna pack up my two-steppin' shoes
and head for the Gulf Coast plains
Wanna walk the streets of my old hometown
Where everybody knows my name
Gonna ride the train down the Galvaston
When the hurricanes blow in
Cause that Gulf Coast water tastes sweet as wine
when your heart's blowin home in the wind

(Chorus)

I Wish It Would Rain

C               F
Sister had a crystal voice
             C                F
She played a Silvertone from Montgomery Ward
C              F
Baez songs and Monroe hair
     C                         F
She sure could turn the boy's heads to stare
  Em               Am
Swim wear saunter, tan and haunt them
        F                 G
That's all she learned in school
Em                  Am
Books were for the other girls
          F               G
And the other girls were fools
F              G
Texas back in '69
      Am       G             F
Was drive-in movies and dashboard lights


C                    F
Father waltzed her down the aisle
     C              F
Cuz college didn't suit her style
C                        F
Sad truth was she could barely read
            C                         F
But if you told poor father, well he wouldn't believe you
      Em                  Am
The telephone rang drove Mother insane
          F                 G
With the hearts left on the shelf
    Em                  Am
Sister's gone and she won't be home
          F                 G
Cuz she never took care of herself
F            G
Texas back in '69
      Am       G              F
Was drive in movies and dashboard lights


Chorus:
F            G
Where is she now?
     C        G        Am           G
The backseat queen of fraternity
F           G
Where is she now?
       C        G        Am           G
She's heavy of thigh and light on integrity
F                   G
Someone should have told her
        C     G          Am
When beauty's all you offer
     F             G                           C       F
Too soon the world discovers that your bueaty's gone
C               F
(it's gone)


C                          F
Mother can't you hear your daughter crying
C                   F
Father wake up her youth is dying
    C                          F
Her kids are grown...husband's gone away
        C                       F
It's a shame cuz she had such a lovely face
Em                  Am
Can't you see she needed more
      F                 G
Than "Oh, what a pretty child!"
Em                    Am
You never taught her truth from lie
        F                G
All you told her was to smile
F              G
Texas back in '69
      Am       G            F
Was drive in movies and dashboard lights


Chorus

Drive-in Movies

[intro]
F Am Dm Am A# Dm Gm C

[Verse 1]
             F 
Baby really hurt me
                Am 
crying in the taxi
                Dm
He dont wanna know me
                         Am                     A#     Dm
says you make the big mistake of dancing in my store 
Gm                  C
   Says it was poison
                 F
So I guess I go home 
          Am                     Dm
into the arms of the girl that I love
                Am 
the only love I havent screwed up
A#                  Dm
   She's so hard to please
             Gm      C  
but shes a forest fire
        F               
I do my best to meet her demands
Am
play it romance
         Dm
we slow dance in the living room
    Am                      A#
but all that a stranger would see
        Dm           Gm               C     
is one girl swaying alone stroking her cheek

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Verse 2]
            F 
The truth is, I am toy
                Dm
that people enjoy
                Am               A#
till all of the tricks dont work anymore
Dm              Gm       C
And then they are bored of me
             
                    F
I know that its exciting
                     Am
running through the night but
              Dm                Am
every perfect summer's eating me alive
            A#    Dm
unitl youre gone
Gm          C
Better on my own

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Outro]
             Dm           F           A#
They're gonna watch me disappear into the sun
                 Dm        F           A#
You're all gonna watch me disappear into the sun

Liability

INTRO:

A |---------------------|
E |--7--7--7----------- -|
C |---------------------|
G |---------------------|

VERSE 1:   

C#m          E       B      A                     C#m   E    B   A 
I’m going away to be alone I’m coming back with answers
C#m           E            B    A            C#m   E   B   A
Don’t try to call my telephone it’s disconnected
C#m           E          B       A               C#m   E   B   A
And I don’t know where I’m going but can you guide me
C#m              E        B        A              C#m   E   B   A
But if I find love where I’m going will it survive me


PRE-CHORUS 1:

C#m            B   A                         C#m         A   B
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not affected
C#m         B   A                           C#m         A   B
And in your own time you’re still attracted but in your own life


CHORUS:

A                                 C#m            B
This heart attack I’ve gotta get away not coming back
A                                 C#m                     B
I want some downtime so call me when you can and I’ll be fine


VERSE 2: [same chords as VERSE1]
I’ve found the time to be alone I don’t know what you’re asking
I’m waiting by the telephone and you’re still barking
My heart stops it isn’t… going could you revive me
I think I’m lost without knowing so come and find me


PRE-CHORUS 2:  [same chords as PRE-CHORUS1]
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted and in your own time


{CHORUS x2}


Sometimes if we don’t go sometimes you don’t know
You don’t go I don’t go I don’t go you don’t go

C#5  B5  A5                      C#5  A5  B5
            I’ve got your back              but you don’t got mine
C#5  E5  A5                    C#5  A5  B5
            This heart attack              then I’m feeling fine


CHORUS x2

C#m          E       B    A 
I’m going away to be alone
C#m          E       B    A 
I'm going away to be alone ...............

This Heart Attack

Intro:

Bb - F - A

F                 C
I've been feeling lonesome
F                            C
I'm down, don't know what to do
D
I let you lie to me
F
plant seeds inside
            E
to see them grow
                      F
only to leave them to die

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
    A
for you

F                  C
I've been lost and finding
F                           C
out that I've been such a fool
D           
you thought you'd stick around
F
until the day you found
    E                    F
someone to make me obsolete

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm F
why cry
    Bb
for you... 


Guitar Solo:

Bb - F - A (2x)

  C     
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
    A
for you

Why Cry

[Verse 1]
 G                              D
You like New York City in the daytime
 Bm                   A
I like New York City in the nighttime
 G                          D
You say you like sleeping with the air off
Bm                  A
I don't, I need it on
G                  D
You like the light coming through the windows
 Bm                      A
I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed
G                  D
You ignore the music on the radio
Bm                 A
I don't, I sing-a-long


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change


[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time


[Verse 2]
G                        D
Cold outside and you're just in a T-shirt
Bm                   A
I have cold blood even in a sweater
G                         D
You start your night sippin' by the Kilo
Bm                   A
I don't, I know you know


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change



[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                   A
(We don't even know, know, know, know, know)




[Bridge]
G                          D
Somehow we end up on the same side
Bm                          A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright
G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine
G                         D
Somehow we end up on the same side (up on the same side)
Bm                            A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright

(Think that we'd be alright)

G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine


[Chorus]

 N.C.                     D
(Oh)Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                  A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why

(But we don't even know why)
G                D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)

G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]

N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm             A
We like it in the nighttime

A                                     E 
Roll into your town and I'm walking around
                                                Fm                        
Got some extra time think I'll throw some money down
                                                     D
And you follow me around, and you're asking for the time

Your asking what I found 
                         A
think I'm gonna rob you blind

maybe it's the tattoo on my arm
        E
that I drew while I was bored waiting tables in new york
Fm                                            D
 a  heart and two flowers intertwined with a vine

Up Here

Intro  D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 1
    D                              Bm7
We never spoke a word, but every thought she had 
                         G     A Asus A
I heard from across the room 
             D                               Bm7
If we were standin' face to face I couldn't find the words 
               G               A Asus A
To say give me one more move 
        G              A             G                   A
I don't even know her name, I guess foolish pride's to blame


Chorus 
          D                        D7
Now, I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
        Bm7                 F#              G                    A
And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
        Bm7 A   G                              Gm
Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Interlude   D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 2
          D                           Bm7
Wise man next to me did say 'bout the one that got away
        G                    A
Son, I missed my chance 
           D                            Bm7
Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase
     G               A
Ask her to dance, go on, son
           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith


Chorus
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A   G                               Gm
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away 


Solo   D    Bm7  Bm  F#  G   A  D    D7    Bm  F# |A   D 


           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith
 
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A    Bm7 A       Bm7 A       G                      G   
Don't be fallin', fallin' in, fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Outro  (G)   Gm  Bm7  E G  Gm  D

As She's Walking Away

Riff:
|3-----------6-------------------|3-----------6---------------|
|3-------6/8-6-----------8-------|3-------6/8-6-----------8---|
|3-------5/7-7-----------7-------|3-------5/7-7-----------7---|
|0-------------------------------|0---------------------------|
Repeat 2x


| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo joo eyeball he one holy roller

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He wear no shoe shine he got toe jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot Coca-Cola

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He say,"I know you and you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me



Repeat Riff



| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me


Repeat Riff

Come Together

D G D A D x 2

D
I been loved and I been alone
G
all my life I been a rolling stone
D
done everything a man can do
G	                       C	D
everything but get a hold on you
C			D
done everything a man can do
G	D 	A 	D
everything but get a hold on you

D
I've been blessed and I've been cursed
G
all my lies have been unrehearsed
D	
a wall of fire that I walked through
G			C	D
only trying to get a hold on you
C				D
a wall of fire that I walked through
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D

A
I saw you waiting at the gate
D
but I arrived a moment late 
A
I saw you shed a single tear
G	D	A	D
but still I can't get there from here

D
I been high and I been low
G
I been people that I don't know 
D
I been to China and to Peru

G			C    D
only trying to get a hold on you
C			D
I been to China and to Peru
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

Hold On You

Am                              E
There are children standing here,
                              G
Arms outstretched into the sky,
                          D
Tears drying on their face.
              Am
He has been here.
                          E
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
                           G
Fathers lost without a trace.
                           D
A nation blind to their disgrace,
                        Am
Since he's been here.
                    E
And I see no bravery,
 G                  D
No bravery in your eyes anymore.

Only sadness.

(Continue the same chord progression)

Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel to accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Says, he has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

No Bravery

Intro:  D A E A D
        D A E A D  E

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be


A little voice told me it?s all wrong
        D
Another voice told me it?s alright
  E
I used to think I was strong
    A
But lately I just lost the fight

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I got tired of bein? good
        D
Started missing that old feeling free
     E
Stop actin? like I thought I should
    A
And went on back to bein? me

  
I never meant to hurt no one
  D
I just had to have my way
           E
If there's such a thing as too much fun
A
This must be the price you pay

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D
 For a little while
E                 A                D
 You never see it comin? till it?s gone
E                     A           D
 It all happens for a reason even when it?s wrong
  E
Especially when it?s wrong


Solo: A D E A x2


Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be

Drive-in Movies	No rating	beginner	Chords	Full
I Wish It Would Rain	No rating	intermediate	Chords	Full
Love At The Five And Dime	No rating	beginner	Chords	Full

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