It was an e^Darly morning ba^Dmaj7rroom And the pla^D7ce had just opened ^Gmaj7up

Em Em/D# And a little man came in so fast

And h^Em/De started at his cups ^A7

And the br^Doad who served the wh^Dmaj7iskey She was a ^D7big old friendly ^Gmaj7girl

Em Em/D# Who tried to fight her empty nights

By^Em/D smiling at the world ^A7 And she ^Gsaid "Hey, bub, i^At's been a while

^F#mSince you've been around ^B7 Where the ^Emhell you been hidi^Ang

And w^Ghy you look so down ^D Well, the ^Glittle man s^Aat there

Like he'd ne^Gver he^Aard a sound ^D

The w^Cmaitress she gave out^G with a cough And ^Bbacting not the least^F put off she spoke^Em once ag^Aain

She said ^D"I don't want to^G bother you Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Consider it's understood

A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D I know I'm not no beauty queen

But I ^A/C#sure c^Eman l^A7sus4isten good ^D And the ^Glittle man

Took his ^Adrink in his hand And he r^Emaised it to his lips ^D

He ^Gtook a couple sips ^D And then he ^Em7told the wait^Aress this s^Dtory

I ^Dam the midnight watchm^Aman down at ^CMiller's ^GTool and Die ^D And I watch^G the metal rus^F#mting, I ^Bmwatch the time go by ^Cmaj7

A ^Aweek ago at the din^Ger I ^F#mstopped to get a bite ^B7 And t^Emhis here lovely la^Ady she sat ^Gtwo seat^Em7s from^A11 my ^Dright

G G/F# Em7 G G/F# Em7 D And Lord, lord, lord, (Lord, Lord, Lord) she was alright

Yo^Du see she was so damn ^Ambeautiful that she could wa^Crm a wi^Gnters fro^Dst But s^Ghe looked long past l^F#monely and w^Bmell nigh onto ^Cmaj7lost

Now I^A'm not much of a mo^Gver or a pi^F#mck'em up easy ^B7guy But I de^Emcided to glide on ov^Aer and give h^Ger ^Em7one good t^Dry

G G/F# Em7 G G/F# Em7 D And Lord, lord, lord, (Lord, Lord, Lord) she was worth a try

We^Dll I was tongue tied like a sch^Amoolboy, I stam^Cmered o^Gut some wo^Drds It did n^Got seem to m^F#matter much 'cause ^BmI don't think she ^Cmaj7heard

She ju^Ast looked clear on thr^Gough me to a s^F#mpace back in my h^B7ead It sh^Emamed me into sil^Aence as qui^Getly ^Em7she s^Daid

If you w^Dant me to come w^Gith you Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Then that's all right with me

A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D 'Cause I know I'm going no-where

And a^A/C#nywhere's a ^Embetter ^A7sus4place to ^Dbe D - G - G/F# - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A

^A/C#Anywheres a ^Embetter pl^A7sus4ace to ^Dbe

Well, I ^Ddrove her to my boa^Dmaj7rding house And I ^D7took her up to my room ^Gmaj7

Em Em/D# And I went to turn on the only light

^Em/DTo brighten up the gloom ^A7 But she ^Dmsaid, "Please leave the light off,

Oh, ^GmI don't mind the dark" And as her cl^Fothes all tumbled 'round her

^Asus4I could hear my ^Aheart ^Asus4

^Asus4

The ^Dmoonlight shone u^Ampon her as she l^Cay back ^Gin my b^Ded It was the ^Gkind of scene I ^F#monly had ima^Bmgined in my ^Cmaj7head

I ^Ajust could not ^Gbelieve it to ^F#mthink that she was r^B7eal And a^Ems I tried to t^Aell her, she said &quo^Gt;Ssssh,^Em7 I know just how ^Dyou feel

And if you ^Dwant to come here ^Gwith me Em/G Em - Em/D# - Em/D Then that's all right with me

A/C# Em - Em/D# - Em/D Cause I've been so lonely

Lovin' s^A/C#omeone is a b^Emetter wa^A7sus4y to be^D D - G - G/F# - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A - Em - Em/D# - Em/D A

^A/C#Anywhere's a ^Embetter ^A7sus4place to ^Dbe Well the ^Dmornin' came so ^Amswiftly I ^Cheld her ^Gin my a^Drms

And s^Ghe slept like a ^F#mbaby, ^Bmsnug and safe from ^Cmaj7harm I ^Adid not want to sh^Gare her or ^F#mdare to break the m^B7ood

So bef^Emore she woke I ^Awent out to ^Gbuy us both some f^Dmood I c^Dmame back with my paper bag to ^Gmfind that she was gone

She'd ^Fleft a six-word letter sayin' "I^Gmt's time that I m^Doved on"

You know the ^Dwaitress she took her ba^Dmaj7r rag and she wi^D7ped it across her eye^Gmaj7s Em Em/D# Em/D A7 And as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh

She said I w^Dish that I was ^Dmaj7beautiful or that y^D7ou were halfway b^Gmaj7lind Em Em/D# Em/D A7 And I wish I weren't so God-damned fat, I wish that you were mine

^A7And I wish ^Gthat you'd come wi^Ath me ^F#mwhen I leave for home ^B7 For we ^Emboth know all 'bout emp^Atiness and ^Glivin' ^Emall alone ^D

And the ^Em7little man looked at the ^F#mempty glass in his hand and he smi^Em7led a crooked grin ^D He said &q^Em7uot;I guess I'm out^D of gin and ^Em7I know we both ^D/F#have bee^Gn

so^Em7 lon

el^Ay

And if you w^Dant me to come ^Gwith you then that's alright with ^Emme 'Cause I ^Aknow I'm going ^Emno-where and ^Aanywhere's a^Em7 better ^A7place to ^Dbe ^Dmaj7

^Gmaj7

Harry Chapin - Better place to be