Artist: Townes Van Zandt Song: Waiting Around to Die Transcribed by: Vegard Gilja (12th of april, 2007) Comment: There are at least 4 quite different versions of this song, but I believe this qualifies as a BASIC version of how Townes plays it in the legendary clip from the movie "Heartworn Highways". The clip is also to be seen in the newer documentary about Townes' life; "Be Here To Love Me". Note that Townes plays with alot of variations throughout the song, mostly by using hammer-ons on various positions. The chords in the brackets assemble the shape of the chord when the capo is assigned. In his own words, this was "the first serious song" Townes ever wrote. Standard tuning (EADGBE) - 4/4 (Capo 4) Verse: C#m (Am) |e|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----| |B|-------1-------1-------1-------1-|-------1-------1-------1-------1-| |G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---| |D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |A|-0---------------0---------------|-0---------------0---------------| |E|---------0---------------0-------|---------0---------------0-------| F#m (Dm) C#m (Am) |e|---1-------1-------1-------1-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----| |B|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|-------1-------1-------1-------0-| |G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---| |D|-0---------------0---------------|---------------------------------| |A|---------0---------------0-------|-0---------------0---------------| |E|---------------------------------|---------0---------------0-------| G#m (Em) C#m (Am) |e|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----| |B|-------0-------0-------0-------0-|-------1-------1-------1-------0-| |G|-----0-------0-------0-------0---|-----2-------2-------2-------2---| |D|---------2-----------------------|---------------------------------| |A|-2---------------2---------------|-0---------------0---------------| |E|-------------------------3-------|---------0---------------0-------| F#m (Dm) C#m (Am) G#m (Em) |e|---1-------1-------1-------1-----|---0-------0-------0-------0-----| |B|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|-------1-------1-------0-------0-| |G|-----2-------2-------2-------2---|-----2-------2-------0-------0---| |D|-0---------------0---------------|---------2-----------------------| |A|---------0---------------0-------|-0---------------2---------------| |E|---------------------------------|-------------------------3-------| C#m (Am) |e|---0-------0-------0---------0---|| |B|-------1-------1-------1-------0-|| |G|-----2-------2-------2-----------o| |D|---------------------------------o| |A|-0---------------0---------------|| |E|---------0---------------0h3-----|| (repeat) Lyrics: C#m F#m Sometimes I don't know where this dirty road is taking me C#m G#m Sometimes I don't even know the reason why C#m I guess I'll keep a'gambling F#m Lots of booze and lots of rambling C#m G#m C#m It's easier than just a-waitin' around to die One-time friends I had a ma, I even had a pa He beat her with a belt once cause she cried She told him to take care of me She headed down to Tennessee It's easier than just a-waitin' 'round to die I came of age and found a girl in a Tuscaloosa bar She cleaned me out and hit it on the sly I tried to kill the pain I bought some wine and hopped a train Seemed easier than just a-waitin' 'round to die A friend said he knew where some easy money was We robbed a man and brother did we fly The posse caught up with me Drug me back to Muskogee It's two long years, just a-waitin' 'round to die Now I'm out of prison, I got me a friend at last He don't steal or cheat or drink or lie His name's codeine He's the nicest thing I've seen Together we're gonna wait around and die