A Junkie's Lament 
Words and Music by James Taylor 
(c) 1976, 1980 Country Road Music 
 
Note: Capo II in E5 
 
E5               A5     D5 D5 
Ricky's been kick-ing the gong 
F#5    B5           E5    E5 
lickety split didn't take too long 
  G5        C5       F#5       B5 
A junkie's sick, a monkey's strong 
E5          C#5   A5 
That's what's wrong 
 

        E5               A5     D5 D5 
Well, I guess he's been messing around downtown 
F#5      B5           E5    E5 
so sad to see the man losing ground 
G5        C5       F#5       B5 
winding down behind closed doors 
E5          C#5   A5 
on all fours 
 

C5                              G5 
Mama, don't you call him my name; 
          D5       D5   A5 
he can't hear you anymore 
C5                     G5 
Even if he seems the same to you 
         D5        B5     E5 E5 
that's a stranger to your door 
C5                 G5             A5 
Ask him what's he come here for 
 
Oh my God, a monkey can move a man 

Send him to hell and home again 

With an empty hand in the afternoon 

shooting for the moon 
 
It's halfway sick and it's halfway stoned 

He'd sure like to kick but he's too far gone 

so they wind him down with the methadone 

He's all on his own 
 
But baby, don't you throw your love away 

I hate to seem unkind 

It's only that I understand the man  

that the monkey can leave behind 

I used to think he was a friend of mine 
 

E5 A5 D5 D5 , F#5 B5 E5 E5 , G5 C5 F#5 B7, E5 C#5 A5 (slower) 
La, la, la, ... 
F#5 C#5 F#5 C#5 F#m7, F#5 C#5 F#5 C#5 A5 , C5 D5 E5 , F#5 B5 F#5 
La, la, la, ...