• Song:

    Born At The Right Time

  • Artist:

    Paul Simon

  • Album:

    Paul Simon in Central P...

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#----------------------------------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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: KeanJ@agresearch.cri.nz (Kean,John)

Born At The Right Time  - Paul Simon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From "The Rhythm of the Saints"
Transcribed and tabbed by John Kean (keanj@agresearch.cri.nz).

Capo 1st fret.
4/4 time.


INTRO:
   E
   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
||-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------|
||-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------|
||-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------|
||---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------|
||---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
||-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------|


  E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------|
|-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------|
|-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------|


  E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------|
|-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------|
|-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------|


  F#m+6
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-------2---------------2---------|-------2---------------2---------|
|-----------4---------------4-----|-----------4---------------4-----|
|-------------2---------------2---|-------------2---------------2---|
|-----4---------4-----4---------4-|-----4---------4-----4---------4-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2---------------2---------------|-2---------------2---------------|


  B7
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-2-----4-----5-------------------|---2---4-5-----4---0---2---------|
|-----------------------7---------|-------------7-------------4-----|
|-2-----4-----6-------------6-----|---2---4-6-----4---1---2---------|
|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------4-----|
|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------||
|-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------||
|-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------||
|---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------||
|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------||

VERSES:
   E
   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
||-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------|
||-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------|
||-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------|
||---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------|
||---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
||-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------|
       Down       among         the  reeds      and  rushes

  F#m+6
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-------2---------------2---------|-------2---------------2---------|
|-----------4---------------4-----|-----------4---------------4-----|
|-------------2---------------2---|-------------2---------------2---|
|-----4---------4-----4---------4-|-----4---------4-----4---------4-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2---------------2---------------|-2---------------2---------------|
       A  baby    boy         was   found

  B7
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-2-----4-----5-------------------|---2---4-5-----4---0---2---------|
|-----------------------7---------|-------------7-------------4-----|
|-2-----4-----6-------------6-----|---2---4-6-----4---1---2---------|
|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------4-----|
|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
    His   eyes   as   clear   as    centuries

  E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----0-0-------------0-----------|-----0-0-------------------------||
|-----------2-----0-------2-------|-----------2-----0---0---0-------||
|-----1-----2-----1-------2-------|-----1-----2-----1---1-----------||
|---------------------------------|-------------------------4-------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------||
|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------||
     His  silky   hair      was     brown


CHORUS:
   E                       B/E       A/E                     E
   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
||-----4-----------4-------7-------|-----5-----------5-------4-------|
||-----5-----------5-------7-------|-----5-----------5-------5-------|
||-----4-strum-----4-------8-------|-----6-strum-----6-------4-------|
||-----6-----------6-------9-------|-----7-----------7-------6-------|
||---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
||-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
        Never been lone-   ly             Never been lied    to

  B7/E                    A/E       E                       A/E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----2-----------2-------5-------|-----4-----------4-------5-------|
|-----4-----------4-------5-------|-----5-----------5-------5-------|
|-----2-strum-----2-------6-------|-----4-strum-----4-------6-------|
|-----4-----------4-------7-------|-----6-----------6-------7-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
     Never had to scuffle in fear         Nothing denied    to

  E                       B/E       A/E                     E
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----4-----------4-------7-------|-----5-----------5-------4-------|
|-----5-----------5-------7-------|-----5-----------5-------5-------|
|-----4-strum-----4-------8-------|-----6-strum-----6-------4-------|
|-----6-----------6-------9-------|-----7-----------7-------6-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
      Born at the in-     stant      The church bells chime

  B7/E                    A/E       E                       A6/B
  ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .     ,   .   ,   .   ,   .   ,   .
|-----2-----------2-------5-------|-----4-----------4-------2-------||
|-----4-----------4-------5-------|-----5-----------5-------2-------||
|-----2-strum-----2-------6-------|-----4-strum-----4-------2-------||
|-----4-----------4-------7-------|-----6-----------6-------2-------||
|---------------------------------|-------------------------2-------||
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------||
   And the whole world whispering       Born at the right   time


LYRICS:

INTRO: (as tabbed)

VERSE 1: (as tabbed)
 Down among the reeds and rushes
 A baby boy was found
 His eyes as clear as centuries
 His silky hair was brown

CHORUS: (as tabbed)
 Never been lonely
 Never been lied to
 Never had to scuffle in fear
 Nothing denied to
 Born at the instant
 The church bells chime
 And the whole world whispering
 Born at the right time

BRIDGE 1: (first four bars of Intro as tabbed)

VERSE 2: (as tabbed x2)
 Me and my buddies are travelling people
 We like to go down to restaurant row
 Spend those Euro-dollars
 All the way from Washington to Tokyo
 I see them in the airport lounge
 Upon their mother's breast
 They follow me with open eyes
 Their uninvited guest

CHORUS: (as before)

BRIDGE 2: (repeat last four bars of Chorus (sing "Ooh...");
           then first four bars of Intro)

VERSE 3: (as tabbed x2)
 Too many people on the bus from the airport
 Too many holes in the crust of the earth
 The planet groans
 Every time it registers another birth
 But down among the reeds and rushes
 A baby girl is found
 Her eyes as clear as centuries
 Her silky hair is brown

CHORUS: (as before)

ENDING: (as for Bridge 2,
         then repeat first two bars of Intro to fade...)

From: Jean Marc Orliaguet 
Subject: TAB : Born at the Right Time ( Paul Simon )
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 1995 18:00:58 +0200 (MET DST)


                      Born at the Right Time ( Paul Simon )

                    From The Rhythm of the Saints album, 1990
                   ( Live version from "MTV Unplugged", 1992 )


Transcribed and tabbed by Jean-Marc Orliaguet
( jmo@fy.chalmers.se, http://fy.chalmers.se/~jmo )

Notes :  Capo 5th fret

         This live version is slightly different from the studio track :
         it starts with the chorus, and the intro is more finger-picked ...

         The stressed notes are marked with a > sign, and the mute notes
         with an x.

Intro :

     C           F6            C/E          F
     .  .  >  .  >  .  .  >     .  >  .  .  >  .  .  .
e-|--------0-----------------|--------------------------|
B-|--1-----1-----3-----x--1--|-----1----(1)-------x-----|
G-|--0-----------------x-----|--------------2-----x-----|
D-|--------2-----3-----3-----|--2-----2-----3-----3-----|
A-|--3-----------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

     C           F6            C/E          F
     >  .  >  .  >  .  .  >     .  >  .  >  >  .  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------x--1--|-----1-----1--------x-----|
G-|--0-----------2-----x-----|--------------2-----x-----|
D-|--------2-----3-----3-----|--2-----2-----3-----3-----|
A-|--3-----------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

     C          F6             C/E          F
     >  .  >  .  >  .  .  >     .  >  .  .  >  .  .  .
e-|--0-----0-----------------|--------------------------|
B-|--1-----1-----3-----x--1--|-----1-----1--------x-----|
G-|--------------------x-----|--------------2-----x-----|
D-|--------2-----3-----3-----|--2-----2-----3-----3-----|
A-|--3-----------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

     C          F6             C/E          F
     .  .  >  .  >  .  .  >     .  >  .  >  >  .  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------x--1--|-----1-----1--------x-----|
G-|--0-----------2-----x-----|--------------2-----x-----|
D-|--------2-----3-----3-----|--2-----2-----3-----3-----|
A-|--3-----------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Chorus :

     C                                      G
     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  >     .  >  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|-----------------1-----1--|-----1-----------0--------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------0-----------0--|
D-|--------2-----------2-----|--------2-----------0-----|
A-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------3-----------|

                 Never been    lone  -     ly


     F                                      C
     .  .  .  >  .  >  .  >     .  >  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|-----------------0--------|
B-|-----1-----1-----1-----1--|-----1--------------------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------2-----------0--|
D-|--------3-----------3-----|--------3-----------2-----|
A-|--------------------------|--------------3-----------|
E-|--1-----------1-----------|--1-----------------------|

                 never been     lied       to


     G                                      F
     .  >  .  >  .  >  .  >     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|-----0-----0-----0-----0--|-----0-----------1--------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------0-----------2--|
D-|--------0-----------0-----|--------0-----------3-----|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------1-----------|

                 never had  to  scuffle in fear


     C
     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  >     .  .  .  .  >     >
e-|-----------------0--------|--------------------------|
B-|-----1-----1-----------1--|-----1--------------------|
G-|--------------------------|--------------0-----2-----|
D-|--------2-----------2-----|--------2-----------3-----|
A-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------3-----------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

                 nothing   de -  nied      to


     C                                      G
     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  >     .  >  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--1--------------1-----1--|-----1-----------0--------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------0-----------0--|
D-|--------2-----------2-----|--------2-----------0-----|
A-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------3-----------|

                 born at the    in  -   stant


     F                                      C
     .  .  .  >  .  >  .  >     .  >  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|-----------------0--------|
B-|-----1-----1-----1-----1--|-----1--------------------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------2-----------0--|
D-|--------3-----------3-----|--------3-----------2-----|
A-|--------------------------|--------------3-----------|
E-|--1-----------1-----------|--1-----------------------|

             the church bells   chi -   ime


     G                                      F
     .  >  .  >  .  >  .  >     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|-----0-----0-----0-----0--|-----0-----------1--------|
G-|--------------------------|-----------0-----------2--|
D-|--------0-----------0-----|--------0-----------3-----|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------1-----------|

          the whole world   whis - per - ing


     C                                            F
     .  .  .  .  .  >  .  >     .  .  .  .  >     >
e-|-----------------0--------|--------------------------|
B-|-----1-----1-----------1--|-----1--------------------|
G-|--------------------------|--------------0-----2-----|
D-|--------2-----------2-----|--------2-----------3-----|
A-|--3-----------3-----------|--3-----------3-----------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

                 Born at  the   right     time


     C              F           C           F C/E
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     >  .  >  >  .  .  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------1-----------------|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--------0-----2--0--------|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----3--2--------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

     C              F           C    C/E   C/D    C
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     >  .  >  .  >  .  >  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------------------------|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--0-----0-----0-----0-----|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----0-----------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------3-----|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Verse :

     C              F           C           F C/E
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     .  .  >  .  >  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------1-----------------|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--------0-----2--0--------|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----3--2--------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

                Down      a - mong                the


     C              F           C    C/E   C/D    C
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     >  .  >  .  >  .  >  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------------------------|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--0-----0-----0-----0-----|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----0-----------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------3-----|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

 reeds                  and rush - es


     D5         G/D             D5         G/D
     >  .  .  >  .  >  .  .     >  .  .  >  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|-----------3-----0--------|-----------3-----0--------|
G-|--------2-----------0-----|--------2-----------0-----|
D-|--0-----------0-----------|--0-----------0-----------|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

           a    ba - by      boy           was      found


     D5         G/D             D5         G/D
     >  .  .  >  .  >  .  .     >  .  .  >  .  >  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|-----------3-----0--------|-----------3-----0--------|
G-|--------2-----------0-----|--------2-----------0-----|
D-|--0-----------0-----------|--0-----------0-----------|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Bridge :

  Dm11/F   Dm11/G     Dm
     >  .  .  >  .  .  >  .     .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
e-|-----------0--------1-----|--------------------------|
B-|--3--------3--------3-----|--------------------------|
G-|--0--------0--------2-----|--------------------------|
D-|--3-----------------------|--------------------------|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

    his eyes  as               clear


           Dm11                                  C/E
     .  .  .  .  >  .  .  >     .  .  .  >  .  .  >  .
e-|-----------0--1--------0--|--------------------------|
B-|--------3-----------3-----|--------1--3--------1-p0--|
G-|-----------0--2--------0--|--------------------------|
D-|--------3-----------3-----|--------2--3--------2-p0--|
A-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

        as centuries


     C              F           C           F C/E
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     >  .  >  >  .  .  .  .
e-|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------1-----------------|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--------0-----2--0--------|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----3--2--------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------------|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

      his silky    hair             was      brown


     C              F           C    C/E Csus4/D Cadd9
     .  .  >  .  .  >  .  .     .  .  >  .  >  .  >  .
e-|--------------------------|--3-----3-----1-p0--------|
B-|--------1-----------------|--------------------3-----|
G-|--------0--------2--------|--------------------------|
D-|--------2--------3--------|--------2-----0-----------|
A-|--3-----------------------|--3-----------------3-----|
E-|--------------------------|--------------------------|

                                             and ...

Lyrics :


Down among the reeds and rushes
A baby boy was found
His eyes as clear as centuries
His silky hair was brown

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
Born at the right time

Me and my buddies we are travelling people
We like to go down to restaurant row
Spend those Euro-dollars
All the way from Washington to Tokyo
I see them in the airport lounge
Upon their mother's breast
They follow me with open eyes
Their uninvited guest

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
Born at the right time

Too many people on the bus from the airport
Too many holes in the crust of the earth
The planet groans
Every time it registers another birth

But among the reeds and rushes
A baby girl was found
Her eyes as clear as centuries
Her silky hair was brown

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
Born at the right time


                jmo@fy.chalmers.se   http://fy.chalmers.se/~jmo
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