The October Country

© 2008-9 Naomi Rivkis and Steve Savitzky

This is one of my better collaborations -- Naomi wrote the words, I wrote an initial melody (of which the first two verses and the first two lines of the bridge survive almost intact), and then we woodshedded the heck out of it.

Lyrics [pdf] [txt] [cho]

A E A
H ave you ever seen the f airies d ance?
A E
Gr ease in their hair and black leather p ants,
A D
K icking up their heels, thr owing back their heads,
A E
B umping into trees like drunken k ids,
A E A
L egs and arms all  over the pl ace
D E E7 A
N othing you'd ever call st yle  or g race.
A D
St ill, if ever you g et the chance
A E A
You m ay as well go and see the f airies d ance.


A E A
H ave you ever heard the gr iffin sp eak?
A E
With a pl ug of tobaccy stuffed in his ch eek
A D
He's  often huffy and h ard to please
A E
And his c ussing could peel the bark off tre es.
A E A
He'll t ell you more than your m ama kn ows
D E E7 A
Why the w idow bites, how the  pop py gr ows,
A D
Why  soot is black. It'll t ake a week,
A E A
But  anyhow, go and hear the gr iffin sp eak.

BRIDGE:
DA G
L eft at the traffic light, r ight at the store,
Dm Am Em7
U nderneath the broken heart,  over the w ar.
Am Dm
It's a d ifferent picture though you've f ound the frame,
Am G Am Em
And the s ong never d oes rem ain the s ame.
Am Em7
N ot for the grown are the  airs and grasses,
Am G Am
Sw eet summer daisies, br ight-faced l asses.
Am Dm
T ake the flytrap and the t arnished face,
C G Em7 Am
You can g o back ag ain   but it's a d ifferent pl ace.
Am Em Am
H ave you ever seen the pl ayground d ark,
Am Dm Em
Sh adows and leaves blowing r ound the  park
Am Dm
The sw ings and castles looks st ained and small
Am E
And the s ecret tunnel isn't there at  all.
Am Dm
L ift up the shadow-curtain, f ind the key
Am C Em
You'll s ee what your eyes have l earned to s ee.
Am Em
It's an  ugly magic but it's g ot the spark
Am F E Am
And it's st ill there waiting     when the pl ayground's d ark.

DA G
T ime is subtle as a s idelong glance
E C A
But c ome with me to watch the f airies d ance.
DA G
T ime is subtle as a s idelong glance
Em F E Am
But c ome with me     to watch the f airies d ance.