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Black Diamond Bay

Bob Dylan

Text File

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#


Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 14:20:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jordan Ellel 
Subject: d/dylan_bob/black_diamond_bay

Black Diamond Bay - by Bob Dylan
>From the album "DESIRE"
Chords arranged by Jordan Ellel (Shaitan17@yahoo.com)

Note: the Em, C, G progression can be played best if you first pick a
bass note (listen to album for pitch) then strum the chord.  Also C
can be alternated with
C/G if you prefer.

Chords used:
Em - 022000
C  - X32010
C/G- 302010
G  - 320003
D  - XX0232
Am - X02210
Am7- X02010


Verse
Em
Up on the white veranda
C                           G
She wears a neck tie and a panama hat
Em
Her passport shows her face from
C                                 G
Another time and place she looks nothing like that
D
And all of the remnants of her
C   D    C   Em   G
Recent past are scattered in the wild wind
D
She walks across the marble floor where a
C      D        C        Em      G
Voice from the gambling room is calling her to come on in
     Em                     Am
She smiles walks the other way
        C    D    C     Em      Am         C
As the last ship sails and the moon fades away
      C     Am7 Am  G         C Am7 Am G
>From Black Diamond Bay

(Continue as above through remaining verses)

As the morning light breaks open
The Greek walks down and he asks for a rope and a pen that will write
Pardon monsieur the Desk Clerk says
Carefully removes his fez, am I hearing you right
And as the yellow fog is lifting
The Greek is quickly heading for the second floor
She passes him on the spiral staircase
Thinking he's the Soviet ambassador
She starts to speak but he walks away
As the storm clouds rise and the palm branches sway
On Black Diamond Bay


A Soldier sits beneath the fan doing
Business with the Tiny Man who sells him a ring
Lightning strikes the lights blow out
The Desk Clerk wakes he begins to shout can you see anything
Then the Greek appears on the second floor in his
Barefeet with a rope around his neck
While the loser in the gambling room
Lights up a candle says open up another deck
But the dealer says attendez-vous sil vous plait
As the rain beats down and the cranes fly away
>From Black Diamond Bay


The Desk Clerk heard the Woman laugh as he
Looked around in the aftermath and the soldier got tough
He tried to grab the Woman's hand
Said here's a ring it cost a grand she said that ain't enough
Then she ran upstairs to pack her bags while a
Horse-drawn taxi waited at the curb
She passed the door that the Greek had locked where a
Hand-written sign read Do not disturb
She knocked upon it anyway
As the sun went down and the music did play
On Black Diamond Bay


I've got talk to someone quick but the
Greek said go away and kicked the chair to the floor
He hung there from the chandelier she
Cried help there's danger near please open up the door
Then the volcano erupted and the
Lava flowed down from the mountain high above
The Soldier and the Tiny Man were
Crouched in the corner thinking of forbidden love
The Desk Clerk says it happens every day
As the stars fell down and the fields burned away
On Black Diamond Bay


As the island slowly sank the
Loser finally broke the bank in the gambling room
The dealer said it's too late now you can
Take your money but I don't know how you'll spend it in the tomb
The Tiny Man bit the Soldier's ear as the
Floor caved in and the boiler in the basement blew
While she's out on the balcony where a
Stranger tells her my darling je vous aime beaucoup
She sheds a tear then begins to pray
As the fire burns on and the smoke drifts away
On Black Diamond Bay


I was sitting home alone one night in
LA watching old Cronkite on the seven o'clock news
It seems there was an earthquake there
Left nothing but a panama hat and a pair of old Greek shoes
Didn't seem like much was happening so I
Turned it off and went to grab another beer
Seems like every time you turn around there's
Another hard luck story that you're gonna hear
And there's really nothing anyone can say
And I never did plan to go anyway
To Black Diamond Bay


Instrumental verse

That's about it.  If there are any major problems feel free to correct
them.  Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.  it's one of the best
story songs ever in my opinion.

Jordan T. Ellel