Better Place To Be by Harry Chapin D Dmaj7 It was an early morning barroom D7 Gmaj7 And the place had just opened up Em Em/D# And a little man came in so fast Em/D A7 And he started at his cups D Dmaj7 And the broad who served the whiskey D7 Gmaj7 She was a big old friendly girl Em Em/D# Who tried to fight her empty nights Em/D A7 By smiling at the world G A And she said "Hey, bub, it's been a while F#m B7 Since you've been around Em A Where the hell you been hiding G D And why you look so down G A Well, the little man sat there G A D Like he'd never heard a sound Cm G The waitress she gave out with a cough Bb F Em A And acting not the least put off she spoke once again D G She said "I don't want to bother you Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Consider it's understood A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D I know I'm not no beauty queen A/C# Em A7sus4 D But I sure can listen good G And the little man A Took his drink in his hand Em D And he raised it to his lips G D He took a couple sips Em7 A D And then he told the waitress this story D Am C G D I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Die G F#m Bm Cmaj7 And 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 Em7 A11 D And this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right G G/F# Em7 G G/F# Em7 D And Lord, lord, lord, (Lord, Lord, Lord) she was alright D Am C G D You see she was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winters frost G F#m Bm Cmaj7 But she looked 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/F# Em7 G G/F# Em7 D And Lord, lord, lord, (Lord, Lord, Lord) she was worth a try D Am C G D Well I was tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammered 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 D G If you want me to come with you Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Then that's all right with me A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D 'Cause I know I'm going no-where A/C# Em A7sus4 D And anywhere's a better place to be D - G - G/F# - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A A/C# Em A7sus4 D Anywheres a better place to be D Dmaj7 Well, I drove her to my boarding house D7 Gmaj7 And I took her up to my room Em Em/D# And I went to turn on the only light Em/D A7 To brighten up the gloom Dm But she said, "Please leave the light off, Gm Oh, I don't mind the dark" F And as her clothes all tumbled 'round her Asus4 A Asus4 - A - Asus4 - A 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 "Ssssh, I know just how you feel D G And if you want to come here with me Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Then that's all right with me A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D Cause I've been so lonely A/C# Em A7sus4 D Lovin' someone is a better way to be D - G - G/F# - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A A/C# Em A7sus4 D Anywhere's a better place to be D Am C G D Well the mornin' came so swiftly 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 sayin' "It's time that I moved on" D Dmaj7 D7 Gmaj7 You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes Em Em/D# Em/D A7 And as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh D Dmaj7 D7 Gmaj7 She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind Em Em/D# Em/D A7 And I wish I weren't so God-damned 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 'bout emptiness and livin' all alone Em7 F#m Em7 D And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand and he smiled a crooked grin Em7 D Em7 D/F# G - Em7 - A He said "I guess I'm out of gin and I know we both have been so lonely D G Em And if you want me to come with you then that's alright with me A Em A Em7 A7 D Dmaj7 - Gmaj7 - D 'Cause I know I'm going no-where and anywhere's a better place to be www.TAB6.com