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Family Hands

Mary Chapin Carpenter

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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#


FAMILY HANDS (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
------------------------------------
[Recorded in F.  Mary Chapin plays in dropped-D tuning (DADGBE) in the key
 of D, with a capo on the 3rd fret.  John Jennings plays the lead part in
 C with a capo on the 5th fret (and standard tuning).]
[All the verses aren't _exactly_ the same, but they're close enough
 that I only wrote tablature for the first verse.]
[I wasn't able to write tablature for the rhythm guitar during the lead
 guitar solos, because the lead guitar gets in the way.  But I _have_
 written down the exact chord shapes she uses.]


RHYTHM GUITAR (Mary Chapin Carpenter):

  D                G/B              D(9)             G/B     A7sus4
E 2---------------|----------------|----------0-----|----------------|
B ----------------|----------3-----|----3-----------|----------3-----|
G ----------2---2-|------0-------0-|--------------2-|------0-------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A --------0-------|0=2-----2-------|----------------|0=2-----0-------|
D 0---------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
[intro]

  D(9)             D(9)/F#          G       D/F#     Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|----------------|------0---2---0-|----------------|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. Last Sunday we got in the car and we drove
2. Your grandmother owned a gun in 1932

  A7sus4           A7      Asus9    D                G/B     A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B 3---------3-----|0=2-------0-----|3---------------|--3-------3-----|
G ----------------|------0-------2-|----------2---0-|------0-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|2-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. To the town you were raised in, your boyhood home
2. When times were bad just everywhere, you said she used it too

  D(9)             D(9)/F#          G5      D/F#     Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----------------|--3-------3-----|3---------------|--0-------0-----|
G ------2-------2-|--------------0-|------0---2---0-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. The trees were just turning, up on the ridge
2. And the life and times of everyone are traced inside their palms

  A7sus4           A7      Asus9    D(9)             G/B     A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|------0---------|----------------|
B 3---------3-----|2---------0-----|----------3-----|----------------|
G --------------0-|------0-------2-|--------------2-|------0-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|0=2-----0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. And this was your valley when you were a kid
2. Her skin may be so weathered, but her grip is still so strong

  D(9)             D(9)/F#          G       D/F#     Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|--------------0-|------0---2---0-|----------------|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. You showed me the railroad that your daddy worked on
2. And I see your eyes belong to her and too your mama too
3. And a rich man you might never be, they'd love you just the same

  A7sus4           A7sus4  Asus9    D(9)             G/B     A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|------0---------|3=2-------------|
B 3---------3-----|2=3-------0-----|3---------3-----|----------------|
G ----------------|------0-------2-|--------------0-|------0---0-----|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|2-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. As we neared the old house where your granny lives on
2. A slice of Virginia sky, the clearest shade of blue
3. They've handed down so much to you besides your Christian name

  D(9)             D(9)/F#          G5      D/F#     Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|----------------|------0---2---0-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. She's nearing ninety years now, with her daughters by her side
2. [acoustic guitar solo]
3. And the spoken word won't heal you like the laying on of hands

  A7sus4  A9       A7    Asus4      D(9)             D       D/C#
E ----------------|----------0-----|2-----3=2-----0-|----------------|
B 3---------0-----|0=2---3---------|----------3-----|--3-------3-----|
G ------0-------0-|--------------2-|----------------|------2-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|--------4-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0---------------|0---------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. Who tend the places in the heart where loneliness can hide
2. [acoustic guitar solo]
3. Belonging to the ones who raised you to a man

  Bm7              Asus9            G       A7sus4   D(9)    D(9)/C#
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----3-----|------0---------|----------3-----|----------3-----|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|------0-------0-|--------------0-|
D ----4-------4---|----2-------2---|----0-------2---|----0-------0---|
A 2-------2-------|0-------0-------|--------0-------|--------4-------|
D ----------------|----------------|5---------------|0---------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. Raised by the women who are stronger than you know

  Bm7              Asus9            Em7              A     Asus4
E ----------------|----------------|------0---------|----------0-----|
B ----3-----3-----|------0---------|----------0-----|2-----3---------|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|--------------0-|--2-----------2-|
D ----4-------4---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A 2-------2-------|0-------0-------|----------------|0-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|2-------2-------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. A patchwork quilt of memory only women could have sewn

  D     D(9)       D(9)/C#          D9/C             G6/B
E 2-----0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
B ----------3-----|--3-------3-----|----------3-----|--3-------3-----|
G --------------2-|--------------2-|--------------2-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|4-------4-------|3-------3-------|2-------2-------|
D 0-------0-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. The threads were stitched by family hands, protected from the moth

  Em7     D/F#     G                A7
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|
B 0---------------|0---------0-----|----------2-----|
G ------0---2---0-|------0-------0-|------0-------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|
D 2-------4-------|5-------5-------|----------------|  (3rd time to Coda)
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. By your mother and her mother, the weavers of your cloth

  D                D(9)/C#          G6/B             A7    Asus4
E ----------2-----|0---------------|------0---------|----------0-----|
B ----------------|----------------|----------3-----|2-----3---------|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|--------------0-|--0-----------2-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A ----------------|4-------4-------|2-------2-------|0-------0-------|
D 0-------0-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. [instrumental]              (1st time: go back to beginning of verse.)
2. [first 4 bars of solo]      (2nd time: continue with solo)


Lead guitar solo
 | Gmaj7           |   D             |  Em7            |   A     Asus9   |
 | 5x403x          | 0x023x          | 2x0000          | x0222x  x0220x  |

 |  G/B     A/C#   |   D             |   G       A7    | Bm7(4)          |
 | 5x003x  x4222x  | 0x0232          | 5x003x  x0202x  | x2023x          |

 |   E7            |   E7            | Em7             |   A7            |
 | 2x0100          | 2x0100          | 2x0000          | x0202x          |

 | A7sus4          |   A7            |
 | x0203x          | x0202x          |    [Now go back to middle of verse]


Coda
 |   D             | Gmaj7/B         |   D             | Gmaj7/B         |
 | 0x023x          | x20032          | 2x0000          | x20032          |

 |   D      A/C#   |  Bm7      A7    |   G       A7    |   D             ||
 | 0x023x  x4222x  | x2023x  x0202x  | 5x000x  x0202x  | 000232          ||

LEAD GUITAR (John Jennings):

[Remember, this is written in C because Jennings has a 5th fret capo.]


First solo (end of second verse)

     C                C/E              F       C/E      Dm7
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B --|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------------1-|
G --|------0-0-------|----------------|--------2=0-----|----------0=2---|
D 03|3--2------------|----------------|-----3-------2--|0-----2=3-------|
A --|triplet---------|----------2-3-2-|0-3-------------|----------------|
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  G7sus4           G7               C                C       C/B      Am
E ----------------|------0=1-------|----------------|----------------|--|
B 0-----3---------|0--------------3|----------------|----------------|--|
G --2=0-----2-----|----------0---4-|5---------------|----------------|--|
D ----------------|----------------|--------3-------|0=2-----0-------|--|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|------------3=2-|0-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|--|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^


Longer solo (before third verse)

  C                G/B              F/A              G7
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G ----------------|----------------|------0-2-------|----------------|
D -----------3--2-|2/5-----------2-|3-------------32|0---------------|
A --------triplet-|----------------|----------------|----------23--2-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
...cloth  ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  Fmaj7            C                Dm7              G
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B ----------------|------1---3/5-5/|6~~~--------1-31|0---------------|
G --------------2=|0---------------|----------2-----|----------------|
D ------------3---|--3=2-----------|----------------|----------------|
A 0-------0-3-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  F/A     G/B      C                F       G7       Am7
E --1=0-----------|--3-------------|---3--1-0-------|----------------|
B ------1-3-0=1-3-|5---------------|-----------3--0-|1-----0-1-------|
G ----------------|----------------|triplet-0-------|--------------0-|
D ----------------|----------------|-----------3--0-|2-----0-2-------|
A ----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|--------------2-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  D7               D7               Dm7              G7
E ----------------|----------------|-----------0----|----------------|
B ----------------|----------------|------1-1--1--3-|0-----------1=0=|
G ----------------|----------0-2=0-|---2--2-2-------|0---------------|
D 4---------------|----------------|3-------triplet-|----------------|
A 0---------------|----------------|triplet---------|----------------|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  G7sus4           G7
E ----------------|----------------|
B 1-1=0-----------|----------------|
G ------0---------|----------------|
D --------0---3---|----------------|
A ----------3---3-|/5--------------|
E ----------------|----------------|
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .


Coda

     C                Fmaj7            D                Fmaj7
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B --|3/5-------------|1---------------|----------------|----------------|
G 0-|--------------0-|2---------0=2---|0---------------|--------------0-|
D --|----------------|--------------3-|-----------2--0-|----------------|
A --|----------------|----------------|-----------3----|3---------------|
D --|----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|5---------------|
  .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

  C       G/B      Am7     G7       F       G7       C
E --------------3-|------3---------|---3--1-0-------|----------------||
B 3/5-----3-------|1-------0-------|-----------3----|1---------------||
G -----(0)---(0)--|---(0)----------|triplet-0-----0-|0---------------||
D ----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|2---------------||
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|3---------------||
D ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------||
  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .  ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

- Adam Schneider, schneider@pobox.com