G5             D5            G5                    D5
How early is "Beginning"?  From when is there a soul?
G5              D5           G5               D5
Do we discover living, or, somehow, are we told?
A5                                 Bb5
In sudden pain, in empty cold, in blinding light of day
      B5                  B5
We're given breath and it takes our breath away.

How cruel to unformed fancy, the way in which we come --
Over-whelmed by feeling and sudden loss of love
And what price dark confining pain, (the hardest to forgive)
When all at once we're called upon to live

( G5  G/f#  E5  -  A5 )

By giant hand we're taken from the shelter of the womb
That dreaded firt horizon, the endless empty room
Where communion is lost forever when a heart first beats alone
Still, it remembers, no matter how it's grown

( G5  G/f#  E5  -  A5 )

   D5         D5  D5
We grow, but grow apart --
   D5         D5
We live, but more alone --
    E5
The more to be, the more to see,
C5
To cry aloud that we are free
Bb5                          A5
To hide our ancient fear of being alone

And how we live in darkness, embracing spiteful cold
Refusing any answers, for no man can be told
That Delivery is delayed until at last we're made aware
And first reach for love, to find twas always there.

--
spostel@cs.oberlin.edu                                  >  Bananafish  >
ssp5688@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu (forwarded automatically to above address)
"I've been reaching out to find a friend
 Who knows all the words, sings so she's heard,
 And knows how all the stories end." --Stan Rogers


From: Barrie McCombs 
Subject: r/stan_rogers/delivery_delayed.crd

DELIVERY DELAYED   Time: 2/2   Tenor: D   Bass: D
- Stan Rogers, 1979, on: Between the Breaks, Key: D


INTRO(?): G5 ,  G5 ,  D5 ,  D5

G5       *           D5       D5
....... How early is Be-ginning______
G5        *               D5    D5
....... from when is there a soul______
G5      *        D5          D5
....... Do we disco-ver living______
G5       *             D5          D5
....... or, somehow, are____ we told______
   A5               *              Bb5             *
In sudden pain, in empty cold, in blinding light of day
      B5                  *         A5        G5      *
We're given breath and it takes our breath a-way


How cruel to unformed fancy / The way in which we come
Over-whelmed by feeling / And sudden loss of love
And what price dark confining pain, the hardest to forgive
     B5                *      A5    G5          G/f#   E5   *   A5   *
When all at once we're called upon . to live


(Then) by giant hand we're taken / From the shelter of the womb
That dreaded first horizon / The endless empty room
Where communion is lost forever, when a heart first beats alone
       B5               *      A5        G5  G/f#   E5   A5
Still, it remembers, no matter how it's grown____________


   D5     *         D5   D5
We grow____,  but  grow  a-part
   D5     *         D5  D5
We live____,  but  more   alone
    E5              *            C5
The more to be, the more to see____
                  *
To cry aloud that we are free
   Bb5              *          *           A5  *
To hide our ancient fear(s) of being alone______


And how we live in darkness / Embracing spiteful cold
Refusing any answers / For no man can be told
That Delivery is delayed until at last we're made aware
    B5                       *          A5      G5  G/f#   E5
And first reach for love, to find 'twas always there_______


NOTES:
- Tuning: DADGBE
- Strings (fingerpicking):  B+2,  4 3,  B 2,  4 3
- A#dim: Rogers: x12020, posted x12320  (both are correct)
- Original: Steve-o Bananafish